Call 1.866.971.3353 to talk to a nursing specialist about your online options. Or visit https://ualr.edu/online/nursing for more information about the online RN to BSN online program.

By day, Channon Horne works for the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Psychiatric Research Institute assisting in the treatment of patients with chronic depression and other mood disorders.

After work hours, she is one of UALR’s outstanding online students set to graduate in August with a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing.

Horne began as a licensed practical nurse over two decades ago before eventually earning her associate degree at UALR. She said working at a teaching hospital instilled in her a respect for lifelong learning.

“It’s never been about money for me,” she said. “The reason I decided to go back to school is because I’m at UAMS and everybody here is in school. Being in a teaching environment, helping students who are working with practitioners, it just made sense.”

Horne not only advocates for her patients, she advocates for her student peers, serving as a student rep for online students at UALR. She even designed the new Student Governance Community site in Blackboard for online nursing students, giving them a voice in the program improvement process.

In addition, Horne is the mother to seven children, two of whom have cerebral palsy, so keeping a work-life balance with her family is one reason she is grateful for the opportunity to pursue her degree entirely online.

Another benefit with the accelerated RN to BSN program is the quicker pace and in-depth knowledge it provides that helps keep everything fresh, said Horne.

“I can go to work and apply what I’ve learned since all of our projects had real-world applications,” she said. “I love going to UALR.”