Montana State nursing college supporting non-traditional students seeking a career change

BOZEMAN - When Lara Schulz learned she was accepted into Montana State University's accelerated nursing program on the Bozeman campus, she was elated. In between caring for her two children, now ages 8 and 14, and helping her husband through health issues, Schulz had spent the past two years completing her prerequisite classes, studying between meals, school pick-ups and after her kids' bedtimes. Schulz knew she needed straight As to earn admission to the Bozeman campus and stay in the place where she had rooted her life as she pursued a career change at 46 years old.

The hard work had paid off, and in 2023, Schulz was selected to fill one of the 16 available spots in the Bozeman group of MSU's accelerated bachelor of science in nursing program. In the ABSN program, which has 80 total students across MSU's five campuses, students complete classes and clinicals in one year as opposed to the traditional two years. The program also requires students to already have a bachelor's degree in a field other than nursing, which attracts people with diverse professional experiences who want to pursue a career in nursing.

"At MSU, we are driven by a goal to bolster the nursing workforce throughout Montana. We are committed to supporting anyone, no matter their age or past career, to become a professional nurse," said Sarah Shannon, dean of MSU's nursing college. "Our accelerated BSN program provides a rigorous, comprehensive option for students looking to earn their degree as quickly as possible. Our ABSN graduates are sought out by employers across Montana and the nation."

An alumna of MSU with degrees in geography and Spanish, Schulz previously worked as a massage therapist for two decades. She decided to change careers in order to provide reliable health insurance for her family.

The accelerated program appealed to her personality type, Schulz said, laughing that she would rather suffer for shorter lengths of time than draw it out. She learned key lessons in time management and studied every free moment she had. She also conquered a lifelong aversion to needles through exposure therapy, watching videos of blood draws with a trained therapist.

"I had a calendar that I used, and I wrote on the cover page something like, 'This is a challenge that will help me grow.' And it's true," Schulz said.

After graduating in August 2024, Schulz's efforts and MSU's support led her to a job today as a family medicine nurse at Bozeman Health that she said is a great fit.

Along with Schulz, current students and recent graduates of MSU's accelerated nursing program said the degree provided a quick professional transition and helped them establish connections that led to jobs while offering smaller class sizes and one-on-one support from experienced professors. Here are some of their stories.

Michael Walsh, Billings campus

Michael Walsh, 28, graduated from the accelerated nursing program on MSU College of Nursing's Billings campus in August 2025. Walsh grew up on his family ranch in Twin Bridges and earned a bachelor's degree in agricultural business from MSU in 2019.

Following graduation, Walsh worked in the banking industry for several years - first as an analyst and then as a commercial and agricultural loans officer - before realizing that a desk job was not the right fit. Walsh wanted something different but didn't want to spend a ton of time changing careers.

When he heard about the accelerated nursing program, Walsh thought it might be a good option due to his affinity for working with people and being on his feet. His grandmother worked as an army nurse in World War II, and after shadowing one nurse friend, he made the decision to apply to MSU and was accepted.

Because the information is condensed into fewer semesters, the accelerated workload can be formidable, but it was worth it to finish coursework on a faster timeline, Walsh said. Already armed with one bachelor's degree, Walsh said he had the time management skills and maturity to balance school, studying and working as a certified nursing assistant.

Now, Walsh works as a nurse in the Intensive Care Unit at Billings Clinic in Billings.

"Everybody very much wants you to succeed, and the professors were always available for questions," Walsh said of the program. "They did a really good job of preparing us - I was in the hospital all day, twice a week for basically six months, so I got a lot of a hands-on experience that helped me prepare to pass my board exam and start this job."

He added that he's excited to see the nursing college grow following a $101 million donation from Mark and Robyn Jones, which is funding new nursing buildings on each of MSU's five campuses.

Shea Snyder, Billings campus

Shea Snyder, 28, also graduated from the Billings group of the accelerated program in August. She recently started a one-year residency as an emergency department nurse at Billings Clinic and already knows many of her co-workers from her clinicals in school.

Originally from Southern California, Snyder earned her bachelor's degree in biology from University of California Irvine. During school, she became an emergency medical technician, where she worked campus events and manned an ambulance. After graduating, she moved to Montana and took a job as a dialysis technician in Missoula. In both experiences, she observed the care and impact of exemplary nurses and started to see herself in a nursing role, too.

"As an EMT, you reach a certain point of how much you can really help someone. And I know I wanted to do more. I worked with some amazing nurses, and just seeing them do their work made me confident that's what I also wanted to do. It's a very rewarding and fulfilling career path," she said.

Snyder said she chose the accelerated program because she wanted to have small class sizes. In Billings, her group had 13 students compared to the traditional BSN program's 40 students. The small size allowed her to develop closer relationships with her peers and her professors and receive more one-on-one support and instruction, she said.

Snyder added that everything she learned in school she uses every day at her new job. MSU instilled a focus on teamwork with other nurses and adhering to safety practices. There was no busy work, and the coursework all felt intentional, she said.

She commended the caliber of MSU's instruction and the many resources and experienced professors dedicated to helping students.

"If you are serious about nursing, I would definitely recommend this program," Snyder said.

Greg Eller, MSU Kalispell campus

Greg Eller is an accelerated nursing student on MSU's Kalispell campus who started school this August. Originally from Pennsylvania, Eller's diverse career fields included working as an airplane mechanic and a skydiving instructor before becoming a dentist.

Now 53, Eller recently sold his dentistry practice that he ran for over a decade in Kalispell, where he lives with his wife and 9-year-old daughter. Following burnout, back problems, and a search for meaningful work after spending time with his friend in hospice, Eller chose to pursue a career as a nurse.

Returning to school with a doctorate already under his belt has been interesting, Eller said, noting he is 20 years older than most people in his class. But he has the advantage of knowing how to study and already being comfortable in a health care setting.

Eller acknowledged his career path is unusual, but to him, the experiences are fulfilling in different ways. He wants to support patients during the hardest times in their lives and aspires to be a nurse at an oncology or hospice clinic.

His best piece of advice for people thinking about the nursing program - or going back to school in general - is to get the experience required to make that decision. For example, shadow someone working in that career or volunteer, he said, noting how he was a hospice volunteer before making the leap to nursing.

"It's better to experience and feel what it's like to be a part of something rather than just thinking about what it could be like," Eller said.

Delanie Maki, MSU Missoula campus

To facilitate her career change at 56, Delanie Maki, a veteran, looked to MSU. Maki graduated from the Missoula campus of the MSU College of Nursing's accelerated nursing program in August 2024.

In between graduating from West Point, serving in the U.S. Army and entering nursing school, Maki and her husband raised five children, who are now between the ages of 21 and 35.

Maki was able to utilize her veteran status with Veterans Affairs paying around 75% of her nursing school tuition. Being on the Missoula campus, she didn't access the many resources available to students from the Bozeman-based Veterans Center, but it was comforting to know that support was available if she needed it, she said.

With home an hour south in Florence, Maki made the commute to Missoula each day, often listening to recorded class lectures on the drive.

She said her youngest son was key in helping her study and learn how to use the technological tools that weren't around when she was at West Point studying engineering, such as teaching her how to create a PowerPoint presentation for class and taking tests on a tablet.

After graduating, Maki completed a one-year residency at the VA clinic in Missoula. Now, she aspires to work as a substitute nurse for Missoula County public schools.

"I would say to non-traditional students to not be intimated by your age. If you want to try something new, just jump right in there. Your brain is still working just as well as it did when you were 21," Maki said. "Once I got over myself and my insecurities, it was not a problem at all."