Marian University Plymouth outlines program expansion, workforce goals to commissioners

Dr. Nellie Tucker, identifying herself for the record as "Dr. Nellie Tucker," presented to Marshall County commissioners on Feb. 2, 2026, to update the panel on changes at the local college now moving to the Marian University name.

Tucker said the institution will be Marian University Plymouth and highlighted academic and workforce programs: six associate-degree programs and two bachelor-degree programs in nursing and education. She described newly developed simulation labs for nursing training and said the college graduated its first bachelor-level nursing cohort of seven students last year, with five employed locally. Tucker reported total enrollment "a little over 200" and said the institution aims to reach about 350 students within two years; she added that 73% of students live in campus housing and 51% of students are first-generation scholars.

Tucker described a planned makerspace oriented to entrepreneurship and agricultural-technology uses, and said the college is exploring evening and nontraditional class offerings to restore prior evening enrollment patterns. She invited commissioners to visit the campus and offered to provide handouts and follow-up information.

A commissioner asked whether the college planned bachelor’s programs in addiction counseling or mental health; Tucker said the college has considered related offerings and would likely look first at associate-level programs tied to workforce need. The presentation closed with an offer to provide more information to commissioners and to coordinate possible partnerships with the historical society for alumni celebrations noted in her remarks.