Organizations partner to create health care career pathway for local students

Cartersville, Ga. (July 15, 2026) – Piedmont Cartersville, Georgia Highlands College, the Georgia Highlands College Foundation and Cartersville City Schools will formally sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on July 30, creating an innovative educational partnership designed to strengthen the local health care workforce pipeline and provide students with a faster, more affordable path into health care careers.

The signing ceremony will take place at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, July 30, in the library on the second floor of the Academic A Building at Georgia Highlands College’s Cartersville Campus.

The agreement establishes the Piedmont Cartersville Pre-Healthcare Pathway, a dual enrollment program that allows Cartersville High School students to complete key college-level health care prerequisites before graduating from high school. The program is supported by a financial commitment from Piedmont Cartersville Medical Center and is expected to serve approximately 20-25 students annually in its initial phase, with plans to grow to 40-50 students per year as the program expands.

Through the pathway, participating students can complete coursework in anatomy and physiology, microbiology and other foundational college courses that position them to immediately apply for nursing programs or continue their education in health sciences, medicine, physician assistant studies and other health care professions.

“This partnership represents an investment in the future of health care in our community,” said Lori Rakes, CEO of Piedmont Cartersville Medical Center. “By creating opportunities for local students to begin their health care education earlier, we are helping remove barriers to career advancement while building a stronger pipeline of talented health care professionals who may one day care for patients right here in our region.”

Through the partnership, Piedmont Cartersville will invest in the future health care workforce by funding student educational expenses, instructional resources, faculty support and the development of a medical laboratory at Georgia Highlands College. The collaboration will further recognize Piedmont’s commitment to health care education through the naming of a medical laboratory on the college’s Cartersville campus.

“This collaboration demonstrates what can be achieved when education and health care organizations work together to meet the needs of students and the community,” said Dr. Mike Hobbs, president of Georgia Highlands College. “By providing students with a clear and direct pathway into health care careers, we are helping them save time and money while preparing them to meet the growing workforce needs of our region. Georgia Highlands College is proud to play a role in this partnership which will impact local students, local health care and the communities we serve well into the future.”

Students enrolled in the pathway will have the opportunity to complete nursing prerequisites and other foundational coursework while still in high school, potentially allowing them to enter nursing programs sooner and accelerate their progress toward licensure and employment. The program is also designed to support students pursuing a variety of health care careers by providing a strong academic foundation that can transfer toward advanced degrees and professional programs.

“This partnership creates meaningful opportunities for our students to explore health care careers while earning valuable college credit,” said Marc Feuerbach, superintendent of Cartersville City Schools. “We are excited to work alongside Piedmont Cartersville and Georgia Highlands College to provide students with experiences that support their academic success and future career goals.”

The Piedmont Cartersville Pre-Health care Pathway aligns with the shared goal of preparing the next generation of health care professionals while helping address workforce needs across Northwest Georgia. Through this partnership, students will gain access to educational experiences that reduce the time and cost required to enter health care careers while creating a sustainable talent pipeline for the future.

Event Information

• What: Signing Ceremony for the Piedmont Cartersville Pre-Healthcare Pathway MOU
• When: July 30, 2026, at 11 a.m.
• Where: Georgia Highlands College Cartersville Campus, Library, Academic A Building (Second Floor)
• Who: Leadership from Piedmont Cartersville Medical Center, Georgia Highlands College, the Georgia Highlands College Foundation and Cartersville City Schools