OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — A group of students who thought they were close to graduation could actually be much further from receiving their diplomas than they thought.
Students at National American University are frustrated after they learned this month the school would be closing.
"I spent most of the weekend crying," student Lynnea Selleck said.
"I felt like my entire life plan was just gone," fellow student Renee Keith said.
Selleck and Keith completed their spring semester last week. The two are classmates in the surgical technology program at the Overland Park location.
"An hour after our final on Thursday, they had a meeting with us and two deans on the screen to let us know that they were canceling our program," Selleck said.
"He regretted to inform us that we would not be continuing the program," Keith said of the conversation. "The semester that we just finished would be our last one at NAU."
School President Dr. Roland Sharpe told 41 Action News that education is evolving. Sharpe said the university would be moving to online courses and most of the campuses would be closing.
Keith and Selleck said their classes are too hands-on to be done online.
"You can read it to an extent, but you've got to actually get in there, and you've got to practice it," Selleck said.
The surgical technology class received a letter from the university explaining they could transfer to Metropolitan Community College Penn Valley Campus.
"I think it's about 45 minutes from me and where as here it was about 15," Keith said.
Some of the completed courses may not transfer and students might be required to take others through the new program.
Selleck said students felt the university is unhelpful and they just want to graduate.
"We paid so much money, they should let us graduate," Selleck said.
Students in the surgical technology program needed one more 11-week class at the campus building, followed by an externship before graduating in February.
