Ivy Tech Community College receives gift to establish two endowed funds for nursing program

Ivy Tech Community College has received a gift from philanthropists Conne and Steve Ferguson for the purpose of establishing two new endowed funds in support of the college’s nursing program. The endowed funds are the Connie & Steve Ferguson Nursing Expansion Endowment and the South Region Nursing Scholarship Endowment, both of which have been designed to expand nursing education and to help alleviate the nursing shortage the region is currently experiencing.

According to an article on Ivy Tech Community College’s website, Connie and Steve Ferguson were quoted as saying of their contribution to nursing education, “We are proud to support IU Health and Ivy Tech’s partnership in strengthening Indiana’s nursing workforce. We were motivated by the idea that Indiana can train more nurses by building on the strong foundation that’s already in place. By expanding evening and weekend classes, and clinical training capacity, this approach increases the nursing pipeline statewide and helps more students from the region become caregivers in our communities.”

The gift from the Fergusons has been combined with a $10 million investment from IU Health. Ivy Tech Community College and IU Health have an existing partnership that seeks to expand nursing education in the region. The partnership includes a nursing pathway that utilizes night and weekend clinical programs to provide enhanced access to nursing education for individuals who are working and have other obligations during traditional class times.

Denzil Ross, who serves as the president of IU Health’s South Region, said, “Nurses are the backbone of healthcare, and this commitment will help ensure a skilled workforce is here to care for our southern Indiana communities and visitors for generations to come. By expanding capacity and increasing training opportunities for students, this commitment is aimed at improving educational pathways for nursing professionals and enabling more effective care for Hoosiers.”

The Connie & Steve Ferguson Nursing Expansion Endowment will support nursing programs at the Lee J. Marchant School of Nursing at the college’s Bloomington campus through faculty salary support, facility upgrades, equipment upgrades, and capacity upgrades.

The South Region Nursing Scholarship Endowment will provide scholarships to students in the IU Health Nursing Scholar Program in the South Region for students who have committed to working with IU Health after they graduate. The fund will also support current nurses who work lU Health South Region as they pursue advanced credentialing and education.

Erik Coyne, who serves as the chancellor of Ivy Tech Community College Bloomington, said, “This investment fundamentally expands what is possible for our students and our region. Through our partnership with IU Health and the vision of Connie and Steve Ferguson, Ivy Tech Bloomington is well-positioned to help address one of Indiana’s most pressing workforce challenges.”

For more information about Ivy Tech Community College, visit the school’s website.