The grants come from West Virginia’s Nursing Workforce Expansion Program and from Coalfield Health.
Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College has recently received two grants that will benefit its nursing program. The school received $512,000 from West Virginia’s Nursing Workforce Expansion Program and $51,919 from Coalfield Health.
The grant funding from West Virginia’s Nursing Workforce Expansion Program is intended to help colleges and universities around the state attract and retain individuals interested in nursing to help alleviate the shortage of nurses the state is currently experiencing. Using the money awarded by the grant program, the college will extend the Accelerated Weekend Option offering of its nursing program and will be able to support two more cohorts of nursing students.
According to an article on Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College’s website, Melissa Kirk, the school’s Director of Nursing, commented about the nursing program. Kirk is quoted as saying, “In May, Southern will proudly graduate 75 new nurses from the two options of the program. I am proud of our faculty and staff for pulling together this great accomplishment for our college and community.”
The other grant recently received by Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College will also support the nursing program by funding scholarships for nursing students. Coalfield Health, a rural nonprofit organization, provided the funding to the college in partnership with Aetna Better Health.
In another article on Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College’s website, Dr. Pamela L. Alderman, the school’s president, was quoted as saying, “Southern is deeply grateful for this generous $51,919 grant from Coalfield Health, made possible by Aetna Better Health. This investment in nursing scholarship funding underscores the importance of collaboration between education and healthcare to address critical workforce needs. By improving clinical placements and practical learning opportunities, this support will better equip our nursing students to excel in their careers and enhance healthcare in our communities. We thank Coalfield Health and Aetna Better Health for their commitment to our students’ success and our region’s health care.”
Brent Tomblin, the CEO of Coalfield Health, explained the nonprofit’s motivation to provide scholarship funding for nursing students. He said, “We are thrilled to partner with Aetna Better Health and Southern WV Community and Technical College to support the future of healthcare by providing vital funding to their nursing program. Together, we are fostering the next generation of compassionate, skilled professionals who will make a lasting impact on our communities and beyond. At Coalfield Health, it is critical to have this educational infrastructure and partnerships to help grow and recruit West Virginia’s talent to provide the best possible care to our patients. We know the importance of having a strong nursing school in southern West Virginia to help lead our facility and our community into the future.”
For more information about Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College, visit the school’s website.