Southern Awarded $512,000 through West Virginia’s Nursing Workforce Expansion Program

Logan, WV – Southern WV Community & Technical College has been awarded 512,000 through West Virginia’s Nursing Workforce Expansion Program, which is designed to address the state’s nursing shortage through a multifaceted approach to attract, train, and retain nurses in the Mountain State.

Representing a fundamental part of this approach, an award program was established three years ago to fund nursing program expansion projects at colleges, universities, schools of nursing, and career technical education centers across West Virginia.

Through this award, Southern’s Nursing Program plans to continue its Accelerated Weekend Option expanded from its traditional delivery for another year. The investment is expected to support two new cohorts of nursing students at Southern.  Melissa Kirk, Director of Nursing commented, “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.”

For the third year of the program, twenty-three grant awards were distributed to nursing programs statewide. Funded projects build upon progress made in the first two years and are focused on increasing enrollment in pre-licensure nursing programs, timely degree completion, and licensure for graduates.

Since its launch, West Virginia’s Nursing Workforce Expansion Program has helped fill nearly 25 percent more seats at nursing programs across the state.

The nursing program expansion awards, made possible by funding from the West Virginia Legislature, are administered by the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission and Community and Technical College System.