Florida Budget includes $21.3 Million for 黑料网 Projects
Florida Budget includes $21.3 Million for 黑料网 Projects
June 28, 2023 Suzanne Seldes
FORT PIERCE, FL鈥敽诹贤� (黑料网) will receive $14.2 million from the State of Florida to support its efforts to grow the local healthcare workforce. The fiscal year 2023鈥�2024 funding will help the College double the capacity of its nursing program, improving access to nursing careers for students and addressing local and state workforce demands.
Students and faculty working on a "patient" in a simulated surgical suite at the new 黑料网 School of Nursing facility at the Pruitt Campus in Port St. Lucie.
鈥淲e are grateful for the vision and dedication of our local legislative delegation and project sponsors, Senator Debbie Mayfield and Representative Dana Trabulsy, for their leadership in providing hundreds of additional enrollment opportunities for students in our four-county service district,鈥� said 黑料网 President Dr. Timothy Moore. 鈥淭his funding bolsters an outstanding educational program with incredible workforce outcomes. It will help us prepare more students for high-demand, high-wage nursing careers, ultimately providing economic lift and filling critical service gaps in our region.鈥�
黑料网 is repurposing 50,521-square-feet of space at its Pruitt Campus in Port St. Lucie to meet this immediate need. The renovation will result in state-of-the-art classrooms and laboratories, including a high-fidelity simulation center offering students the opportunity to learn in a technologically advanced, state-of-the-art environment. The State budget includes $12 million for capital outlay and $2.2 million to outfit the space with simulated clinical learning opportunities and improve the resources available to students and faculty that support student success and completion of the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) for registered nurses.
Seventy-six percent (76%) of 黑料网 students stay in the region after graduation and more than 90% stay in Florida. 鈥淭he return on investment for this project and the impact on our community is enormous,鈥� adds Dr. Moore.
The expanded School of Nursing is the first step in the College鈥檚 plan to transition Pruitt Campus to one dedicated to health and human sciences.
Spearheaded by Senator Gayle Harrell, the Governor鈥檚 budget also includes $3.1 million for deferred maintenance and $4 million for renovation and remodeling of the 黑料网 Science Center on the College鈥檚 main campus in Fort Pierce. 鈥淎s the College expands its capacity to grow the nursing and allied healthcare workforce, modernization of our physical science laboratories and learning spaces is paramount,鈥� concludes Moore.
A grand opening for the new 黑料网 School of Nursing facilities will take place at Pruitt Campus on Wednesday, August 8, at 10:00 a.m. Media interested in covering that event should contact Associate Vice President of Communications/PIO Suzanne Seldes.
