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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 17, 2022 
 
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GLENVILLE, WV – ����ֱ�� (GSU) has been awarded $1.7 million through West Virginia Governor Jim Justice’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 to fund nursing program expansion projects at colleges, universities, schools of nursing, and career technical education centers across West Virginia.

Through ����ֱ�� State’s award, the institution plans to expand its program offerings, via a partnership with Marshall University, to offer students a program leading to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. The investment is expected to support several new nursing students at GSU.

“����ֱ�� is excited about this opportunity, and I want to again thank Governor Justice for his leadership with this Nursing Workforce Expansion Program. We see the need for nurses in West Virginia and throughout the nation and this initiative will allow us to train more nurses for the future right where we need them the most – in rural areas of our state. So, with this endeavor, I believe that it will make a real difference in the clinics and small hospitals of the Mountain State and beyond,” said ����ֱ�� President, Dr. Mark A. Manchin.

“We’re excited about our partnership with ����ֱ�� and what it could mean for nursing education in the state and we sincerely appreciate this funding opportunity from the state and the help it will provide in providing a nursing education,” Marshall University College of Health Professions Dean, Michael Prewitt said.

The nursing program expansion awards are administered by the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission and Community and Technical College System. Twenty-six funded projects across the state on March 17. Approved projects were required to be focused on increasing enrollment in pre-licensure nursing programs through innovative approaches focused on timely degree completion and licensure for graduates.

“We are tremendously grateful to Gov. Justice for providing this historic funding to support the expansion of nursing education programs across West Virginia,” said Dr. Sarah Armstrong Tucker, West Virginia’s Chancellor of Higher Education. “Through these new projects, our postsecondary education community will be better positioned to help shore up West Virginia’s nursing workforce – which, in turn, will help support our nurses working tirelessly on the front lines right now.” 
 
Governor Justice announced the West Virginia Nursing Workforce Expansion Program in December 2021 by dedicating $48 million to support new and expanded initiatives that will train new nurses, fully fund the West Virginia Nursing Scholarship Program, value nurses already practicing in the state, and recruit nurses into West Virginia.