妻友社区

The grant is the second largest in the history of the College

妻友社区 College will receive a $5 million, five-year grant from the New York Department of Health under the new statewide Healthcare Education听and Life-skills Program (HELP).听 The HELP initiative assists students pursuing careers in healthcare听by offering wrap-around services and support in order to address听the critical workforce shortages across the healthcare sector.

The grant will support graduate students in the Purcell School for Professional Studies enrolled in nursing, physician assistant studies, clinical mental health counseling and occupational听therapy. The grant, the second-largest in the College鈥檚 history behind the $7.2 million received in 2022 to fund the ERIE21 Program, will start on Jan. 1, 2026.

This student funding and support program will be called the Healthcare Opportunities for Professional and Educational Success (HOPES).听In addition to generous financial support for more than 50 students each year, the program will involve three programming pillars: transition into the program, transition to the profession听and transition to practice.听Overseeing implementation of the program will be the听Office of Graduate Admission听and听Success and the Purcell School.

The tiered approach will听provide critical support to onboard, retain and qualify graduate听students in the healthcare field.听It ties directly to the College鈥檚 strategic plan听Tomorrow Together, which calls for the institution to 鈥渁ssess local and regional markets for partnerships that increase programmatic reach鈥� and also aligns with its Jesuit tenant of cura personalis, or care for the whole person,

鈥淭he grant will increase resources critical听to running programming, coaching students and providing vital services听to support student success,鈥� said Purcell School Dean Meega Wells,听Ph.D., R.N., APN- BC. 鈥淚t will benefit our graduate healthcare students in many ways throughout their journey through their respective programs.鈥�

鈥淢y deepest gratitude to the many faculty, program directors and staff who contributed to the data collection and writing of the grant proposal to develop the innovative concept that resulted in this funding,鈥� said President Linda LeMura. 鈥淚t was truly a collaborative effort across the College.鈥�

This HELP initiative is part of a听听with a goal of rebuilding and expanding the healthcare workforce. The program’s goal is to address health workforce shortages by providing support services to healthcare trainees, thereby enhancing the career pipeline and improving access to healthcare training in underserved areas. HELP has annual funding availability of $19.5 million.