DULUTH, MN (KDAL) – The College of St. Scholastica has received the largest public and private grants in its 108-year history. Both gifts will enhance the educational experiences of St. Scholastica nursing students, making an impact on the future of healthcare in the region.
St. Scholastica President Barbara McDonald Wednesday announced that the School of Nursing has been awarded $2.79 million dollars, the largest grant in the College’s history, to fund the Advanced Nurse Education Workforce project. Separately, the College also has received the largest-ever private grant in its history – $1.125 million from the Manitou Fund of St. Paul.
The nursing initiative, a four-year investment from the federal Health Resources and Services Administration, will address primary care workforce shortages in rural and under-served communities. It will also strengthen St. Scholastica’s long-standing partnership with Essentia Health.
Grant funding will provide professional development for students in clinical settings. In addition, students will gain experience in providing care via telehealth, a form of technology that is used to deliver healthcare remotely, and cultural fluency, which explores working with patients from diverse cultural and religious backgrounds.
Meanwhile, the Manitou Fund’s gift will primarily be directed toward completing a series of major renovations to the Nursing Department’s learning spaces, creating state-of-the-art, hands-on educational experiences for students.
The new facilities are projected to be completed by the spring semester of 2021.
