The LSU Alexandria Foundation receives a $460,000 contribution from six community partners to fund the expansion of the nursing program. Foundation director Melinda Anderson says this helps combat the nursing shortage in central Louisiana.
“It’s not unique to central Louisiana but our community has stepped up. We have worked out a public-private partnership where we are going to try to graduate some more nurses,” said Anderson.
The money will fund scholarships as well as the salary and benefits of an additional faculty member over the next four years.
“Which then allows LSU Alexandria to admit 40 new clinical nursing students every year,” said Anderson
Anderson says the positive impact will reach beyond the students and says the whole region will see a substantial benefit.
“Economic development, workforce development needs, this will address in some way, some of those issues and it will just take more of this kind or thing, this public-private partnership,” said Anderson.
LSUA and the Department of Nursing has a year to year passing rate of around 94 percent.
