Latest grant puts Cox College at 94% of campaign goal

Rendering provided by COXHEALTH

Cox College's planned improvements include a first-floor student lounge.

Last edited 9 a.m., Jan. 10, 2018

Cox College is now at 94 percent of its capital improvements campaign goal after receiving a $2.2 million federal grant.

College officials held a news conference Friday to formally announce the grant issued last month by the the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration.

CoxHealth spokeswoman Kaitlyn McConnell said the grant funding does not count toward funds needed to receive a $1 million matching grant announced in October from the J.E. and L.E. Mabee Foundation Inc.

With its current fundraising levels, McConnell said the campaign is at $6.2 million of its $6.6 million goal. The college still needs to raise $247,554 to earn the matching funds from the foundation, she said.

“The goal is to have the final funds raised by April so we can begin putting out bids in May,” McConnell said via email, estimating an 18-month turnaround time on construction.

Launched in mid-2017, Cox College’s fundraiser would improve all four floors of its campus at 1423 N. Jefferson Ave., attached to CoxHealth’s north-side hospital. The addition of new learning rooms and expansion of classrooms is expected to grow the college’s student cap to 275 from 250 with a future goal of 300.

A news release from the Department of Commerce estimated 465 new nurses would be educated in nine years through the Cox College improvement efforts.

The federal grant followed letters of support from partners including Jordan Valley Community Health Center, Mercy, Texas County Memorial Hospital, Phelps County Regional Hospital, Citizens Memorial Healthcare and Oxford HealthCare, according to a separate release from Cox College.

U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., issued a statement in favor of the federal grant funding for Cox College.

“The Cox College nursing program does an exceptional job providing students the training and skills they need to launch their careers and make a difference in their communities,” he said. “With the support of health care partners throughout southwest Missouri, graduates of the program will have immediate access to good-paying jobs.”