Nursing grants headed to local higher ed institutions

Grant funding designed to boost nursing education is headed to a handful of local higher education institutions.

Missouri State University is the largest local recipient of the funding, according to a news release. Gov. Mike Parson announced $5 million in statewide grants that were part of a special appropriation he recommended and approved for the Missouri State Board of Nursing.

MSU’s West Plains campus was picked for $532,944 in funding – the largest single grant of the $5 million round – and the school received another $394,772 grant for its main campus.

“It is vitally important that we continue to invest in Missouri’s health care workforce to stay competitive nationally, especially for our high-demand fields such as nursing,” Parson said in the release. “These grant funds will allow nursing programs to increase faculty support, develop future faculty through scholarships and nursing educator programs, and invest in clinical simulation technology and equipment.”

Also in southwest Missouri, Bolivar Technical College was chosen for $172,760, and $165,590 is headed to College of the Ozarks, according to the release. Just outside the Springfield area, Crowder College in Neosho was issued $211,855.