Nursing Workforce Development (NWD) - This project aims to increase the number of nurses from disadvantaged backgrounds at the Joseph F. McCloskey School of Nursing (JFMSON) at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Schuylkill (LVH-S) in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, by recruiting, retaining, and graduating students from rural, first-generation college, and economically challenged communities. This initiative will expand access to nursing education through evidence-based strategies such as targeted recruitment, structured academic support, and mentorship programs. Additionally, it will integrate simulation-based learning tailored to prevalent community health issues, ensuring students develop essential competencies for success in clinical practice. By addressing financial barriers through need-based scholarships, emergency stipends, and childcare assistance, this project aims to improve student retention and graduation rates better ensuring that more graduates remain in high-need healthcare settings and contribute to a sustainable nursing workforce that enhances healthcare access and outcomes in Schuylkill County. JFMSON has a distinguished history of providing high-quality nursing education since its establishment in 1895. Located in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, within Schuylkill County, JFMSON has served as a cornerstone of healthcare education in the region for more than 130 years, graduating over 4,000 nurses. Despite recent threats of closure affecting many nursing programs across the country, LVH-S has instead chosen to invest in and grow JFMSON, recognizing its vital importance to the regional healthcare workforce. As the only nursing school in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, JFMSON plays a pivotal role in addressing the persistent shortage of registered nurses, particularly in rural and medically underserved communities. For the academic year 2026-27, JFMSON projects enrollment of 402 students across its three cohorts, including the incoming class completing prerequisites at Alvernia University (JFMSON, 2026). Among the 214 students enrolled in academic year 2025-26, 51.9% come from disadvantaged backgrounds under HRSA's definition, as indicated by Pell Grant eligibility, and 42.5% fall at or below the Student Aid Index (SAI) threshold, reflecting significant economic need (JFMSON, 2025). Many are non-traditional students, with 72% over age 25 who balance family responsibilities, employment, and academic demands at the same time. JFMSON offers a rigorous three-year dual enrollment program in partnership with Alvernia University. This program enables students to earn an associate degree in applied health sciences and a Diploma in Nursing, equipping them with the competencies necessary to excel as registered nurses. The same partnership creates a direct path to a bachelor's degree: graduates complete the program with 89 college credits. They can earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Alvernia by completing the remaining 33 credits, often in about 1 year. Graduates are instrumental in closing workforce gaps and ensuring that rural communities receive quality healthcare services. Project goals are as follows: Goal 1: Increase the number of individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds who enroll in and graduate from nursing degree programs, using evidence-based strategies such as pipeline programs or comprehensive student support services. Goal 2: Increase the number of nursing students from disadvantaged backgrounds who are retained in and graduate from nursing degree programs. Goal 3: Increase the number of nursing students from disadvantaged backgrounds who receive the academic, social, and financial support needed for educational success in nursing degree programs. Goal 4: Recruit and retain qualified nursing faculty and clinical preceptors who provide strong student mentorship and strengthen the learning environment, building a stable, well-prepared teaching workforce that sustains high-quality nursing education in a rural, high-need region.
