“`html
Florida State University is poised to enhance nursing education and health care advancement in Northwest Florida, thanks to a $10 million donation from The Fairholme Foundation.
This unprecedented philanthropic donation — the largest in the history of the College of Nursing — will assist FSU in broadening nursing innovation and its undergraduate nursing program to the university’s Panama City campus, aiming to improve the standard of health care in Northwest Florida while tackling a significant nursing shortfall in the area.
“We sincerely appreciate this contribution from Bruce and Tracey Berkowitz and the Fairholme Foundation,” stated FSU President Richard McCullough. “This groundbreaking donation reflects an exceptional pledge to the future of health care in Panama City and Northwest Florida. By fostering the education and creativity of the upcoming generation of nurses, this investment will fortify our local communities, enhance access to care, and guarantee that residents obtain the highest standard of health services for years ahead.”
The donation will directly address health care workforce obstacles in the Panama City vicinity by establishing undergraduate scholarship opportunities for nursing students from Bay, Walton, and Gulf counties in Florida, who are keen to serve in these counties post-graduation. Moreover, this level of philanthropic support will finance state-of-the-art technologies and faculty research aimed at improving health care for aging populations in Northwest Florida.
“This groundbreaking donation reflects an exceptional pledge to the future of health care in Panama City and Northwest Florida. By fostering the education and creativity of the upcoming generation of nurses, this investment will fortify our local communities, enhance access to care, and guarantee that residents obtain the highest standard of health services for years ahead.”
— FSU President Richard McCullough
With projections indicating a shortfall of 60,000 nurses in Florida by 2035, the expansion of FSU’s nursing program to Panama City aims to alleviate the shortage, particularly in Northwest Florida. Approximately 53% of newly registered nurses practice within 40 miles of their high school, while 76.8% of nurses with bachelor’s degrees remain in the same state as their high school, according to a recent analysis by the RN Work Project.
“At the FSU College of Nursing, we are ambitiously stepping up to lead the future of health care — from innovating digital health and smart home technologies to enhancing access to high-quality nursing education across Florida,” expressed Jing Wang, dean of the FSU College of Nursing. “This momentous gift empowers us to realize that vision in Northwest Florida, cultivating excellent nurses while advancing innovative care models that will influence the health of our communities for generations to come. With the remarkable generosity of the Berkowitz family, we can deliver the care required today while positioning Florida State as a national and international frontrunner in transforming health care through nursing.”
Bruce Berkowitz is the founder and chief investment officer of Fairholme Capital Management and serves as the president and a director of Fairholme Funds, Inc. Together with his wife, Tracey, he co-chairs The Fairholme Foundation, an organization acknowledged for its philanthropic contributions to endeavors in the realms of arts, sciences, medicine, entrepreneurship, and education.
Besides the Berkowitz donation, FSU intends to utilize its own funds to renovate facilities, acquire equipment, and recruit faculty and staff for the nursing program to establish a presence in Panama City.
The program will operate in collaboration with FSU Panama City, a comprehensive regional campus of Florida State University that makes obtaining a degree from a distinguished institution more attainable for students in Northwest Florida.
“This remarkable donation is a genuine investment in the future of Panama City,” remarked Randy Hanna, dean of FSU Panama City. “It creates opportunities for our students, enabling them to pursue nursing careers right here at home, and equipping them with the skills and support to enhance and strengthen health care in our community.”
Northwest Florida is witnessing extraordinary momentum in health care, from the establishment of the FSU Health medical campus in Panama City Beach to this transformative investment in nursing education, noted Jorge Gonzalez, president and CEO of The St. Joe Company and member of the FSU Board of Trustees.
“This donation builds upon that progress by ensuring that talented students from our region receive training, remain, and serve right here at home, increasing access to care and fortifying the health of our communities for generations to come,” he stated.
The college recently announced a groundbreaking Smart Health Home Initiative, based at Latitude Margaritaville Watersound, which concentrates on researching innovative technologies to create a home-based ecosystem aimed at enhancing the well-being and independence of active adults.
Earlier this year, FSU disclosed plans to construct an acute care hospital in Panama City Beach under the FSU Health brand. This project marks the next phase in FSU’s long-standing dedication to enhancing health care in North Florida.
The Florida State University College of Nursing is Boldly Rising in education, research, and practice, pioneering digital health and artificial intelligence in new care models, increasing enrollment to address the critical nursing shortage, and attracting over $100 million in new federal funding for innovative healthcare research.
The post FSU secures historic $10 million gift to revolutionize nursing education in Northwest Florida appeared first on Florida State University News.
“`