LACEY, Wash. – Saint Martin’s University was selected to receive a $105,231 grant from the Washington State Achievement Council (WSAC). This grant will assist the University in purchasing necessary supplies, training and equipment to expand simulation learning capabilities and enable the nursing program to increase cohort sizes.
“Saint Martin’s University is proud to once again partner with the Washington State Achievement Council in support of preparing graduates to help meet the nursing workforce shortage in the region,” said Roy Heynderickx, Ph.D., interim co-president. “With this grant, not only are we able to upgrade facilities, but we are also investing in the future of compassionate and skilled healthcare.”
Awarded the WSAC Nursing Simulation Lab Modernization Grant in 2022 as well, the University plans to continue to use the funds to educate simulation staff, maintain current learning manikins, and purchase new equipment and supplies for simulation learning labs. The upgrades made possible by these funds will also expand the capacity of nursing cohorts.
“Our graduates will be better equipped to navigate the complexities of patient care, embodying the principles of empathy, service and excellence that define our Catholic mission,” said Father Kilian Malvey, O.S.B., interim co-president. “Our program will continue nurturing healthcare professionals who not only possess the technical nursing skills to be successful, but also the deep sense of responsibility to heal and serve others with compassion.”
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program at Saint Martin’s offers three pathways to earn a BSN degree: a traditional BSN degree, an LPN to BSN degree, and an RN to BSN degree. Students attend classes in the Bruno and Evelyn Betti Nursing Education Center, which features a large eight-bed learning and simulation lab, a four-bed learning and simulation lab currently under construction, a fully wired two-bed simulation suite with connected simulation technician room, and a student lounge. The University was recently awarded external funding to remodel two old biology labs into a dedicated nursing classroom.
“These funds will update our nursing simulation labs so they can continue to offer a cutting-edge nursing education to an increased number of students,” stated Teri Woo, Ph.D., ARNP, professor and director of nursing. “As the demand for nurses increases, this grant equips us with the tools and technologies essential for shaping our students into leaders of the field, ready to make a profound impact on the lives of patients and communities.”
About Saint Martin’s University
Saint Martin’s University is an independent coeducational university, with undergraduate and graduate offerings, located on a wooded campus of more than 380 acres in Lacey, Washington. Established in 1895 by the Catholic Order of Saint Benedict, the University is one of 13 Benedictine colleges and universities in the United States and Canada, and the only one west of the Rocky Mountains. Saint Martin’s University empowers students to pursue a lifetime of learning and accomplishment through its 31 majors, 11 master’s programs, one doctorate program and seven certificate programs spanning the arts and sciences, business, counseling, education, engineering, nursing, and leadership. Saint Martin’s welcomes more than 1,300 undergraduate students and 250 graduate students from many ethnic and religious backgrounds to its Lacey campus, and more students to its extended campus located at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
About Washington State Achievement Council (WSAC)
The Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) is a cabinet-level state agency working to increase educational opportunities and attainment through strategic engagement, program management, and partnerships.
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