Marquette University College of Nursing receives $1.6 million Department of Education grant for simulation center expansion, equipment

Oct. 11, 2024

MILWAUKEE - Marquette University's College of Nursing has received a $1.6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to support an expansion of its simulation center and invest in equipment.

The funds provided for the Health Education and Retention Optimization through Equipment and Simulation (HEROES) project will enable the college to address a nursing shortage in Wisconsin and across the nation by meeting its goal of preparing 5,000 entry level nurses to enter the workforce in the next decade.

"Wisconsin is facing a future critical shortage of nurses. The pandemic accelerated this and highlighted health disparities in our state and country," said Dr. Jill Guttormson, dean of the College of Nursing. "Marquette and the College of Nursing's mission has been to meet this demand by expanding capacity to educate a diverse and skilled workforce of nurses trained in the Catholic, Jesuit tradition of caring for the whole person. Our goal of nearly 5,000 new Marquette Nurses includes increasing diversity in our program.

"This grant expands our capacity to train more nurses at a continuing high level."

A limiting factor for program growth is sufficient clinical sites. To ensure readiness for practice, the College of Nursing will implement a multipronged approach, including enhanced simulation experiences known to support clinical judgment and practice readiness.

"We are grateful to our partners in government for seeing a real need to supply and reinforce the staffing pipeline for nurses in Wisconsin," Guttormson added. "Thanks to the efforts of Rep. Gwen Moore and Sen. Tammy Baldwin, our expanded simulation centers will supplement the scholarships, pipeline programs and holistic support currently in place to further advance the goal of increased diversity of students and future nurses. Preparing a workforce to provide competent and patient-centered care to urban and rural populations is imperative to help improve outcomes, address health disparities and meet the needs of Wisconsin communities."

About Marquette University

Marquette University is a Catholic, Jesuit university located near the heart of downtown Milwaukee that offers a comprehensive range of majors in 11 nationally and internationally recognized colleges and schools. Through the formation of hearts and minds, Marquette prepares our 11,100 undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and professional students to lead, excel and serve as agents of positive change. And, we deliver results. Ranked in the top 20% of national universities, Marquette is recognized for its undergraduate teaching, innovation and career preparation as the sixth-best university in the country for job placement. Our focus on student success and immersive, personalized learning experiences encourages students to think critically and engage with the world around them. When students graduate with a Marquette degree, they are truly prepared and called to Be The Difference.

About Kevin Conway

Kevin is the associate director for university communication in the Office of University Relations. Contact Kevin at (414) 288-4745 or [email protected].