USF opens expanded College of Nursing facility to strengthen Florida's healthcare workforce

The University of South Florida celebrated the opening of its newly expanded USF Health College of Nursing on Aug. 14, cutting the ribbon on a state-of-the-art facility that will enhance training for nursing students and strengthen the healthcare workforce in Tampa Bay and across Florida.

The three-story, 42,000-square-foot expansion will allow USF to better meet the region's urgent need for nurses while offering students superior clinical training and hands-on learning opportunities. As part of the expansion, the College of Nursing committed to graduating an additional 500 undergraduate students by 2028 and is on track to exceed that goal.

"At USF, we believe one of our greatest responsibilities is preparing the people Florida needs," said USF President Moez Limayem. "This facility will help us educate even more nursing students, strengthen the talent pipeline and prepare graduates who are ready to enter the workforce with the confidence, skill and experience to provide exceptional care."

With Florida projected to face a shortage of nearly 20,000 registered nurses over the next decade, the new facility builds on USF's role as one of the state's leading engines for nursing education. USF already graduates more new nurses than any institution in Florida and is home to the largest nursing graduate program in the state.

The $33 million project was made possible through a strategic state investment by Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida Legislature in 2022. Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson, who was Senate President at the time, championed the effort to expand USF's nursing education infrastructure and enhance simulation training space, playing a key role in securing support for the project and advocating its importance to Florida's healthcare system. Construction began in 2024 and was completed on time and on budget.

"The brick and mortar we are celebrating this morning is significant, but it also represents the continued importance of investing," said Mike Griffin, chair of the USF Board of Trustees. "The ROI that happens here is significant and meaningful. As we look to the future, we'll build on the incredible impact the University of South Florida has made, not only in this region, but in this state and this country."

Built for the demands of modern nursing education, the facility features the advanced Tampa General Hospital Nursing Simulation Center, modern clinical training spaces, flexible learning labs, study areas and adaptable classrooms. Its second floor includes a premier classroom that can accommodate up to 160 students or be divided into two 80-person rooms, along with a multipurpose room, study spaces and an additional lobby area for students and faculty. The third floor, which will house research labs, is expected to be completed in January 2027.

"This building represents opportunity. It represents growth. And it represents our commitment to meeting one of Florida's greatest healthcare needs," said Usha Menon, dean of the USF Health College of Nursing and senior associate vice president of USF Health. "Every student who walks through these doors, every discovery made here and every patient whose life is improved because of the education that happens inside this building will be part of the legacy we celebrate today."

A centerpiece of the expansion is the Tampa General Hospital Nursing Simulation Center, a hub for immersive clinical education created as part of a generous $4.4 million investment from Tampa General Hospital. Anchoring the facility's first floor, the center houses 12 clinical examination rooms, six high-fidelity simulation rooms, six control rooms, four simulation learning labs, six debriefing classrooms and a multipurpose learning lab. In those spaces, students will develop and refine the real-world skills they will need as nurses - such as taking vital signs, communicating with patients, administering medications and identifying sepsis - in a controlled learning environment before they enter clinical settings.

Tampa General Hospital's investment in the simulation center extends a longstanding partnership with USF that began in 1970, when TGH became the primary teaching hospital for the Morsani College of Medicine and its residency programs. The collaboration has since expanded across USF Health's four colleges and its academic, research and clinical missions. Together, USF Health and TGH form one of the nation's premier academic health centers, with more than 1,000 providers caring for over one million patients each year.

"At Tampa General, our partnership with USF Health is rooted in a shared commitment to shaping the future of health care for Florida," said John Couris, president and CEO, Florida Health Sciences Center | Tampa General. "Nurses are the heart of every health system, and investing in their education is one of the most meaningful ways we can strengthen patient care for generations to come. This simulation center gives students the opportunity to learn, practice and build confidence in an environment that mirrors the realities of clinical care, so they are better prepared to step into the moments that matter most for patients and families."

As Florida's need for nurses continues to grow, the expansion will further strengthen workforce pipelines and career pathways for students looking to enter the nursing profession. Ariana Sawyer, an undergraduate nursing student and student council president for the College of Nursing, is among the hundreds of learners who will train in the new facility. She said the space will enhance the student experience by facilitating a clearer connection between classroom learning and clinical care.

"Someday, someone will trust us with their life, and we want to be ready," Sawyer said. "We'll have places where we can come together to collaborate, and a training space where we can make mistakes, build confidence and grow before someone's health depends on the decisions we make. Because of USF, we will be ready to provide exceptional care."

The expansion adds to USF's position as a statewide leader in nursing education and workforce development. Founded in 1973, the USF Health College of Nursing now enrolls nearly 2,000 bachelor's, master's and doctoral students and is home to the top-ranked Master of Science in Nursing program in Florida. It also hosts the Florida Center for Nursing, a state-funded workforce center focused on the recruitment and retention of nurses.

This fall, the college will begin offering a new four-year Freshman Nursing Pathway degree program on the USF St. Petersburg campus, allowing as many as 85 students each year to start preparations for a nursing career immediately upon entering their college career.