Parkview awards $75,000 grant to nursing program
FOR RELEASE: Sunday, September 7, 2008
Huntington, Ind.-In a presentation Sept. 2, Parkview Huntington Hospital awarded a $75,000 grant to Huntington University's nursing program. Mike Perkins, director of the Parkview Huntington Hospital Foundation (far right) presents a $75,000 grant to Troy Irick, Huntington University's vice president for advancement. (left to right) Dr. Margaret Winter, director of the university's nursing program; Sonya Foraker, financial operations analyst, and Stephanie Dooley, a sophomore nursing major from Zeeland, Mich., also participated in the ceremony. Dooley is the president of the Student Nursing Council. Also pictured is Suzie S. Smith, the Department of Nursing's life-size, vinyl plastic manikin that features moveable joints.
"We greatly value our partnership with Parkview Huntington Hospital and are so pleased that Parkview has chosen to invest significantly in our new nursing program," said Dr. G. Blair Dowden, president of Huntington University. "We appreciate not only the hospital's financial support but also Parkview's desire to impact the lives of our students. We know the hospital will play an integral role in helping us train the next generation of nurses."
This gift is in addition to a $100,000 grant the hospital gave the university in February 2006 and a $75,000 grant presented in May 2007.
"Huntington University's new Bachelor of Science Nursing program will help to address the ever-growing national need for more healthcare workers," said Darlene Garrett, chief operating officer of Parkview Huntington Hospital. "We are proud to be able to contribute to this important educational opportunity."
The grant funds were used for the construction and equipping of the main lab/classroom in the Nursing Department located in the lower level of the university's Science Hall. The room is named in the hospital's honor as the Parkview Huntington Hospital Lab/Classroom.
"The Department of Nursing at Huntington University is thankful for the generosity of Parkview Huntington Hospital in providing the grant for the education of future nurses," said Dr. Margaret Winter, director of the nursing program. "This generous financial support will assist not only with the equipping of the practice lab for current nursing students, but the education of many students in the years to come. An essential part of nursing education for the students is to practice the necessary skills and procedures in a state-of-the art skills facility and then to transfer this knowledge into the clinical setting. Parkview Huntington Hospital is providing both of these opportunities with their financial support and in offering the hospital environment for student clinicals. It is our desire to continue this collaboration with Parkview Huntington Hospital by providing educated nurses for the hospital and the Huntington community."
The university applied for the grant through Parkview Huntington Hospital's Community Health Improvement Program.
Huntington University has 38 students enrolled in the pre-nursing program with the first class of nursing majors to graduate in May 2011.
