Cecil College part of grant to address Maryland’s nursing shortage

Published on July 14, 2023

NORTH EAST, Md. – Cecil College is among nine nursing programs in Maryland that will share in a $5.8 million grant developed through Governor Wes Moore’s office to address the state’s nursing shortage.

The FY24 Competitive Institutional Grant funding includes one-year resource grants, multi-year implementation grants, and planning grants to get more students out of the classroom and into the workforce.

“This funding will create positive and lasting change in how we educate our nursing students and faculty while also addressing the nursing shortage in Maryland,” said Gov. Moore. “The grants allow for new and innovative ideas that will continue to develop and expand health care opportunities in Maryland, which will positively impact our workforce and the state’s economy.”

Cecil College will utilize its portion of the grant to add an accelerated nursing program to increase the number of nursing graduates.

The Maryland Higher Education Commission’s Nurse Support Program II panel, recommended funding for six universities and three community colleges that include Bowie State University, Community College of Baltimore County, Frostburg State University, Johns Hopkins University, Notre Dame of Maryland University, Prince George’s Community College, Salisbury University, and University of Maryland – Baltimore.

This grant supports national and state initiatives, including:

  • Planning for a Ph.D. in Nursing Education Program at the oldest HBCU in Maryland to increase the number of PhD-prepared nursing faculty teaching in Maryland;
  • Building a sustainable nurse-managed health center to increase quality clinical opportunities for registered nurses and nurse practitioner students in the state;
  • Increasing enrollment in existing nursing programs and establishing new nursing programs to produce 364 additional nursing graduates;
  • Developing a certificate program in Real-World Data & Pragmatic Research, as well as enhancing an existing Nurse Educator Certificate program;
  • Assisting a university nursing program with resources (e.g., exam software, testing) to prepare pre-licensure and nurse practitioner program students; and
  • Continuing to support the successful Lead Nursing Forward program with resources for website expansion.