MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The Mon Health Foundation has provided an unprecedented $400,000 investment to the Fairmont State University Nursing Program to be utilized to increase hiring capacity for faculty and adjunct staff with real-world experience.

Combined with a $200,000 gift made in May 2019, and the value of student scholarships and clinical rotation oversight time committed through the recently announced Mon Health Scholars Program, Mon Health System has invested nearly $1 million in developing nursing students at Fairmont State University.

“On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Mon Health Medical Center Foundation, I am proud to be able to provide such a wonderful investment in north central West Virginia,” said Luella Gunter, Executive Director of Philanthropy at Mon Health. “We recognize the importance of ensuring that West Virginia has excellent nurses in our hospitals and clinics. Our gift to Fairmont State University demonstrates our commitment to the future of healthcare in north central West Virginia.”

Fairmont State President Mirta M. Martin says the magnitude of this gift is only exceeded by the enormity of her gratitude and that of the entire Falcon Family. “We are so very grateful to the Mon Health Foundation, its officers and Mon Health System CEO David Goldberg. This is an extraordinarily generous series of gifts that has had and will have immeasurable impact not only on our academic programs but also on the region. Through this generosity, more students than ever before will receive an extraordinary education, graduate and transform healthcare in their communities.”

The United States is facing a nursing shortage, and north central West Virginia is no exception to this shortage.  However, Mon Health System and Fairmont State University have partnered to address this challenge head-on. 

“Nurses are in critical need throughout the United States and here in north central West Virginia,” said Dr. Krystal Atkinson, Mon Health System Chief Nursing Executive. “We are dedicated to investing in our future nurses and making sure that our best and brightest have the opportunity to stay in the region to work after graduation.”

Fairmont State Foundation President Julie Cryser recognizes the transformational investment Mon Health continues to make at Fairmont State.

“While these investments will allow the University to grow its nursing program and provide well-trained, thoughtful nurses to the local and regional medical community, it’s also an investment in the future of Marion County and the region.” 

Recently named a top nursing school by RNCareers.org, The Fairmont State University School of Nursing has long been an incubator of highly skilled healthcare professionals. The program’s graduates are well-trained, empathetic nurses and healthcare professionals who have a tremendous impact on their communities. 

“Mon Health’s generosity has allowed us to expand enrollment in our nursing program by 23% over last year,” Fairmont State School of Nursing Dean Laura Clayton said.  “This fall we admitted 32 students for the hybrid weekend program. In the Spring we will admit a second cohort of 32 LPN to ASN students who will complete their program in three semesters. Each year we turn away highly qualified LPN to ASN students due to limitations on the number of students we can admit. Admission of a second cohort of LPN to ASN students doubles the number of students that we can accept into that program track.”

The $400,000 gift was presented on Thursday, August 27 at Fairmont State University.