WVU Medicine officials gathered Thursday to cut the ribbon on the new WVU Medicine Center for Nursing Education in Morgantown, which will welcome its first cohort of students on Aug. 25.
“This is monumental day for WVU Medicine. We’ve waited a long time to see the Center for Nursing Education transition from a dream into a reality, and that day is finally here. In about four-and-a-half months, our first students will arrive on campus, and before you know it, they’ll be our first graduates,” Albert L. Wright, Jr., president and CEO of the WVU Health System, said.
“Just as this program will go a long way toward helping us combat the national nursing shortage, we hope to replicate this program for other healthcare professions and deepen our partnership with the University to ensure a steady workforce with the necessary skills, knowledge, and experience for years to come.”
Located in the WVU Innovation Corporation on Chestnut Ridge Road in Morgantown, the Center for Nursing Education is a state-of-the-art, hospital-based nursing school and registered nursing diploma program. Students enrolled in the 21-month program will be provided a full tuition waiver, free books, and extensive support services in exchange for a three-year bedside employment commitment at a WVU Medicine hospital.
The program features one-on-one academic support services and intensive clinical experiences to prepare students for nursing program success and an easy transition into nursing practice.
The 37,000-square-foot facility includes:
- Learning spaces: Five classrooms, a virtual reality lab, a simulation center, and two skills labs
- Study spaces: Entry lounge, student lounge, library/study lab, and testing center
- Amenities: Onsite laundry facilities, mother’s room, wellness center, and food bank
- Support services: Student success suite; one-stop-shop student services center; robust remediation program; student success coordinator, who will establish a success plan for every student; and other wraparound services, such as student health, disability services, and housing assistance
“Everything about the Center for Nursing Education – from the structure of the curriculum and support services to the design of the facility itself – was created with the student in mind. We wanted to eliminate many of the barriers students encounter on their pursuit of a nursing degree and reduce some of the stress that comes with being a full-time student while juggling other responsibilities,” Melanie Heuston, D.N.P., R.N., N.E.A.-B.C., chief nursing executive for the WVU Health System, said.
“We want our students to be able to fully immerse themselves in their education, and we hope they find all they need and more at the Center for Nursing Education.”
The CNE received more than 650 applications for the initial 24-student cohort. The inaugural class includes:
- 16 West Virginia residents, seven Pennsylvania residents, and one California resident
- An age range of 17-40 with an average age of 26 years old
- Nine first-generation college students
- 3.8 average high school grade point average
- 13 students who have already completed some level of higher education
- 3.49 average college grade point average
- 3.85 average master’s-level grade point average
- 15 students who have healthcare experience
Applications for the Fall 2026 cohort will open in August.
As of today, the CNE has nine faculty and staff on board and two more starting in the next few weeks.
“There are no words to adequately express how excited we are to open the Center for Nursing Education and to bring our first cohort to campus. This is a stellar first class with which to launch our program, which give us high hopes for the cohorts that will follow,” Tanya Rogers, Ed.D., M.S.N., R.N., C.N.E., assistant vice president of nursing education, said. “Our faculty members have a passion for teaching and training the next generation of nurses, and we’re looking forward to adding to our ranks.”
The West Virginia Board of Registered Nurses accepted the CNE new program application and approved it with provisional approval in March 2024. The Board will visit the facility on May 2, and the CNE’s initial accreditation visit from the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing will be Sept. 2-4.
For more information on the WVU Medicine Center for Nursing Education, visit WVUMedicine.org/CNE.
