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The school has been awarded $4,989,080 in grant money. The money from the US Department of Labor covers tuition and administrative costs for training about 200 students seeking associate, bachelor's and master's degrees.

 

Mary Bowen is an OU professor of nursing who helped develop the grant.

 

"This is a career pathway grant, so it's usually people that are trying to increase their credentials. For instance, LPN to RN, and they would be out on the regional campuses because that's where the programs are offered," said Bowen.

 

Bowen says three-quarters of the applicants will be people unemployed for six months or more.

 

"I know there's a large population of LPNs that cannot find jobs because the employers in the region aren't hiring LPNs very much at all any more," said Bowen.

 

Bowen says the program is expected to recruit nearly 70 students in its first year, but says hiring additional faculty won't be necessary. The program aims to work with local employers to add nurses to the medically underserved southeast Ohio region.

 

Ohio University's nursing program can be contacted at nursing@ohio.edu or by calling 740-593-4494.