FORT PIERCE — Indian River State College (IRSC) will receive $14.2 million from the State of Florida to support its efforts to grow the local healthcare workforce. The fiscal year 2023–2024 funding will help the college double the capacity of its nursing program, improving access to nursing careers for students and addressing local and state workforce demands.

“We are grateful for the vision and dedication of our local legislative delegation and project sponsors, Senator Debbie Mayfield and Representative Dana Trabulsy, for their leadership in providing hundreds of additional enrollment opportunities for students in our four-county service district,” said IRSC President Dr. Timothy Moore. “This funding bolsters an outstanding educational program with incredible workforce outcomes. It will help us prepare more students for high-demand, high-wage nursing careers, ultimately providing economic lift and filling critical service gaps in our region.”

IRSC is repurposing 50,521-square-feet of space at its Pruitt Campus in Port St. Lucie to meet this immediate need. The renovation will result in state-of-the-art classrooms and laboratories, including a high-fidelity simulation center offering students the opportunity to learn in a technologically advanced, state-of-the-art environment. The State budget includes $12 million for capital outlay and $2.2 million to outfit the space with simulated clinical learning opportunities and improve the resources available to students and faculty that support student success and completion of the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) for registered nurses.

Seventy-six percent (76%) of IRSC students stay in the region after graduation and more than 90% stay in Florida. “The return on investment for this project and the impact on our community is enormous,” adds Dr. Moore.

The expanded School of Nursing is the first step in the College’s plan to transition Pruitt Campus to one dedicated to health and human sciences.

Spearheaded by Senator Gayle Harrell, the Governor’s budget also includes $3.1 million for deferred maintenance and $4 million for renovation and remodeling of the IRSC Science Center on the College’s main campus in Fort Pierce. “As the College expands its capacity to grow the nursing and allied healthcare workforce, modernization of our physical science laboratories and learning spaces is paramount,” concludes Moore.

A grand opening for the new IRSC School of Nursing facilities will take place at Pruitt Campus on Wednesday, Aug. 8, at 10 a.m.