LSUA College of Nursing Awarded $1.2 Million HERO Grant to Expand Evening Program Options
Louisiana State University of Alexandria (LSUA) has been awarded a $1.2 million Healthcare Employment Reinvestment Opportunity (HERO) grant from the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) to expand access to its Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) program. The grant will support the new alternative nursing course options in the evening with clinical on the weekends, designed to increase enrollment by 25% and create more flexible pathways for aspiring nurses in central Louisiana.
The HERO Fund, established by the Louisiana Legislature, was created to address the state’s growing health care workforce shortage. “Nationwide, and especially here in Louisiana, we are facing serious health care workforce shortages,” said LDH Undersecretary Drew Maranto. “The HERO Fund helps us to grow our health care workforce pipeline at a critical time and keep talent here in Louisiana.”
Mike Thompson of the Louisiana Hospital Association has noted that HERO represents a scalable solution by bringing health care employers and educators together to expand training capacity, improve graduation rates, and create high-demand career opportunities. In April, LDH announced nearly $7 million in matching HERO Fund grants to train 800 additional health professionals across the state, with an estimated $30 million annual economic impact from those new jobs.
Locally, the impact is already clear. LSUA’s School of Nursing, led by Director Sarita James, Ph.D., has reported nearly 500 open nursing positions in central Louisiana. The HERO grant will enable LSUA to hire additional faculty, provide scholarships and stipends, and implement NCLEX preparation resources to ensure graduates continue to maintain a 95% or higher licensure exam pass rate. The new evening course options with flexibility to attend clinical on the weekends are designed to serve adult learners balancing work and family responsibilities while pursuing nursing careers. “It’s going to be very helpful to students who want to become a nurse but never realized it was a possibility for them,” James said.
Through partnerships with five health care providers in the region, LSUA will expand classroom and clinical training opportunities to support student success. By offering flexible scheduling, scholarships, and enhanced resources, the university is removing barriers to education while strengthening the local health care workforce. “This initiative not only addresses a workforce shortage,” James added, “but also opens doors for adult learners to build brighter futures for their families.”
For more information about LSUA’s nursing programs and enrollment opportunities, visit www.lsua.edu/nursing.
Written by Adam Lord
Photo credit - LSUA Strategic Communications
Image - LSUA Nursing students in the simulation laboratory
