Lecture to lab: $240,000 grant supports MTU Nursing Program

Copper Shores Community Health Foundation is helping reinvigorate nursing education in the Copper Country with a $240,000 grant to Michigan Technological University. Funding covers the first-year salary of their recently hired Nursing Simulation and Lab Coordinator and the implementation of flexible learning spaces that smooth the transition from lecture to lab.

“She’s going to be an integral part of developing our simulation program,” Nursing Program Director Lori Sullivan said of the new lab coordinator, Meghan Light. “Our coordinator plays a key role in integrating best practices throughout the curriculum, maintaining our technology, and ensuring faculty stay current with the latest updates.”

The flexible teaching space also plays a key role in nursing education, helping students move seamlessly from textbooks and theory to the practical application of life-saving skills. This teaching space is equipped with everything for a standard lecture, as well as an interactive smart system for digital presentations, and seating that accommodates both lecture, and small group style learning. Built adjacent to the hands-on skills and simulation labs, students are able to immediately practice what they’ve learned, further enhancing the learning experience.

Though Light and the flexible teaching space are new to Michigan Tech, the nursing program has a long history within the community. In the early 1900s, St. Joseph’s Hospital, now UP Health System - Portage, began a nursing program run by local nuns. With demand continuing to grow over the next several decades, the program moved to Michigan Tech in the 1970s, where many nursing students laid the groundwork for biomedical engineering, kinesiology and integrated physiology, and medical laboratory science, among other popular health science programs offered today. Suomi College took on the program in the 1980s, continuing its legacy into the modern era with Finlandia University. Eventually, FinnU successfully moved the two-year program into a four-year bachelor’s degree program. When Finlandia closed in 2023, Michigan Tech was once again given an opportunity to carry the mantle.

“A closure of any nursing program affects communities all over the country,” said Sullivan. “One of the biggest factors in the national nursing shortage is that there aren’t enough nursing educators to teach the amount of people that want to become nurses.”

The program plays an important role nationally, but even more so in the Copper Country. With healthcare gaps exposed and a greater emphasis put on health following the pandemic, the nursing program is vital in building both capacity and community.

“We aim to demonstrate service leadership within the community,” said Sullivan. “Nurses are more likely to work in rural areas when they are trained in rural settings. We emphasize community involvement for our students through clinical experiences and volunteer opportunities, allowing them to engage with local agencies and community members while gaining a deeper understanding of the unique needs of rural populations.”

Copper Shores is committed to creating the healthiest community possible – one grant, one program, one nurse at a time. Visit the grants page to learn more about funding opportunities at Copper Shores. To learn more about the scholarship opportunities available through Copper Shores, visit the scholarship page. Visit Michigan Technological University online to learn more about the nursing program.