One of the region’s largest universities approved funding for a multimillion-dollar project to expand and modernize educational facilities for its most popular major.
Wright State University’s Board of Trustees recognized the impact $6 million could have on the school’s nursing program, unanimously approving funding for a project to expand and modernize nursing facilities on its Dayton campus.
More than 700 students will now receive expanded educational opportunities in upgraded laboratory, simulation and clinical training spaces in the School of Nursing’s Learning Resource Center in University Hall.
The funding will go towards the renovation and expansion of instructional laboratories, including two new simulation rooms equipped with advanced training software.
Students will also have more hands-on learning opportunities, such as a new space for the Anatomage table, a life-size dissection platform that lets students study the human body in 3D. There will also be 42 new nursing beds and low-, mid- and high-fidelity training mannequins, capable of simulating a wide range of illnesses and injuries.
Construction is scheduled to take place in two phases during the summers of 2026 and 2027.
“I am deeply grateful for the university’s investment in renovating and upgrading our Nursing Learning Resource Center,” Marty Sexton, professor of nursing and dean of the College of Health, Education and Human Services, said. “This commitment ensures our nursing students are practice-ready when they reach the bedside – confident, competent and prepared to deliver safe, high-quality care. The enhanced training facilities provide the space and technology required by the new AACN Essentials, supporting competency-based education and ensuring students can fully demonstrate and validate their clinical skills before caring for patients.”
This expansion comes as the region – and country – continues to grapple with a critical shortage of nurses.
Across Dayton and Ohio, health care providers and state officials continue to project significant shortages in areas such as acute care, primary care, behavioral health and specialty practice. In addition, the Bureau of Labor Statistics recently revealed its list of the highest-paying roles in the Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek metro area is largely dominated by the health care industry.
Nursing is the most popular major at Wright State, which offers both a traditional four-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing program and an accelerated three-year option that allows students to enter the workforce sooner.
Following the renovations, the program will be able to double its undergraduate nursing enrollment from 380 students to an estimated 740 by the 2027–2028 academic year, preparing more graduates for those in-demand careers.
“This investment ensures Wright State can continue to grow enrollment in high-demand programs while giving our nursing students the high-quality preparation needed to succeed and serve our region’s health care needs,” John Thompson, interim chair of the board of trustees, said.
The expansion will also strengthen Wright State’s strategic partnership with Premier Health, increasing enrollment and enhancing student training to help address nursing shortages in critical care areas.
The Premier Health Wright State Nursing Academy allows students to earn a nursing degree while working part time at Premier Health, gaining hands-on experience in the field. Students also receive up to $5,000 in tuition support per year from Premier Health and job placement upon graduation, helping them stay in the Dayton area.
Read the complete article at bizjournals.com/dayton.
Walking through open doors 
Adventures await 
Wright State to expand nursing facilities to meet workforce needs and prepare more graduates for in-demand careers 
Wright State student-athletes make a lasting impact on local family with more to come 
Wright State names Rajneesh Suri dean of Raj Soin College of Business 