Wright State to expand nursing facilities to meet workforce needs and prepare more graduates for in-demand careers

Wright State University will invest $6 million to expand and modernize its nursing facilities on the Dayton Campus, nearly doubling enrollment to more than 700 undergraduate students to enhance training capacity and help meet regional health care workforce needs.

Nursing students at Wright State University will soon train in expanded, modernized facilities under a $6 million project designed to prepare more undergraduates for in-demand health care careers.

The planned upgrades will expand laboratory, simulation and clinical training spaces in the School of Nursing’s Learning Resource Center in University Hall.

The project will allow the School of Nursing to nearly double enrollment in its Dayton Campus Bachelor of Science in Nursing program from 380 students this spring to an estimated 740 by the 2027–2028 academic year.

The expansion will also strengthen Wright State University’s strategic partnership with Premier Health, increasing enrollment and enhancing student training to help address nursing shortages in critical care areas.

During its Feb. 20 meeting, the Wright State University Board of Trustees unanimously authorized funding for the project.

“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,” said John Thompson, interim chair of the Wright State Board of Trustees.

Planned improvements include renovated and expanded instructional laboratories, two new medical simulation rooms equipped with advanced training software and a new space for the program’s Anatomage table, a life-size dissection platform that allows students to study the human body in 3D.

The project will also add 42 new nursing beds and new low-, mid- and high-fidelity training mannequins capable of simulating a wide range of illnesses and injuries in patients.

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,” said Marty Sexton, Ph.D., professor of nursing and dean of the College of Health, Education and Human Services. “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.”

The project reflects continued demand for skilled nurses across the region and Ohio, where health care providers and state officials continue to project significant shortages in areas such as acute care, primary care, behavioral health and specialty practice.

The expansion also supports Wright State’s broader mission of workforce development and community impact by preparing more nursing graduates for careers that improve health outcomes and support regional economic growth.

Nursing is the most popular major at Wright State, which offers both a traditional four-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing and an accelerated three-year degree that enables students to enter the workforce sooner.

The program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education and approved by the Ohio Board of Nursing. Graduates of its pre-licensure tracks are eligible to take the national licensing exam administered by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing to become registered nurses.