The California State University, Stanislaus Nursing Program recently received a healthy booster shot thanks to a $270,000 Kaiser Permanente gift that will allow more nursing students to graduate with college degrees. The gift addresses a local, statewide, and nationwide demand for nurses and will support the University’s expanding Nursing Program that is focused on helping provide more graduates to meet the state’s continuing need for skilled nurses.

CSU Stanislaus has doubled enrollment in its Pre-Licensure Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree program over the past year with a total of 70 students admitted each academic year. A new Master of Science in Nursing with concentrations in Nursing Education and Gerontology will begin this spring, and the department also revised its program for licensed registered nurses so they can complete their coursework in just three full-time semesters.

“California State University, Stanislaus takes great pride in the long and successful partnership our nationally-accredited nursing degree program has had with Kaiser Permanente over the years in training new nurses and providing those already in the healthcare field with the advanced skills they need to provide the best possible care,” CSU Stanislaus President Hamid Shirvani said.

Kaiser Permanente leaders emphasized the importance of the CSU Stanislaus Nursing Program to the region. The healthcare provider, which is opening a new hospital in Modesto on Oct. 1, has been generous in its support of the University, having contributed nearly $1 million over the past 10 years. “

We cannot put a value on our health,” said Dr. Moses D. Elam, Kaiser Permanente Physician-in-Chief. “As providers we know that health and wellness are the foundation for all other achievement. We are delighted to support the University’s commitment to a healthy Central Valley through its nursing program.”

Providing more students with access to a CSU Stanislaus Nursing Degree is high on the list of priorities, noted Corwin Harper, Kaiser Permanente’s Senior Vice President and Area Manager for the Central Valley. “It is critical that we increase the pool of nurses and other healthcare professionals we need to sustain a healthy community.”