$507K awarded to Luzerne County Community College nursing program

NANTICOKE — Luzerne County Community College (LCCC) announced on Thursday that it was awarded a $507,318 grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to help grow its nursing program.

U.S. Rep. Rob Bresnahan, R-Dallas Township, said the funding comes from the Nurse Education, Practice, Quality and Retention — Workforce Expansion Program — a federal initiative aimed at training more nurses to meet the country’s growing healthcare needs.

“Investing in our nursing workforce is an investment in the future of healthcare in our region,” said Bresnahan. “With high job placement rates and strong partnerships across the region, Luzerne County Community College has a proven track record of preparing students for successful careers in nursing. This grant will allow them to expand that impact, and I’m proud to support their efforts to ensure every community in our district has access to high-quality care.”

LCCC President John Yudichak said the funding will be used to increase enrollment, upgrade training equipment and support students as they prepare for jobs in hospitals, clinics and other healthcare settings.

“Nursing is a high-demand, high-wage profession, and LCCC is committed to using the $507,318 grant from the federal Workforce Expansion Program to educate and train more nurses to meet the growing health care needs of Northeastern Pennsylvania,” Yudichak said. “We are extremely grateful to Congressman Rob Bresnahan for his effective and unwavering advocacy for federal funding to support the expansion of the college’s celebrated nursing program.