Northwest Florida State College begins $30 million renovation for nursing program
NICEVILLE — Northwest Florida State College on Thursday took the next step in enhancing its successful nursing program. Officials held a wall-breaking ceremony for renovations now underway to improve the nursing program facilities on campus. “This is the largest construction project that we have done since I’ve been here in the seven years that I have been your president,” said NWFSC President Devin Stephenson. Here’s what we know.
How much will this cost?
The project is expected to cost approximately $30 million. Earlier this year, Triumph Gulf Coast awarded the nursing program a $21 million grant to help fund the expansion project. Approximately $9 million of that is going toward upgrades to the building. With the help of state Rep. Patt Manney and Joel Rudman, $13 million came from Public Education Capital Outlay grants. Additional funds will come from “hard money” to cover the rest of the restoration project, which Ajax will run. “You will see nothing left in this building when we are done,” said Ajax Operations Manager Judd West. “The only thing we are keeping is the actual frame of the building. Everything from the roof down will be brand new. I promise you, it will change the face of the inside of the campus.”
When will the building be finished?
Renovations of Building 420 are planned to be completed by late 2024. Once the project is finished, nursing students will receive state-of-the-art educational opportunities involving virtual reality, video game-focused learning and other teaching strategies currently at the forefront of the medical field. “This an exciting time for nursing at Northwest Florida State College,” said Nursing
Program Director Tanya Beauregard. “This expansion will allow us the space and resources to double the nurses available to the community. More importantly, it will enable more nursing students to be educated at an institution that has been constantly recognized as providing excellent nursing education in the community for more than 20 years.” “We won’t just produce nurses, but we will produce amazing nurses,” Beauregard added. “It’s a great time to be a nurse, but an even better time to be a nursing student.”