NWSCC Receives $1.3M Grant for Rural Healthcare Education Boost in Our Counties

Northwest Shoals Community College (NWSCC) in Alabama has received a $1.3 million grant. The grant, from State Legislative appropriations and awarded by the Alabama Community College System, will improve healthcare education in rural areas. It will benefit Colbert, Lauderdale, Franklin, and Lawrence Counties. NWSCC will collaborate with North Alabama Medical Center (NAMC), which has provided space on its Cloyd Campus for healthcare education expansion.

The grant will fund several initiatives at NWSCC. It will create a Dual Enrollment Pathway for Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN) Certification, allowing students to start LPN certification early. It will also fund a stand-alone LPN Program on NAMC’s Cloyd Campus, improving access to nursing education.

The college will also set up a non-credit health studies training center, offering specialized training programs for healthcare professionals. NWSCC will also buy equipment for a mobile simulation unit. This unit, a first for community colleges in the Southeastern United States, will have two hospital-like rooms with different types of manikins.

NWSCC President Dr. Jeff Goodwin thanked state legislators and the Alabama Community College system for their support. John McIntosh, Dean of Workforce Development, Institutional Effectiveness, and Advancement, said NWSCC is excited to work with community partners, healthcare providers, and educational institutions.

NWSCC is part of the Alabama Community College System and has over 4,250 students. It offers more than 100 certificate and degree programs and aims to provide career technical, academic, athletic and lifelong educational opportunities to promote economic growth and improve the quality of life for the people it serves.

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