By North Forty News Staff | NorthFortyNews.com
Anonymous foundation gift completes academic fundraising goal for CSU’s new dual-degree nursing program, helping address Colorado’s growing nursing shortage.
FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Colorado State University has received a $12 million gift from an anonymous private family foundation to support its innovative 3+2 Dual Degree Nursing Program, completing the program’s $17.5 million academic fundraising campaign and paving the way for a state-of-the-art nursing education facility in Fort Collins.
The new teaching space will occupy the fourth floor of the CSU Health Network and Medical Center, where students will begin clinical coursework in 2029. The facility will feature high-fidelity simulation labs that replicate real-world healthcare environments, preparing students for professional nursing careers.
The 3+2 Dual Degree Nursing Program is a partnership between CSU Fort Collins and CSU Pueblo’s School of Nursing. Launching this fall, the accelerated program allows students to earn both a bachelor’s degree in a related field and a master’s degree in nursing within five years.
CSU officials said the program has already attracted more than 100 incoming undergraduate students across pre-nursing pathways in health and exercise science, human development and family studies, and nutrition science.
“We are incredibly grateful to our philanthropic, healthcare and government partners, and our students for their commitment to training the next generation of nursing professionals through this innovative dual degree program,” said CSU Provost and Executive Vice President Lise Youngblade. “Their generous investments underscore the critical need to address the nationwide nursing shortage.”
The gift builds on previous support from the H.A. & Mary K. Chapman Foundation, UCHealth, $1.5 million in federal funding, and a $100,000 student fee allocation approved through the University Facility Fee Advisory Board and ASCSU.
According to the National Center for Health Workforce Analysis, Colorado is projected to face a registered nurse shortage of approximately 15% by 2030. CSU’s program is designed to help meet that demand while emphasizing resilience, leadership, patient advocacy, and healthcare equity.
Students will spend their first three years completing undergraduate coursework before entering the master’s-level nursing curriculum. University leaders expect to admit about 40 students into each nursing cohort, with the first graduates entering the workforce by 2031.
Although academic fundraising for the program is now complete, CSU continues raising funds for student scholarships, including the Nurturing Future Nurses Scholarship, and future program enhancements.
“Time and time again, you’ve walked with us in our focused quest to solve society’s grandest challenges,” said Scott Roberts, president and CEO of the Colorado State University Foundation. “Thank you for helping our students achieve their academic dreams and for supporting CSU’s 150-year land-grant mission.”
For more information about the program or to support nursing scholarships, visit Colorado State University’s nursing program website.
Colorado State University continues to expand educational opportunities that strengthen Northern Colorado’s workforce and communities. Follow North Forty News for the latest coverage of CSU, higher education, and regional news.
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Source: Colorado State University