SUNY Old Westbury is expanding its collaboration with SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University following an award of nearly $170,000 from the State University of New York’s High Needs Nursing Fund. This funding is part of a larger nearly $1 million SUNY investment intended to enhance nursing program capacity, strengthen transfer pathways, and increase available nursing seats across the state.
The investment addresses New York’s current nursing shortages, rising healthcare demands, and the need for complex care for an aging population. SUNY-wide, these High Needs Nursing Fund initiatives are expected to create over 230 nursing seats.
The joint initiative, “Nursing Education Pathway: Train to Retain,” will use the funds to strengthen an existing transfer partnership. This will allow more qualified Old Westbury graduates to enroll in Downstate’s accelerated and graduate programs in nursing, physician assistant studies, and physical therapy, supporting ongoing workforce development efforts.
Furthermore, the initiative establishes direct and contingent admission pathways from the Accelerated BSN program into the Master of Science in Education in Nursing Education program, which will help prepare future nurse educators and expand instructional capacity.
“This funding strengthens a pathway for future nurses and nurse educators,” Timothy Sams, president of SUNY Old Westbury, said in a press release. He added that enabling students to move from undergraduate programs into Downstate’s accelerated and master’s programs “creates opportunities for students to advance into critical healthcare roles while strengthening the workforce.”
Dr. Wayne Riley, president of SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, commented in the news release: “The ability to meet the healthcare needs of our communities depends on a strong and diverse nursing workforce. This award allows us to expand access to nursing education, create clear academic pathways that move students into high-demand nursing careers, and strengthen our partnership with Old Westbury.”
