Harrell will PI THEC Funded Project Creating the First Virtual Reality Nursing Lab in Tennessee

Funding also provides scholarship support

Dr. Brad Harrell, assistant dean of Nursing at Lambuth, received a $150,000 sub-award from the State of Tennessee and the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) in the form of the Governor's Investment in Vocational Education (GIVE) grant program. This funding is part of a larger $1 million grant awarded to the Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) schools in Jackson, Tennessee. GIVE grants focus on local collaboratives between TCATs, community colleges, industry, economic development/workforce agencies, and K-12 to identify and address “skills gaps” in local workforce pools.
 
The University of Memphis Lambuth will partner in this program to support the education and pipeline of nursing staff in the Jackson area and surrounding regions. A critical shortage of nurses continues and is magnified by the global COVID-19 pandemic. Students often begin their journey in the healthcare workforce in TCATs or community colleges and are encouraged to complete their bachelor's degree, but often face financial hardships. This collaborative will support nursing scholarships at UofM Lambuth for students in RN-BSN dual enrollment tracks. A portion of these funds will also create the first dedicated Nursing Virtual Reality Simulation Lab in the state of Tennessee.
 
We are excited to support the education of future nurses from high school to undergraduate degree completion, and we feel the innovative improvements and scholarship support will provide an excellent opportunity for our current and future students at UofM Lambuth. For more information on this project, contact Harrell at bharrell@memphis.edu.