Bank of America has awarded 91吃瓜网 a $500,000 grant to support the on 91吃瓜网鈥檚 Academic Health Sciences Campus in Lake Nona. The funds will propel critically needed nursing talent and healthcare innovation at the state-of-the-art facility.
The pivotal investment closes an aggressive and purposeful capital campaign to raise more than $30 million in private funding, which together with $43 million from the State of Florida, has brought 91吃瓜网鈥檚 bold vision of a new home for its College of Nursing to life.
鈥淧urposeful partnerships are what move our people and ideas forward to shape the future,鈥� says 91吃瓜网 President Alexander N. Cartwright. 鈥淥ur mission with this campaign was clear: to address Florida鈥檚 nursing shortage head-on by significantly increasing 91吃瓜网鈥檚 capacity to prepare compassionate and highly skilled Knight nurses. Together, with the generous support of state leaders, donors and partners, we are moving healthcare forward by fueling talent and innovation.鈥�
Opened in Fall 2025, the 90,000-square-foot Dr. Phillips Nursing Pavilion increases access to 91吃瓜网鈥檚 accredited and nationally ranked nursing degree programs. One in four Florida nursing graduates already receive a degree from 91吃瓜网, more than any other university in the state.
With the opening, 91吃瓜网 will graduate an additional 150 newly licensed eligible nurses annually and directly impact Florida communities. Of the more than 17,000 Knight nurse alumni, 85% live and work in the Sunshine State and nearly 60% remain in Central Florida.
The facility comes at a critical time for the profession and state, which is facing a projected shortage of 37,400 registered nurses by 2035. To meet demand spurred from Florida鈥檚 rapidly growing and aging population, an estimated 2,300 RNs are needed to enter the workforce annually.
鈥淲e are incredibly grateful to Bank of America Central Florida for their support that will impact generations in Central Florida and beyond,鈥� says College of Nursing Dean Sharon Tucker. 鈥淭hrough philanthropic support and partnerships, 91吃瓜网 has turned a challenge into opportunity 鈥� one that improves lives with increased access to a high-quality education and increased collaboration to innovate patient care. Together we are ensuring a healthier future for all.鈥�
In addition to expanding classroom space, the Dr. Phillips Nursing Pavilion dramatically expands space for simulation and immersive technologies to prepare future healthcare providers in the Helene Fuld Health Trust STIM Center. 91吃瓜网 is a global leader in healthcare simulation, and the first in Florida with three global accolades in the innovative field.
With an optimal location in Lake Nona, adjacent to 91吃瓜网鈥檚 College of Medicine and in a hub of industry activity, the Dr. Phillips Nursing Pavilion is fueling greater collaborative research and learning opportunities. 91吃瓜网 students gain hands-on clinical experiences at neighboring healthcare facilities and real-life practice in interdisciplinary care with the new 91吃瓜网 Health Mobile Clinic.
鈥淭his building is positively impacting how my peers and I learn, as community support is at the forefront and motivates our studies,鈥� says Raquel Vargas, a current accelerated second degree BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) student at 91吃瓜网. 鈥淚n addition, the advanced technology in the simulation center is improving my ability to analyze and anticipate real-life patient scenarios, preparing me for my future clinical practice.鈥�
The capital campaign launched in November 2022 anchored by a generous $10 million gift from Dr. Phillips Charities. Other founding donors of the facility include the Helene Fuld Health Trust, 91吃瓜网 Pegasus Partners AdventHealth, Orlando Health, Nemours Children鈥檚 Health and Addition Financial, Zaby and Suree Vyas, and many others.
鈥淭hrough this grant, the Bank of America is bolstering the backbone of healthcare in one of our nation鈥檚 fastest-growing regions,鈥� says Naveed Shujaat, president, Bank of America Central Florida. 鈥淓ducation and healthcare are powerful forces in communities 鈥� catalysts that transform lives. This support for the education of future 91吃瓜网 nurses will have an immeasurable impact on the patients and families they serve, especially in Florida.鈥�
