Fayetteville State University today, Sept. 30 announced a $2 million gift from Cape Fear Valley Health, supporting student success and preparing North Carolina’s future healthcare professionals.

The announcement also included the renaming of the university’s School of Nursing as the Cape Fear Valley School of Nursing, reflecting the ongoing partnership between the health system and university.

The ceremony featured remarks from FSU Chancellor Darrell T. Allison, Cape Fear Valley Health CEO Mike Nagowski, UNC System President Peter Hans, North Carolina Speaker of the House Rep. Destin Hall, Chair of the Fayetteville State University Board of Trustees Glenn B. Adams, and Chairman of the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners Kirk DeViere.

The latest gift builds on Cape Fear Valley Health’s recent record of support for FSU and its students.  In July 2025, the health system invested $900,000 to establish a state-of-the-art Health and Wellness Center, which will offer students, faculty and staff comprehensive wellness services and modern equipment.

Combined, these gifts make FSU a key pipeline for North Carolina’s healthcare workforce. Nursing and pre-health students gain hands-on training, and the community benefits from new wellness resources that support education and public health.

“Cape Fear Valley Health’s generosity is not about bricks and mortar alone,” said Allison. “It’s about outcomes. It means more students gaining access to state-of-the-art facilities. It means more graduates ready to fill the nursing positions our state so urgently needs. And it means healthier families and stronger communities across our region. This is the return on investment, and it’s a return that will pay dividends for years to come.”

The announcement comes as North Carolina continues to face a critical shortage of nurses, with thousands of vacancies persisting across hospitals and clinics statewide, according to North Carolina Health News and acknowledged by Hall during the event.

In his speech, Hall praised the university’s role in addressing the shortage, noting the importance of expanding opportunities for future healthcare professionals. 

“We need more nurses all across North Carolina, especially in rural communities,” he said. “Expanding programs like the Cape Fear Valley School of Nursing at Fayetteville State is one of the most important steps we can take to meet that demand.”

Nagowski echoed that urgency, emphasizing that Cape Fear Valley Health is ready to help meet the need by deepening its support to the university. 

“Cape Fear Valley Health is excited to strengthen our partnership with Fayetteville State University by helping to grow and support our local students who want to go into the healthcare field, especially nursing,” said Nagowski. “We believe we’re not just investing in our local education system; we’re investing in our patients and improved health outcomes. Today’s nursing students are tomorrow’s healthcare professionals, and we want them to be able to receive top-notch training and opportunities here in Fayetteville."

Building on this momentum, university leaders are working with the North Carolina Board of Nursing to expand program capacity, hire additional faculty, increase lab and classroom space and double enrollment in the coming years.

That vision is already taking shape. Enrollment in nursing tracks rose from 844 in 2023 to 984 in 2025. Since 2022, nearly 500 graduates, including over 340 registered nurses, have served North Carolina communities.

Fayetteville State’s nursing program was also recently ranked No. 249 in the nation for 2026 by U.S. News & World Report, rising from No. 254 in 2025. In addition, Nurse.org named FSU the top-ranked nursing program among historically Black colleges and universities in 2025, highlighting the university’s growing reputation for excellence in nursing education.

These efforts align with broader initiatives across the UNC System. In July 2024, the UNC System awarded nearly $29 million in grants to expand nursing education across 12 public universities, with Fayetteville State receiving $2 million to grow its program. That system-wide investment, together with Cape Fear Valley Health’s support, shows how state and regional partners are aligning resources to address the nursing shortage.

“North Carolina has a critical need for quality nurses, and our public universities are stepping up to welcome more nursing students across the state,” said Hans. “This investment in Fayetteville State will make a real difference for the state and for the aspiring nurses who will benefit from expanded opportunity.”

The Cape Fear Valley School of Nursing now stands as both a symbol of partnership and a promise to students. With expanded resources, Fayetteville State University is preparing more graduates who are ready to enter hospitals and clinics across the state. As the university and its partners look to the future, their ongoing collaboration and shared vision are set to increase innovation and measurable progress in healthcare education.