WVU Medicine announces future Center for Nursing Education in Wheeling

WVU Medicine Wheeling Hospital today announced plans for a future Center for Nursing Education in Wheeling, further expanding access to nursing education while strengthening the healthcare workforce pipeline throughout the Ohio Valley and across the WVU Medicine system.

Scheduled to open for the Fall 2027 semester, the future Center for Nursing Education will be located within the WVU Medicine Operations Support Center on the campus of Wheeling University and will become the third location of the WVU Medicine Center for Nursing Education program, joining the main campus in Morgantown and an additional site in Martinsburg near Berkeley Medical Center.

The new Center for Nursing Education will offer students a 21-month registered nurse diploma program designed to prepare the next generation of nurses through hands-on clinical education, advanced simulation technology, and extensive student support services.

Students enrolled in the program will receive a full tuition waiver, including free books and supplies, in exchange for a three-year bedside employment commitment at any WVU Medicine hospital.

The Wheeling location will feature a modern learning environment designed to support both classroom instruction and experiential education. Planned features include two classrooms, a virtual reality lab, simulation center, two clinical skills labs, a student lounge, library and study lab, and a dedicated testing center.

Students will also have access to amenities designed to help remove barriers to education, including onsite laundry facilities, a wellness center, and a food pantry. Support services will include a student services center, robust remediation programming, and a dedicated student success coordinator who will establish an individualized success plan for every student. Additional wraparound services such as student health, disability services, and housing assistance will also be available.

Douglass Harrison, President and CEO of WVU Medicine Wheeling Hospital and President of the North Region, said the project reflects WVU Medicine’s commitment to investing in both people and the future of healthcare.

“Nursing is the foundation of patient care, and investing in nursing education is ultimately an investment in our communities,” Harrison said. “This future Center for Nursing Education represents an important step forward for Wheeling and the Ohio Valley. By creating new opportunities for students to receive high-quality nursing education close to home, we are helping develop the skilled, compassionate workforce our hospitals and patients depend upon.”

Harrison said the new location also demonstrates the health system’s broader strategy to create sustainable workforce solutions while expanding educational access throughout the state.

“WVU Medicine has made a tremendous commitment to growing its own workforce and supporting students in meaningful ways,” Harrison said. “This is more than a school. It is a direct investment in the people who will care for our families, friends, and neighbors for generations to come.”

Tanya Rogers, Ed.D., M.S.N., R.N., C.N.E., assistant vice president of nursing education at the WVU Medicine Center for Nursing Education, said the Wheeling expansion reflects the continued success and growth of the program’s student-centered model.

“Our goal has always been to create an innovative nursing education experience that removes barriers and surrounds students with the support they need to succeed,” Rogers said. “The Wheeling location extends that mission by creating another touchpoint where students can receive high-quality training, individualized support, and a direct pathway into meaningful nursing careers within WVU Medicine.”

The WVU Medicine Center for Nursing Education was designed to address both workforce needs and many of the challenges students face while pursuing higher education. Through advanced learning spaces, individualized academic support, and comprehensive wraparound services, the program provides students with a hospital-based education model focused on both academic achievement and long-term professional success.

Additional details regarding enrollment timelines and facility development will be shared as planning continues toward the Fall 2027 opening.

The photo below shows, from left, Jennifer Riley, MSN, RN, NE-BC, vice president of Patient Care Services and chief nursing officer, Wheeling Hospital; Tanya Rogers, EdD, MSN, RN, CNE, assistant vice president of nursing education, WVUHS; and Douglass Harrison, president and CEO, Wheeling Hospital, and regional president, WVUHS.