Landmark gift from Connie and Steve Ferguson with IU Health Investment to strengthen Indiana’s nursing workforce

Gift aims to address Indiana’s nursing shortage by expanding education and training at Ivy Tech Community College Bloomington

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana University Health and Indiana University Health Foundation today announced a transformational gift from Bloomington philanthropists Connie and Steve Ferguson to expand nursing education at Ivy Tech Community College Bloomington and help address Indiana’s nursing shortage through a scalable training model.

“We are proud to support IU Health and Ivy Tech’s partnership in strengthening Indiana’s nursing workforce,” said Connie and Steve Ferguson. “We were motivated by the idea that Indiana can train more nurses by building on the strong foundation that’s already in place. By expanding evening and weekend classes, and clinical training capacity, this approach increases the nursing pipeline statewide and helps more students from the region become caregivers in our communities.”

Combined with a $10 million investment from IU Health, the gift establishes two new endowed funds to support expanded nursing education and professional advancement.

• Connie & Steve Ferguson Nursing Expansion Endowment – Supports the Lee J. Marchant School of Nursing at Ivy Tech’s Bloomington campus, including support for the college’s only evening nursing cohort and growing capacity in nursing programs. The endowment also supports faculty salaries and professional development, facility and equipment upgrades, and expanded clinical training throughout southern Indiana.

• South Region Nursing Scholarship Endowment Provides support to the lU Health Nursing Scholar Program in the South Region, providing financial assistance to nursing students who commit to post-graduation employment with lU Health, and investing in continuing education and credentialing of existing nurses at lU Health South Region.

This initiative builds on an innovative nursing education model underway at Ivy Tech Bloomington through its partnership with IU Health. Evening and weekend clinical programs have shown that training can extend beyond traditional daytime hours, allowing more students to enroll and complete their clinical training while maximizing existing resources. This investment will increase the number of nurses who can be trained and expand clinical opportunities across the IU Health South Region.

Indiana faces a shortage of approximately 4,300 nurses statewide, according to the Indiana Hospital Association. Addressing this gap is critical to ensuring safe, timely, high-quality care for patients and sustaining a resilient healthcare workforce. Ivy Tech is the nation’s leading educator of associate-level nurses and plays a vital role in preparing Indiana’s nursing workforce. Approximately 90% of its graduates remain in Indiana to live and work, further strengthening the state’s workforce pipeline.

“Nurses are the backbone of healthcare, and this commitment will help ensure a skilled workforce is here to care for our southern Indiana communities and visitors for generations to come,” said Denzil Ross, president of IU Health’s South Region. “By expanding capacity and increasing training opportunities for students, this commitment is aimed at improving educational pathways for nursing professionals and enabling more effective care for Hoosiers.”

In 2022, IU Health awarded Ivy Tech an $8.75 million grant to grow nursing programs and increase statewide enrollment, which included funding for the expansion of the Marchant School of Nursing in Bloomington. The expansion added a new skills lab and classroom, nearly doubled training beds, and introduced advanced technology to give students hands-on experience.

“This investment fundamentally expands what is possible for our students and our region,” said Erik Coyne, chancellor of Ivy Tech Community College Bloomington. “Through our partnership with IU Health and the vision of Connie and Steve Ferguson, Ivy Tech Bloomington is well-positioned to help address one of Indiana’s most pressing workforce challenges.

About IU Health
Indiana University Health is dedicated to offering highly skilled, patient-centered care. Named among U.S. News & World Report’s 2025-2026 Best Hospitals as a High Performing hospital in four specialties, IU Health Medical Center is the only academic medical center in the state. The distinctive partnership with the Indiana University School of Medicine – one of the nation's leading medical schools – equips our highly-skilled physicians with access to innovative treatments using the latest research and technology. 

About the IU Health Foundation
IU Health Foundation leverages the power of philanthropy to support the IU Health vision of making Indiana one of the nation’s healthiest states. When you give to IU Health, you aren’t just making a donation — you’re making All the Difference. To learn more, visit iuhealthfoundation.org.

About Ivy Tech Community College
Ivy Tech Community College is Indiana’s largest public postsecondary institution and the nation’s largest singly accredited statewide community college system, accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Ivy Tech has campuses throughout Indiana and serves nearly 200,000 students annually. It serves as the state’s engine of workforce development, offering associate degrees, short-term certificates, industry certifications, and training that aligns to the needs of the community. The College provides seamless transfer to other colleges and universities in Indiana, as well as out of state, for a more affordable route to a bachelor’s degree. The Bloomington campus serves more than 11,000 students annually and is a pipeline for the nursing workforce in southern Indiana.