Pasco-Hernando State College received $850,000 from the Florida Legislature to expand nursing and allied health training at its Wesley Chapel campus.
Third year of state funding secured
The appropriation marks the third consecutive year of state funding for PHSC's Institute for Nursing & Allied Health Advancement, housed at the Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch. Since lawmakers created the institute with a $1.5 million appropriation in 2024, followed by $750,000 last year, the state has committed roughly $3.1 million to the effort, The Laker/Lutz News reported Sunday.
State Rep. Randy Maggard, who represents District 54, and state Sen. Danny Burgess secured the original 2024 funding that launched the institute.
Where the money is going
Among the initiatives funded so far:
- $800,000 to expand the college's simulation center, where students practice clinical skills using advanced manikins, virtual reality and actors instead of real patients.
- $300,000 to increase enrollment in nursing programs.
- $150,000 to add 12 seats to a future dental hygiene cohort.
- $5,000 in scholarships for 25 students in grades six through 12 to attend health care career camps at no cost to their families.
The institute trains registered nurses, radiographers, surgical technologists, medical assistants and phlebotomists. Most students finish in two years or less and go to work locally, according to the college.
Local hospitals drive the need
The demand is local. PHSC President Eric Hall said the funding creates career opportunities for students "while ensuring our local health care providers have the skilled professionals they need to serve a rapidly growing community."
The investment arrives as Wesley Chapel's medical footprint keeps expanding. Orlando Health Wiregrass Ranch Hospital, a 102-bed facility, opened in July as the area's third major hospital alongside AdventHealth and BayCare. Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital is building a campus near Interstate 75 and Overpass Road, expected to open in fall 2027. As we reported Sept. 10, a $40 million gift from Tom Golisano renamed that facility.
Population growth fuels enrollment
Pasco County's population has grown about 15% in five years to roughly 650,000 residents, according to PHSC. Orlando Health also contributed $500,000 to the institute in August 2025, according to Tampa Bay Beacons.
PHSC's District Board of Trustees is scheduled to meet at 9 a.m. Friday at the Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, 2727 Mansfield Blvd., Wesley Chapel. The meeting's full agenda has not been posted.
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