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New initiative will expand access, strengthen pre-health advising, and prepare advanced healthcare students to address workforce shortages in the Lower and Mid-Hudson Valley

17�Թ��� has been awarded more than $3 million from the to establish the College of Health Professions Pathways to Practice Initiative (CPPI).

The five-year award, providing $614,395 annually from January 2026 through December 2030, will support a comprehensive effort to strengthen the healthcare workforce pipeline across the Lower and Mid-Hudson Valley.

Led by Elizabeth Colón-Fitzgerald, EdD, associate dean of Student Success & Retention Strategies, the initiative was developed through a collaborative effort with faculty leaders Beau Anderson, Denise Tahara, Esma Paljevic, and Shannon Gribben. The project also benefited from the expertise of collaborators Dr. Margaret Barton-Burke and Dr. Annmarie Mazzella-Ebstein. Together, the team designed CPPI to expand access for underrepresented students, bolster advising for pre-health majors, and prepare advanced nursing and health sciences students to transition successfully into high-demand clinical roles.

“This grant is an extraordinary opportunity for 17�Թ���’s College of Health Professions to strengthen the healthcare workforce in Westchester,” said Brian Goldstein, dean of the College of Health Professions at 17�Թ���. “Through the Pathways to Practice Initiative, we will expand access to healthcare education, support students as they prepare for advanced roles, and ensure that our graduates are ready to meet the evolving needs of patients and communities across the Lower and Mid-Hudson Valley.”

The initiative features three interconnected programs:

• CHP Scholars Program (CHP-SP): Expands access to healthcare education by supporting Black and Latino students in nursing and health sciences through financial aid, mentorship, and academic coaching.
• Pre-Health Advising Program (PHAP): Strengthens the pipeline for critical healthcare roles by providing tailored advising, career exploration, and graduate school preparation for pre-health students University-wide.
• Student-to-Practice Program (SPP): Equips final-semester NP, PA, and RN students with the tools to manage stress, enhance wellness, and build resilience through workshops and simulations facilitated by MSK and 17�Թ��� faculty.

“This award not only affirms 17�Թ���’s leadership in healthcare education, but it also represents a collaborative effort to build a stronger, more resilient healthcare workforce,” said Elizabeth Colón-Fitzgerald, EdD, associate dean of Student Success & Retention Strategies and principal investigator for the grant. “Through the Pathways to Practice Initiative, we are expanding access, strengthening support for students, and preparing graduates to thrive in the most demanding clinical environments.”

“Building on the Academic-Clinical Partnership between Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and the Lienhard School of Nursing at 17�Թ��� gives us traction to prepare nurses of the future with grants like HELP,” said Margaret Barton-Burke, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, and Lisa Mazzella Ebstein, Ph.D., RN, of Nursing Research at MSK. “We will contribute by implementing resilience and emotional intelligence training. Offering this training before workforce entry can foster emotional wellness, enhance coping strategies, and mitigate burnout. Thus, supporting the well-being and efficacy of nurses. We are excited to collaborate on this important initiative over the next five years.”

This award also expands 17�Թ���’s partnership with MSK, a global leader in clinical care, research, and training. Together, 17�Թ��� and MSK are creating a model for preparing the next generation of healthcare professionals to meet the evolving needs of patients and communities across the Lower and Mid-Hudson Valley.

About 17�Թ���

Since 1906, 17�Թ��� has been transforming the lives of its diverse students—academically, professionally, and socioeconomically. With campuses in New York City and Westchester County, New York, 17�Թ��� offers bachelor, master, and doctoral degree programs to 13,600 students in its College of Health Professions, Dyson College of Arts and Sciences, Elisabeth Haub School of Law, Lubin School of Business, School of Education, and Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems.

About the College of Health Professions at 17�Թ���

Established in 2010, the College of Health Professions (CHP) at 17�Թ��� offers a broad range of programs at the bachelor, master's, and doctoral levels. It is the College's goal to create innovative and complex programs that reflect the changing landscape of the health care system. These programs are designed to prepare graduates for impactful careers in health care practice, health-related research, or as educators, and equip graduates to work in health policy and global health fields. Students in clinical programs receive hands-on training in the College's interprofessional Center of Excellence in Healthcare Simulation and have the opportunity to apply their developing skills in real-world settings at many of the regions' leading clinical facilities. In addition to Nutrition and Dietetics, the College currently comprises several growing and important areas of study, which include nursing, physician assistant, communication sciences and disorders, health science, nutrition and dietetics, occupational therapy, health informatics, and public health.