CONCORD UNIVERSITY’S MASTER IN PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT STUDIES PROGRAM CONTINUES DEVELOPMENT WITH BOTH FEDERAL AND STATE FINANCIAL SUPPORT
CONTACT: Nicole Smith, Public Relations Manager
Concord University Office of Advancement
PO Box 1000, Athens, WV 24712
(304) 384-6312
nlsmith@concord.edu
www.concord.edu
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 31, 2023
CONCORD UNIVERSITY’S MASTER IN PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT STUDIES PROGRAM CONTINUES DEVELOPMENT WITH BOTH FEDERAL AND STATE FINANCIAL SUPPORT
ATHENS, WV – Concord University has been approved by the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission (WVHEPC) and its regional accreditor the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) to offer the Master in Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) program beginning in the Fall semester of 2025. The program is scheduled for an accreditation visit by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) in August of 2024.
The MPAS program at Concord would not have been possible without the generous support of federal, state, and local officials and friends of the University. Initial funding in the amount of $1,050,000 was secured by Senator Shelley Moore Capito through Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS). Senator Capito secured millions of dollars for West Virginia as part of the federal Fiscal Year 2023 – 2024 Omnibus Appropriations bill passed in spring 2023, which included funding for the MPAS program at the University.
Concord has been able to leverage the one-time federal money to secure a grant for $750,000 through a nonfederal match from the Office of Governor Jim Justice. Together with the CDS funding, the grants will help offset startup expenses of the MPAS program.
The MPAS program will join Concord’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program and future health related programs in the newly renovated Wooddell Hall. In addition to the $1.6 million secured for the MPAS startup, to date, more than $4.3 million has been raised for renovations to house the BSN and MPAS programs. The Wooddell Renovation funding includes $1.6 million in CDS funding secured through Senator Joe Manchin and $2.7 million in state funding through the West Virginia Deferred Maintenance funding program for fiscal year 2024. The University continues seeking to raise additional funding for the Wooddell project(s) to address the forecasted growth in the BSN and MPAS programs and to provide space for additional health science programs.
Dr. Jennifer Pack, Program Director, leads development of the MPAS program curriculum and operations. She has expanded the PA team to include three faculty members including Dr. Mark Yost as PA Program Medical Director, Carl Hill as Director of Didactic Education, and Julia Semonco as Director of Clinical Education. In addition, Amy Walker has been hired as Admissions Coordinator, and the department is currently in the hiring process for an Operations Coordinator.
“I am proud to support Concord University’s new Masters in Physician Assistant Studies through the Congressionally Directed Spending process,” Senator Capito said. “Concord is working to improve the welfare and wellbeing of West Virginians, and this program will assist future patients as they seek medical treatment and young professionals as they build their healthcare careers. Concord conveyed to me the importance of this project, and I will continue to use my role on the Senate Appropriations Committee to provide our educational institutions in West Virginia with the tools they need to prepare their students.”
“Concord University is grateful for the continuous support of Senators Capito and Manchin, Governor Justice, and the West Virginia Legislature as we move towards offering additional health care programs of study,” says President Kendra Boggess. “Federal, state, and private funding will allow Concord to better serve the needs of southern West Virginia and beyond by providing new opportunities to educate future generations of professionals prepared to address the everchanging needs around them.”
In addition to the awards discussed in this release, Concord has active federal, state, and private grants across the University that are impacting hundreds of students, faculty, and staff.
For more information about any of these projects or funding initiatives, please contact Dan Fitzpatrick at 304-384-5276 or dfitzpatrick@concord.edu.
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Persons with disabilities should contact Nancy Ellison, 1-304-384-6086 or 1-800-344-6679 extension 6086, if special assistance is required for access to an event scheduled by the University on campus. Concord University may take pictures at these events for publicity purposes.
