The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has received a $1.5 million donation from the Willard & Pat Walker Charitable Foundation to create an endowed directorship for the School of Nursing’s Center for Simulation Innovation (CSI).
The gift will provide additional resources to support nursing education and help strengthen the pipeline of skilled healthcare professionals in Arkansas.
The endowment of the Willard and Pat Walker Director of the Center for Simulation Innovation ensures that the CSI will remain at the forefront of innovation and excellence in clinical education.
The Center for Simulation Innovation delivers immersive healthcare simulation training to approximately 500 undergraduate nursing students each year and was recognized with the 2023 Frontline Simulation Champion Excellence Award by the International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning, making it the only lab in Arkansas to have this recognition. Collectively, UA Little Rock nursing students spend about 30,000 hours in the lab each year.
“The Willard and Pat Walker Foundation has a long history of support for our School of Nursing that has enabled us to have a meaningful impact on healthcare in Arkansas by equipping our students with the support, skills, and resources they need to excel,” said UA Little Rock Provost Ann Bain. “This latest gift will not only strengthen our ability to educate and train the next generation of nurses but also empower us to embrace cutting-edge advancements in the field.”
When Bain joined the nursing faculty in 1983, UA Little Rock had a small two-year nursing program that admitted about 60 students a year. Since that time, the school has added the LPN-to-RN program, Paramedic-to-RN program, and RN-to-BSN online program. Now with about 1,000 nursing majors enrolled, it’s the university’s largest academic program.
“Our investment in UA Little Rock’s nursing program is making a real difference, and we’re proud to continue supporting its success,” said Mandy Macke, executive director and vice chairman of the Willard & Pat Walker Charitable Foundation. “The Center for Simulation Innovation is equipping future nurses with the skills they need to provide quality care, ultimately increasing access to high-quality healthcare across Arkansas. This endowed directorship strengthens our shared commitment to improving health outcomes for our communities.”