ADA, Okla. – The Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET) has approved a $13M Legacy Grant to East Central University (ECU) for the purpose of completing The Dan Hays STEM Center and School of Nursing in Ada, Okla., a major capital project that will expand healthcare workforce education across Oklahoma, particularly rural Oklahoma.
“This project aligns with the university Strategic Plan to produce workforce ready graduates,” said ECU President Wendell Godwin. “Nursing is our largest major on campus today, a prime example of how we contribute to Oklahoma’s mission to grow the state’s workforce.”
The Dan Hays STEM Center, currently under construction and projected for completion in July 2026, supports TSET’s mission by increasing healthcare capacity, advancing chronic disease prevention and improving health outcomes statewide. About 80% of ECU nursing graduates remain in Oklahoma after graduation.
The 64,000 square foot facility will feature a simulation center, more than 25 hands-on labs and advanced STEM classrooms for Nursing, Math and Computer Science students. The expansion is expected to generate a major increase in nursing graduates and will allow ECU to grow to 600 nursing majors over the next four years while adding additional faculty and staff.
ECU’s School of Nursing continues to demonstrate strong outcomes through NCLEX-RN pass rates, holds continuing accreditation from the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) and is approved by the Oklahoma Board of Nursing. This program is the only accredited Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program in the South Central and Southeastern part of Oklahoma. The latest American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) survey revealed that 28% of new nursing positions required a BSN, while 72% stated they strongly prefer a BSN prepared nurse. A step above the LPN and RN certifications.
“We appreciated the opportunity to share our vision/project with the TSET Board of Directors over the past several months,” said ECU Senior Advancement Officer, Dr. Gerald Williamson. “This Legacy Grant is going to make a positive impact in healthcare for decades to come. The fact that they believed in our mission and chose to partner with ECU means a lot to our university and more importantly our nursing students.”
TSET is a state grantmaking trust dedicated to improving the health of Oklahomans. It funds programs that reduce tobacco use and obesity, the state’s leading causes of preventable death, and supports initiatives that create healthier communities.
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