EUGENE, Ore. — Bushnell University is proud to announce its receipt of a $1 million Healthcare Workforce Ready Grant from the Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC) under the Future Ready Oregon initiative. This grant, part of a competitive statewide effort to bolster healthcare workforce development, supports the groundbreaking “Paving a Pathway to Practice” grant, which aims to address Oregon’s critical nursing shortage by training and retaining nurses in rural and underserved areas.
This initiative, developed in collaboration with PeaceHealth Oregon and Lane Workforce Partnership, takes an innovative approach to workforce challenges in rural healthcare. Designed to support historically underserved populations, including low-income individuals and women, the grant supports efforts to recruit, train, and retain bachelor’s degree-level nurses who are interested in serving within non-urban healthcare settings.
For Bushnell nursing students, the grant provides for nursing-specific scholarships while also funding available academic support services. Additionally, the grant supports new wrap-around services for these students through Lane Workforce Partnership. For new graduates and early career nurses who work in the PeaceHealth Oregon network, the grant funds a new nurse mentorship program. Comprehensively, the grant removes financial and logistical barriers to training and retention, ensuring nurses are prepared and supported throughout their education and early practice.
“This transformative initiative underscores Bushnell University’s commitment to providing equitable and impactful healthcare education,” said President Dr. Joseph Womack. “The Healthcare Workforce Ready Grant will empower aspiring Bushnell nurses and strengthen rural healthcare systems, helping to create a sustainable pipeline of nurse leaders in Lane County and beyond.”
Through “Paving a Pathway to Practice,” student and early career nurses will benefit from:
- Financial Support: Scholarships and wrap-around support services to reduce the economic burden of a Bushnell nursing education
- Financial Support: Scholarships and wrap-around support services to reduce the economic burden of a Bushnell nursing education
- Accelerated Training: Streamlined degree pathway and available academic supports to prepare Bushnell student nurses for critical patient care roles
- Mentorship: A robust nurse mentorship model for new graduates and early career nurses who work in PeaceHealth Oregon network clinical practice settings
This program is a critical step in ensuring that rural hospitals in Oregon not only attract skilled nurses but also retain them through a supportive professional ecosystem.
The $1 million grant funding will facilitate project implementation through June 2026, with the ultimate goal of alleviating the nursing crisis and improving healthcare outcomes in underserved communities.
“This grant will have a tremendous impact in Lane County, particularly in our rural areas where we see a chronic and acute shortage of nurses,” said Nicole Gooding, director of the Institute for Nursing Excellence, PeaceHealth Oregon. “We look forward to building on our efforts with Bushnell University and Lane Workforce Partnership in helping train and support nurses to fill a pressing need in our smaller communities throughout the county,” said Gooding, who collaborated with Bushnell University staff on the grant application.
Bushnell University’s proposal was recognized for its strong emphasis on equity, innovation, and strategic partnerships, aligning with healthcare workforce priorities in the state. Bushnell University expresses gratitude to the HECC and the Future Ready Oregon initiative for recognizing the urgency of Oregon’s healthcare workforce needs and providing the resources to make a meaningful difference.
For more information about the “Paving a Pathway to Practice” grant award and Bushnell University’s School of Nursing, please contact:
Media Contact:
Lars Coburn, M.A., Director of University Relations
Bushnell University
Phone: 541-684-7320
Email: lacoburn@bushnell.edu
To read the full HECC press release visit:
To read more news about the Bushnell School of Nursing visit:
Bushnell’s School of Nursing Receives $2.5M Grant | News
Bushnell University Nursing Continues Academic Excellence - News
About Bushnell University
Founded in 1895 Bushnell University helps students discover and answer God’s call in their lives. Devoted to offering a Christ-centered environment, Bushnell encourages students to grow in wisdom, informed by faith, and leading to lives of service. Accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), the University was founded by pastor-educator Eugene C. Sanderson and pioneer businessman and church leader James A. Bushnell. Bushnell is the largest private university in Eugene’s vibrant university district. The University offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees for undergraduate and graduate studies through course formats on campus, online, and hybrid formats. More information about the University is available at www.bushnell.edu.
About Lane Workforce Partnership
Lane Workforce Partnership is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and one of Oregon’s nine local workforce development boards. Lane Workforce Partnership, the designated local Workforce Development Board for Lane County, Oregon, funds and delivers programs that empower job seekers to meet the current and future workforce needs of employers in Lane County. Programs and services are delivered through a network of local partners including employers, labor groups, government, community colleges, high schools, community-based organizations, and economic development. Information can be found at www.laneworkforce.org.
About PeaceHealth
PeaceHealth, based in Vancouver, Wash., is a not-for-profit Catholic health system offering care to communities in Washington, Oregon and Alaska. PeaceHealth has approximately 16,000 caregivers, a medical group practice with more than 1,100 providers and nine medical centers serving both urban and rural communities throughout the Northwest. In 1890, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace founded what has become PeaceHealth. The Sisters shared expertise and transferred wisdom from one medical center to another, always finding the best way to serve the unmet need for healthcare in their communities. Today, PeaceHealth is the legacy of the founding Sisters and continues with a spirit of respect, stewardship, collaboration and social justice in fulfilling its Mission. Visit us online at www.peacehealth.org.
About Future Ready Oregon
Future Ready Oregon (Senate Bill 1545, 2022) is a $200 million investment in education and training to advance a more equitable workforce system and increase opportunities for diverse workers. Future Ready Oregon drives innovative and collaborative partnerships between employers, education providers, and community-based organizations to prioritize opportunities for Oregon’s historically underserved and underrepresented communities, including adult learners, dislocated workers, and disconnected youth. Future Ready Oregon aims to strengthen Oregon’s economic competitiveness by removing barriers to education and employment, developing a diverse workforce, and supporting businesses’ needs for employees today and into the future. The majority of Future Ready Oregon investments, including Workforce Ready Grants, are administered by the Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC).
EUGENE, Ore. – Bushnell University’s Oregon Delta Chapter of Pi Gamma Mu, the International Honor Society for the Social Sciences, has earned the distinction of Star Chapter for the 2023-2024 academic year. This recognition, awarded by the Pi Gamma Mu Board of Trustees, acknowledges the chapter's impressive growth, with a 20% increase in membership compared to previous years. This achievement is a clear reflection of the continued expansion and academic excellence within Bushnell's Psychology program.
Chartered in 2017, the Oregon Delta Chapter of Pi Gamma Mu was established to honor students in a variety of social science disciplines, including psychology. While Pi Gamma Mu is not exclusive to psychology, its recent inductees have been psychology majors, minors, or students pursuing interdisciplinary studies with a psychology focus. The chapter’s commitment to academic recognition, however, extends beyond psychology students, offering a platform for excellence in all social science fields.
The chapter’s growth has been marked by steady increases in membership over the last several years. The charter initiation class of 2017 included 14 seniors from various social science disciplines. In 2018, six seniors from psychology and communication were inducted as the first group of members. After a two-year gap from 2019 to 2021 with no new inductions due to the absence of a membership drive, 16 psychology students were inducted in 2022, followed by 13 psychology students in spring 2023, and 22 junior and senior psychology students in spring 2024. Looking ahead, the 2024-2025 academic year will see membership opening to students across all social science disciplines who meet the eligibility criteria.
To be eligible for induction into Pi Gamma Mu, students must complete at least 20 credit hours in social science courses, maintain a grade point average of B or higher, and rank in the top 35% of their class. Inductees are celebrated for their scholarly achievements during Bushnell’s Honors Convocation and Pi Gamma Mu Induction Ceremony, where they receive a membership pin, certificate, and card. Graduating seniors are also presented with an honors cord to wear at commencement.
“The recognition of our Pi Gamma Mu chapter as a Star Chapter is an indication of the hard work and dedication of our students in the social sciences,” said Dr. Nani Skaggs, faculty advisor for the society and Professor of Psychology at Bushnell. “Dr. Erin Mueller and I are proud of our students’ commitment to learning and academic excellence, and this recognition further highlights the strength of our Psychology program.”
The chapter's growth in membership displays an increasing strength of Bushnell's Psychology program, both on-site and online, which offers concentrations in general psychology, forensic psychology, and a newly added neuroscience concentration. Faculty members are hopeful that this momentum will continue, with plans to apply for Psi Chi, the International Honor Society for Psychology, to further recognize excellence in the field.
As Pi Gamma Mu continues to expand its reach and impact, its recognition of outstanding academic achievements serves as an important part of Bushnell’s mission to provide students with meaningful opportunities for professional and personal growth. The honor not only celebrates students' hard work but also provides them with valuable lifelong resources to support their careers in the social sciences.
To learn more about the onsite program, visit www.bushnell.edu/psychology To learn more about the online program, visit www.bushnell.edu/online-psychology.
EUGENE, Ore. – Students in Bushnell University’s Intro to Digital Marketing class are exploring a unique, hands-on learning experience, partnering with local bakery Main Street Sweets to develop a full digital marketing strategy. Under the guidance of marketing professor Christy Silverthorne, M.A., students are supporting the bakery by designing a website and creating a marketing content and social media plan. Their work will culminate in a high-stakes pitch during Bushnell’s Academic Creativity and Excellence (Ace) Day on Wednesday, December 4, when one team’s campaign will be selected for real-world implementation.
The partnership with Main Street Sweets has provided students with valuable experience in crafting digital marketing strategies for an actual business. Each week, students tackle a new part of the marketing puzzle, learning about principles in class and then applying them directly. “This practical experience has a much deeper impact on students’ understanding,” explains Silverthorne. “They can see firsthand how effective marketing can shape a small business’s success.”
Earlier in the semester, Carrie Boehm (pictured), the bakery’s owner visited the class, sharing her vision and objectives for the business. This interaction gave students direct insight into the client’s brand and goals, enabling them to build campaigns that reflect the bakery’s personality and target audience. Since then, students have made progress in designing websites, creating engaging social media content, and planning measurement strategies to evaluate campaign success.
The final challenge will come on Ace Day, when students present their marketing strategies to the bakery’s owner, who will choose the campaign that best aligns with her vision. This hands-on project not only builds students' skills in areas like strategic planning, storytelling, and analytics, but also prepares them for the realities of working with clients.
“Our hope is that students leave with a strong understanding of how a well-thought-out digital strategy can make a meaningful difference,” says Silverthorne. For the students, seeing their efforts pay off in a tangible way will be the ultimate reward.
You can find your way to Main Street Sweets’ sweet flavors by searching the web or Facebook.
To learn more about Bushnell University’s Digital Marketing program, visit www.bushnell.edu/digital-marketing.
EUGENE, Ore. — Bushnell University is excited to announce the launch of its new Master of Arts in Theology and Culture, a 36-credit program starting in Summer 2025. Designed for Christian leaders, pastors, and laity, this program combines online coursework with immersive on-campus residencies, offering flexibility to balance studies with professional and personal commitments. The program will be led by Dr. A.J. Swoboda (pictured), Associate Professor of Biblical Studies and World Christianity at Bushnell University, who is known for his expertise in integrating theological depth with cultural engagement both in the classroom and in his published works.
The Master of Arts in Theology and Culture is a two-year program culminating in a capstone, during which students can choose to complete an academic research paper or a practical ministry project. With the guidance of experienced faculty mentors, students are encouraged to think outside the box and to ground their theological insights in practical, real-world applications. One of the program's standout features is its cohort model, which helps foster a close-knit community of learners who progress through the program together while offering mutual support and collaboration.
“This program is going to serve leaders who love Jesus serve their churches, cities, and communities better. Most importantly, it will equip them with the skills to think biblically and theologically in a culture that is ever changing,” says Dr. Swoboda. “There is no better time to have an anchor than now. For without something deep upon which to build our lives, we can expect, to borrow Jesus, to see everything we’ve built washed away.”
The program kicks off in Summer 2025 with a one-week in-person residency from May 19-23, followed by online courses structured into eight-week sessions. The residency provides an opportunity for face-to-face interaction and deep engagement with faculty and peers, while the online courses offer the flexibility to study from anywhere. The second residency takes place in Summer 2026, offering another opportunity for immersive learning, covering critical topics such as how to read culture (cultural exegesis), the way in which culture works, what emerging culture looks like in the Western world, and the ways in which the church learns to navigate cultural changes. Housing options are available for students during these on-campus residencies.
This program is designed for a wide range of individuals, including pastors, leaders, and ministers of all types with a deep theological foundation and practical insights, and those involved in non-denominational or parachurch organizations. Enrollment is now open for the first cohort. To learn more or to apply, visit the Master of Arts in Theology and Culture page on Bushnell University's website. For a quick introduction, watch this short message from the program director, Dr. A.J. Swoboda.