Cape Fear Valley Health Gives $2 Million to Fayetteville State Nursing School
A $2 million donation from Cape Fear Valley Health to Fayetteville State University has led to an expanded partnership, and a newly renamed “Cape Fear Valley School of Nursing.”
(From left) Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Monica T. Leach, Ed.D.; UNC System President Peter Hans; Chair of the Fayetteville State University Board of Trustees Glenn B. Adams; North Carolina Speaker of the House Rep. Destin Hall; FSU Chancellor Darrell T. Allison; Cape Fear Valley Health CEO Mike Nagowski; and Associate Dean for the Cape Fear Valley School of Nursing Jennifer Johnson Edwards, DNP; gather as Fayetteville State University receives a $2 million donation from Cape Fear Valley Health during a ceremony Sept. 30 at the university’s Seabrook Auditorium.
Image Courtesy Fayetteville State UniversityA $2 million donation from Cape Fear Valley Health to Fayetteville State University has led to an expanded partnership, and a newly renamed "Cape Fear Valley School of Nursing."
This money helps address North Carolina's serious nursing shortage directly. The newly named Cape Fear Valley School of Nursing is set to change healthcare education in the area.
"Cape Fear Valley Health is excited to strengthen our partnership with Fayetteville State University by helping to grow and support our local students who want to go into the healthcare field," said CEO Mike Nagowski to ABC11.
Student numbers grew from 844 in 2023 to 984 in 2025. Since 2022, the program has trained 500 healthcare workers, with 340 becoming RNs.
The donation comes after a major $900,000 gift last July. That money helped start work on a new 24,631 square-foot Health and Wellness Center, mixing exercise areas with medical spaces.
"This investment in Fayetteville State will make a real difference for the state and for the aspiring nurses who will benefit from expanded opportunity," said UNC System President Peter Hans to in a release from the school.
FSU wants to double its nursing students to 300. This increase needs more teachers and better lab equipment to meet growing healthcare needs.
"We need more nurses all across North Carolina," said NC Speaker Rep. Destin Hall. "Expanding programs like the Cape Fear Valley School of Nursing at Fayetteville State is one of the most important steps we can take to meet that demand."
U.S. News & World Report places the program at 249th nationwide, up five spots from last time. Nurse.org picked it as 2025's best HBCU nursing program.
FSU got $2 million from the UNC System's $29 million nursing expansion project. They're working with the North Carolina Board of Nursing to plan future growth.
The wellness center will have special rooms for yoga, pharmacy services, mental health care, and medical testing. Key guests included Provost Monica T. Leach, Board Chair Glenn B. Adams, and Commissioner Kirk DeViere.
