National Louis University Awarded Federal Grant to Expand Health Sciences Pathways and Career Opportunities

National Louis University has been awarded a federal Strengthening Institutions Program (SIP) grant, a significant investment that will help the university expand health sciences education, create new career pathways, and strengthen support systems for students pursuing careers in one of the nation's fastest-growing sectors.

The award will fund the creation of a comprehensive Health Sciences Pathways Ecosystem, an initiative designed to make healthcare education more accessible, flexible, and closely aligned with workforce needs. By connecting short-term credentials, degree programs, hands-on learning experiences, and employer partnerships, the project aims to help more students enter and advance within high-demand healthcare fields.

"This is about creating opportunity," said Robyn Moncrief, NLU Senior Director of STEM, who will co-lead the initiative. "What makes this Strengthening Institutions Program award so powerful is that it addresses every stage of the student journey. This grant bridges the gap between potential and opportunity, giving our students the clear, supported path they deserve into rewarding health science careers."

Building Clearer Pathways into Healthcare Careers

The grant comes at a time when healthcare employers across Chicago and Illinois continue to face growing workforce demands. In response, NLU is expanding its approach to healthcare education by creating multiple entry points for learners while ensuring that each step can lead to additional credentials, degrees, and career advancement opportunities.

Among the initiative's key components are:

• A new Health Sciences Learning Lab that will provide students with expanded hands-on learning experiences.
• Three new short-term, stackable healthcare credential programs.
• Enhanced health sciences curriculum designed to reflect evolving industry demands.
• Expanded advising, tutoring, and student success supports.
• A new Vertical Pathway Lead position focused on helping students navigate educational and career options through clearly defined pathways.
• Stronger partnerships with healthcare employers to ensure programs remain responsive to workforce needs.

The initiative is particularly aimed at supporting first-generation students, Pell-eligible students, adult learners, transfer students, and individuals seeking to change careers.

By combining flexible educational pathways with practical experience and personalized support, university leaders hope to increase persistence, credential attainment, degree completion, and employment outcomes for students entering the healthcare workforce.

A University-Wide Effort

The grant proposal reflects years of planning and collaboration across the university.

The project will be led by Robyn Moncrief of Undergraduate College and Thackston Lundy, Vice President of Workforce Pathways and leader of Accelerate U. The effort was developed through close collaboration among the President's Office, faculty members, workforce development leaders, student support teams, finance and advancement professionals, and students themselves. Key contributors to the proposal development process included Tracy Templin, Shaunti Knauth, and Arlene Strong.

For Lundy, the award represents an opportunity to build on NLU's longstanding commitment to workforce-connected education.

"Accelerate U was built to open the door to higher education for more students through accelerated job and career training programs," Lundy said. "The Strengthening Institutions Program grant allows us to extend that model into three high-demand healthcare fields and, just as importantly, to connect every credential to a clear pathway toward a college degree."

Investing in Student Success and Economic Mobility

University leaders say the grant is about far more than creating new programs. It represents an investment in students' futures and in NLU's ability to respond to changing workforce demands.

The Health Sciences Pathways Ecosystem will help students better understand how individual credentials fit into broader educational and career goals, creating a more seamless experience from enrollment to employment.

By expanding affordable and flexible learning opportunities, NLU aims to strengthen pathways to meaningful careers while advancing its mission of increasing educational access, workforce readiness, and socioeconomic mobility.

The grant marks an important milestone in the university's continuing effort to ensure that learners from all backgrounds have clear routes to success in high-demand industries and the support needed to achieve their goals.

As implementation begins, university leaders see the initiative as both a catalyst for innovation and a reflection of NLU's commitment to meeting students where they are and helping them move confidently toward where they want to go.