Osteopathic Heritage Foundation gift anchors Columbus State’s fundraising efforts for state-of-the-art healthcare education equipment and student support
The $1.5 million gift, part of the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation’s 25th year of advancing osteopathic medicine and supporting community health, supports the college’s commitment to double healthcare graduates
Campus News | Tuesday, September 24, 2024
The Osteopathic Heritage Foundation is gifting $1.5 million to Columbus State Community College to help address regional healthcare workforce shortages as part of the Foundation’s commitment to improving community health and quality of life.
The donation supports the college’s $120 million investment plan combining philanthropy and grants with voter-approved bond funding toward the commitment
to double graduates for the region’s healthcare workforce, and comes as the Osteopathic
Heritage Foundation commemorates its 25th anniversary as a private foundation and
national leader in osteopathic medical education and research.
“The generous support from the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation is a powerful endorsement of Columbus State and our students as vital contributors to regional healthcare,” said Katy Trombitas, Columbus State's vice president for advancement and executive director of its foundation. “Together, we’re advancing a model that allows students to gain access to affordable education and healthcare careers, while the community reaps the rewards of a diverse, well-trained workforce.”
“The impact of this initiative by Columbus State will be felt far beyond the walls of the college, through the lives transformed by educational opportunity and the communities strengthened through improved access to healthcare,” said Susan Beaudry, the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation vice president.
The Osteopathic Heritage Foundation’s gift is in support of leading-edge healthcare education training equipment; an endowed fund to support student healthcare education costs; and equipment maintenance and upkeep, as the college develops plans for the new 80,000-square-foot OhioHealth Center for Health Sciences and renovations supporting additional dedicated healthcare education space in Union Hall.
Medical equipment and simulators that prepare healthcare students for the most up-to-date working conditions are critical to the success of Columbus State’s expansion in patient care and allied fields, particularly the nursing, surgical technology, medical imaging, respiratory therapy and sterile processing disciplines in greatest demand among the region’s provider networks. Equipment needs run the gamut, from patient beds and EKG machines to ventilators and surgical instruments, among nearly countless examples.
The college announced in 2023 plans to double healthcare graduates in a venture supported by a $25 million gift from OhioHealth. Construction on the OhioHealth Center for Health Sciences is expected to begin in spring 2025.
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