Episode 21: Health Sciences Campus Expansion

Wake Tech is planning a significant expansion of its Perry Health Sciences Campus. Dr. Scott Ralls welcomes Health Sciences Provost and Chief Campus Officer Dr. Angela Ballentine to talk about the future plans for the campus while marking National Health Education Week.

Wake Tech's Health Sciences programs serve nearly 6,000 students annually. The Martha Mann School of Nursing is the largest Associate Degree Nursing program in the state, with more than 300 students enrolled every year. Many nursing graduates have multiple job offers when they graduate, and many are employed before they graduate. According to the University of North Carolina, the demand for registered nurses in North Carolina hospitals could exceed supply by nearly 10,000 in the next 10 years, and the Triangle will be among the regions with the greatest shortage.

Wake Tech plans to build a 120,000-square-foot facility that will allow for the expansion of the college's high-demand nursing and other Health Sciences programs. The new building also will make it possible to add programs in mental health, respiratory therapy, disability support and other areas.