For Immediate Release
Contact: Daniel Wackershauser, Marketing and PR Specialist
Phone: 608.822.2303
Mail: 1800 Bronson Blvd., Fennimore, WI 53809
Date of Release: July 29, 2025
New grant to help fund tuition for healthcare students
Funding provides 50% tuition support for in-demand healthcare careers
Fennimore -
Southwest Wisconsin Technical College has received a $68,652 grant from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) to help drive enrollment in in-demand healthcare professions across Southwest Wisconsin. Funding will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, in order of course registration, until all funds are awarded.
Students enrolled in the 2025–26 academic year may receive 50 percent tuition support for the following programs:
• Nursing Assistant (CNA)
• Nursing Associate Degree
• Medical Laboratory Technician Associate Degree
• Surgical Technology Associate Degree
“Our vision is to build a sustainable, local healthcare workforce by removing barriers to entry, expanding dual credit pathways, and aligning training directly with employer needs,” said Dr. Cynde Larsen, chief academic officer/executive dean at Southwest Tech. “This project supports the Wisconsin Department of Health Services’ mission by equipping more residents, especially those in rural and underserved areas, with the skills needed to protect and promote health and safety across the state.”
The grant also covers half the cost of a college-issued laptop with technical support through the Charger Tech 360 program, ensuring students have the tools they need to succeed.
This training opportunity is funded in part by DHS through its Allied Health Professional Training and Education Grants to expand access to healthcare careers in rural Wisconsin. The opportunity may renew for a second year depending on future grant funding.
This project builds on Southwest Tech’s long-standing commitment to addressing rural healthcare workforce shortages by expanding access to credential training programs in high-demand fields. In 2023-24, Southwest Tech piloted a DHS-funded initiative to deliver CNA training to high school students in Riverdale and Platteville, successfully training 16 students and establishing a replicable model for rural talent development.
“Currently, our region faces a pressing shortage of healthcare workers, with over 6,000 jobs in healthcare and social assistance and more than 11 percent of the total workforce employed in the field,” said Larsen. “At the same time, our district is aging faster than the state average, and rural residents face reduced access to care due to workforce gaps, transportation barriers, and provider burnout. These challenges underscore the urgency of creating a homegrown pipeline of skilled professionals.”
Learn more about Southwest Tech’s healthcare programs: www.swtc.edu/programs.
| Southwest Wisconsin Technical College is one of 16 institutions that comprise the Wisconsin Technical College System. The college was recently named the winner of the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence. Southwest Tech offers more than 60 programs in a wide variety of disciplines. Courses are offered on campus, online, HyFlex and in a blended format. The college provides apprenticeship, certificate, technical diploma, and associate degree programs that respond to district workforce needs and prepare student for family-sustaining jobs and career advancement. |