NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
MCPHERSON, Kan. — Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran announced on Thursday in McPherson that he has secured $2.1 million in new, congressionally directed funding for McPherson College. The federal funds will support the college’s initiative to create an educational center in Kansas for Rural & Community Health Science.
"On that top list of four or five focuses of goals, is to make sure that our health care delivery system remains solid and intact in places across Kansas," Moran said. "At the current time, that is a huge and significant challenge. I used to be able to say, especially for our smallest communities, and our smallest hospitals. It's expanded beyond that, in which communities your size and larger struggle in regard to being able to provide health care to their community."
The college has made progress toward this goal by introducing a new health science program where students focus on clinical, administrative, behavioral, or community health academic emphasis. In 2019, it partnered with the McPherson Center for Health to provide experiential learning opportunities for students. This is the first time in McPherson College’s 137-year history it has secured federal funds through congressionally directed spending.
"Many rural Kansans, they've got to drive a long way to get medical care," Schneider said. "Some of them aren't able to make that drive. In turn, their health might be neglected. This grant is the start of taking better care of our Kansans in those smaller communities. It places McPherson College at the forefront of this effort. This could not have happened without the Senator. As we think about this, we're excited that we see their same passion for making sure every Kansan has access to healthcare. This specific funding will help us to grow and enhance our partnerships within the state of Kansas."
The funding will allow McPherson College to modernize key parts of the Melhorn Science Hall, including significant laboratory and technology enhancements to support anatomy, physiology, kinesiology, public health, and behavioral health studies. A portion of the funding will be used for professional development to help meet new and ongoing rural healthcare needs and expand statewide health outreach programming.
McPherson College's Tina Goodwin provided assistance with this report.
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