Published August 19, 2026

MONROE, La. – The University of Louisiana Monroe (ULM) has been awarded $2.1 million from the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) through the Rural Health Transformation Project to expand programs in its College of Health Sciences, providing a significant investment in the university’s efforts to strengthen the rural healthcare workforce in Northeast Louisiana and across the state.  

The award will support three major initiatives within ULM’s College of Health Sciences: expanding nursing enrollment, adding a Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ultrasound) concentration to the Bachelor of Science in Radiologic Technology program, and establishing a Nurse Residency Hub serving rural hospitals throughout Region 8. 

“ULM is committed to leading the way in building the healthcare workforce of the future for this region and the state of Louisiana,” said ULM President Dr. Carrie L. Castille. “Coming from a rural community myself, I understand the need for continued commitment in these areas. In addition to broadening our health sciences enrollment capacity, this funding will allow us to assist with the placement and retention of nurses in rural hospitals, where they are desperately needed.  Congratulations to Dean Bailes and her team for this exciting accomplishment that will impact Northeast Louisiana for years to come.” 

“This investment is a critical part of Louisiana’s broader Rural Health Transformation strategy to strengthen our workforce pipeline and ensure rural communities have access to health care professionals where they live,” said Louisiana Department of Health Secretary Bruce D. Greenstein. “By partnering with institutions like ULM, we can train more health care professionals in rural communities, create stronger connections to the places that need them most, and build a workforce that is sustainable for the long term. Ultimately, this is about bringing better care closer to home and improving health outcomes for rural Louisianans.” 

The funding will allow ULM to increase nursing enrollment by 20 additional students per semester, resulting in an anticipated 40 additional nursing graduates each year once the expanded enrollment moves through the program. 

The expansion will support additional faculty, instructional resources, simulation, and clinical education capacity necessary to prepare the increased number of nursing students. 

The project will also support the development of a Diagnostic Medical Sonography (DMS) concentration under ULM’s Bachelor of Science in Radiologic Technology degree. The first cohort of 15 students is slated to begin in Spring 2028. 

The concentration will prepare students for careers in diagnostic ultrasound, an essential diagnostic service used across hospitals, outpatient clinics, emergency departments, women's health, orthopedic and sports medicine practices, and other healthcare settings. 

“This investment represents a transformational opportunity for ULM to expand the healthcare workforce pipeline while directly addressing the needs of rural Louisiana,” said Wendy Bailes, Ph.D., RN, Dean of the ULM College of Health Sciences. “We are grateful to the Louisiana Department of Health for recognizing the critical role that ULM can play in preparing healthcare professionals and supporting rural hospitals.” 

A key component of the project is the creation of a Nurse Residency Hub at ULM serving rural hospitals throughout Healthcare Region 8. The Hub will create a centralized infrastructure through which ULM can partner with rural hospitals to strengthen the transition of newly licensed nurses from academic preparation into professional practice. 

The program will provide participating rural hospitals with access to educational resources, professional development, mentorship, evaluation, and other components necessary to support effective nurse residency programs. 

Executive Director of the Office of Rural Health Transformation and Sustainability Julie Foster Hagan said, “The Rural Health Transformation Program is about more than investing in healthcare today – it is about building the rural healthcare workforce of tomorrow. Through this partnership with ULM, we are expanding opportunities for students to complete rural clinical rotations, gain firsthand experience in rural communities, and develop connections that can lead to careers serving those communities.” 

Bailes added that ULM is uniquely positioned to serve as a workforce engine for Northeast Louisiana. “This award allows us to expand the number of healthcare professionals we educate, add a new high-demand allied health pathway, and help rural hospitals retain the nurses they need. These efforts are interconnected, and together they create a stronger and more sustainable healthcare workforce for our region.”