Indiana University of Pennsylvania will receive a $2 million grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission for IUP’s College of Osteopathic Medicine and IUP’s College of Health Sciences healthcare education programs.
This is the first time that IUP has been the recipient of an ARC POWER grant.
Funds from the grant will be used to equip a new interdisciplinary simulation and diagnostic training facility with patient simulation equipment and technology for students in IUP’s College of Osteopathic Medicine and IUP’s existing healthcare professional training programs in the College of Health Sciences. It also will provide funding to develop a new, unique, cross-disciplinary, rural-focused health care training program emphasizing interprofessional education to address the unique needs of rural, coal-impacted communities.
The grant was coauthored by IUP College of Osteopathic Medicine Founding Associate Dean of Pre-Clinical Affairs Luke Mortensen and IUP College of Health Sciences Associate Professor of Nursing Johanna Boothby, with support from Interim Dean of the College of Health Sciences Hilliary Creely, Interim Associate Dean of the College of Health Sciences Lisa Newell, IUP College of Osteopathic Medicine Founding Dean Miko Rose, and IUP Professor of Biology Daniel Widzowski.
The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) is an economic development partnership entity of the federal government and 13 state governments, focusing on 423 counties across the Appalachian Region. ARC’s mission is to innovate, partner, and invest to build community capacity and strengthen economic growth in Appalachia.
The ARC POWER program targets federal resources to expand economic opportunities for coal communities. POWER projects strengthen a variety of industries, including advanced manufacturing, entrepreneurship, healthcare, and workforce development, to bolster re-employment opportunities, create jobs in existing and new industries, and attract new sources of private investment in coal communities.
ARC Federal Cochair Gayle Manchin announced the FY 2025 POWER awards today alongside ARC States’ Cochair Governor Tate Reeves at The Mill at Mississippi State University in Starkville, Mississippi, site of ARC’s 2026 annual conference, “Appalachia Builds: Breaking New Ground for Economic Growth.” Awards total $59 million to 57 projects impacting nine Appalachian states.
To date, ARC has invested nearly $530 million in 611 projects, which are helping to leverage nearly $1.9 billion in additional private investment in coal communities. These investments are projected to have created or retained nearly 55,000 jobs and prepared nearly 190,000 workers and students for new opportunities.
IUP’s College of Osteopathic Medicine holds pre-accreditation status from the American Osteopathic Association’s Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation and is actively recruiting and admitting students to its College of Osteopathic Medicine to begin medical instruction within the approved osteopathic medical curriculum. The first class of students is anticipated to enter in fall 2027.
IUP’s College of Health Sciences includes the departments of Allied Health, Nursing, and Psychology. The bachelor’s degree programs in allied health are Exercise Sciences; Medical Imaging; Medical Laboratory Science; Nutrition, Food, and Health; Pre-Athletic Training; Respiratory Care; and Speech-Language Pathology, along with graduate programs in Athletic Training, Food and Nutrition, Dietitian-Nutritionist, Speech Language Pathology, Exercise Science, and Strength and Conditioning. IUP’s Emergency Services Training program is also part of the Allied Health program. Nursing programs in the College of Health Sciences are offered at bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels. Psychology programs in the College of Health Sciences include a bachelor’s degree in psychology and the graduate program in clinical psychology.
“This grant continues the outstanding momentum and is a significant boost to IUP’s commitment to addressing the healthcare crisis in Pennsylvania, especially in our rural communities, including through our work to establish IUP’s College of Osteopathic Medicine,” IUP President Michael Driscoll said. “These grant funds will be used to enhance all of IUP’s healthcare programs to allow us to continue to provide state-of-the-art facilities and curriculum for our students.
“I thank the Appalachian Regional Commission for its confidence in IUP and in our work in healthcare education. I also thank our community leaders, including healthcare leaders throughout the region, for their ongoing support of IUP, our College of Osteopathic Medicine, and the College of Health Sciences, especially Senator Joe Pittman, Representative Jim Struzzi, and Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission Executive Director Rich Fitzgerald,” President Driscoll said.
“IUP Director of Strategic Partnerships Dr. Christina Koren has been instrumental in strengthening IUP’s relationship with the Appalachian Regional Commission, and I thank her for her role in securing this funding,” President Driscoll said.
While this is the first time that IUP has received a POWER grant from ARC, IUP has a number of ties to the Commission. In April, members of the IUP College of Osteopathic Medicine leadership team and IUP faculty members Rick Adkins and John Benhart were invited presenters for the Appalachian Regional Commission “Network Appalachia” meeting held in Pittsburgh, showcasing the region’s experts on transportation, robotics, economic development, and emerging technologies.
In addition, IUP students have been invited for the past several years to present their original research on pressing regional issues at the Appalachian Collegiate Research Initiative, a grant-funded program of the Appalachian Regional Commission.
IUP’s Council of Trustees endorsed the exploration of a possible development of a College of Osteopathic Medicine in December 2022. There are only three colleges of osteopathic medicine in Pennsylvania, all at private universities; IUP’s College of Osteopathic Medicine is the only college of osteopathic medicine at a public university. IUP’s College of Health Sciences was created in July 2024 when IUP implemented a new academic structure with new configurations of departments to create more and stronger opportunities for students and for faculty research and collaboration.
“I congratulate Dr. Mortensen, Dr. Boothby, and all members of the team responsible for securing this important funding,” IUP College of Osteopathic Medicine Founding Dean Rose said. “IUP’s College of Osteopathic Medicine shares the Appalachian Regional Commission’s commitment to addressing issues in rural communities, as it is community-based and community-driven by IUP and rural communities across Pennsylvania who have come to join forces with IUP and address the challenges of rural healthcare head on,” she said.
“This funding will provide an incredible and unique opportunity for interprofessional training for the college of medicine, allied health sciences, and nursing to work together, in collaborative teams, to create a curriculum that is much closer to the health care delivery throughout rural Appalachia in Pennsylvania,” Dean Rose said.
“Healthcare providers throughout rural Appalachia practice in integrated, interprofessional teams. What a better way to address this head-on than to create curriculum and infrastructure that prepares health care students, from nursing, allied health, to osteopathic medicine—and train in teams as they will practice once out in the field in our rural regions across the state,” she said.
“This project represents an exciting opportunity for IUP’s College of Osteopathic Medicine to collaborate closely with the College of Health Science in ways that will strengthen health professions education across our university,” IUP College of Health Sciences Interim Dean Creely said. “By creating new opportunities for interprofessional training, we will better prepare students to work as coordinated, team-based providers who can meet the evolving needs of patients and rural communities,” she said.
IUP’s College of Osteopathic Medicine and IUP’s commitment to addressing the rural health crisis have resulted in funding of $54 million from individual donors, foundations, and agencies.
Fundraising for the IUP College of Osteopathic Medicine is part of IUP’s Impact 150, IUP’s $150 million comprehensive fundraising campaign; its themes are raising funds for healthy students, including supporting students academically and personally; a healthy university, including maintaining IUP’s commitment to excellence and innovation; and healthy communities.
The campaign is named in honor of the university’s sesquicentennial celebration, celebrated during the 2025–26 academic year.
As of March 31, IUP’s Impact 150 comprehensive fundraising campaign stands at more than $114.5 million, or 76.34 percent of goal, with 50,150 gifts from 13,138 donors.
Since its founding in 1875, IUP has evolved from a teacher-training institution into a doctoral research university recognized for its commitment to student success and achievement. IUP’s Impact 150 comprehensive campaign is designed to honor a legacy of educational excellence while looking toward a future of innovation, public service, and leadership in healthcare education, including the first college of osteopathic medicine at a public university in the Commonwealth.