- Details
- By Tribal Business News Staff
- Health Care
Cherokee Nation is pursuing a $30 million partnership with the University of Oklahoma to establish a satellite nursing campus in Tahlequah, Okla., as part of a broader effort to address healthcare workforce shortages in the region.
Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. and Deputy Chief Bryan Warner submitted legislation Monday to the Cherokee Nation Council that would convert the tribe's current W.W. Hastings Hospital into an education center after a new hospital opens this summer. The total investment, including scholarship endowments and annual training funds, exceeds $38 million.
The proposal addresses workforce challenges at Cherokee Nation's health system, which serves members of all federally recognized tribes and provides more than 3 million patient services annually. The tribe employs 14,500 people across its enterprises.
Under the plan, OU would operate the nursing program beginning with online courses in fall 2026, with the renovated facility opening in 2027. The program would target associate degree registered nurses and licensed practical nurses seeking bachelor's degrees.
A $5.15 million scholarship endowment would fund Cherokee citizens who agree to work in the tribe's health system after graduation. The proposal also allocates $2 million annually for health career scholarships and training programs.
The council will vote on the legislation later this month. If approved, renovation would begin after the current hospital relocates to the new $450 million facility on the same campus.
OU President Joseph Harroz Jr. said the university is committed to expanding nursing education access in partnership with tribal nations.
Cherokee Nation currently provides nearly $25 million annually in general scholarship funding and more than $12 million in career training support across all fields.
