Lee Health and FSW Partner on New Initiatives

Coauthored by Chris Simoneau, Lee Health’s Chief Foundation and Development Officer, and Dr. Bob Jones, Florida SouthWestern State College’s Vice President of External Affairs

I’m proud to announce that as longtime partners in education, healthcare, wellness, community engagement, and more, Lee Health and Florida SouthWestern State College (FSW) have entered into a letter of intent to further grow our partnership and create new opportunities for students in the region.

Through the collaborative relationship, Lee Health and FSW plan to develop several initiatives designed to benefit students, Lee Health team members, and the Southwest Florida community.

At Lee Health, we want to make Southwest Florida the best place to live, work, study, and visit.

Together with FSW, we will continue to invest in our region by working together on issues related to the overall health and welfare of residents. That includes workforce development, attainable housing, regional economic development, and health and wellness issues.

Lee Health and FSW will create different learning programs and internships for FSW students that will prepare them for potential job opportunities within Lee Health and provide a pipeline of highly qualified and trained employees to serve Southwest Florida.

Additionally, Lee Health and FSW will develop programs to engage Lee Health staff in the activities of the college, along with continuing to provide support to current and future FSW School of Health Professions programs, including nursing, respiratory care, cardiopulmonary sciences, radiologic technology and more.

Lee Health is currently the largest employer of graduates from the FSW School of Health Professions in the areas of nursing, EMT, respiratory care and other programs.

Through the partnership, Lee Health and FSW will continue to support undergraduate studies of nursing and a variety of clinical specialties offered by FSW as a primary clinical site for training. This partnership, which aligns with the existing Lee Health partnership with FGCU, provides the basis for ensuring that students throughout our region have the opportunities for career growth and development right here in Southwest Florida.

Learn more about Lee Health and our community partnerships at www.leehealth.org.

For more information on FSW, visit www.fsw.edu.