Truist Foundation grants $50,000 to expand MUSC workforce development

FLORENCE, SC (April 29, 2025) – MUSC Workforce Development is proud to announce it has received a $50,000 grant from the Truist Foundation to support the OneMUSC Workforce Development Initiative to address the state’s health care workforce challenges more fully, specifically in rural and underserved areas.

Truist’s commitment to inspiring and building better lives and communities is in alignment with the OneMUSC Workforce Development Initiative, leveraging and perfecting the model deployed at MUSC Health Florence, Marion and Black River medical centers, which provides access to career information, addresses learner concerns and positively affects health inequity and disparities in every community it serves.

“South Carolina continues to face a critical shortage of physicians, nurses and allied health professionals. These shortages are most severe in rural areas, and they directly impact the quality of care provided and community health outcomes,” said Jay Hinesley, CEO of MUSC Health Florence/Marion/Black River Medical Centers.  “As the state’s only comprehensive academic medical system, MUSC Health is uniquely positioned to respond to this challenge, and this grant will enhance our ability to do just that.” 

Forty-one of South Carolina’s 46 counties are considered Health Professional Shortage Areas. The Federal Health Resources and Services Administration projects that South Carolina will face a shortage of more than 13,000 nurses. The OneMUSC Workforce Development Initiative seeks to help fill this shortage by supporting career entry and growth in underserved communities across MUSC Health’s extensive footprint across the state.

“Truist Foundation is proud to support the OneMUSC Workforce Development Initiative and help address health care workforce challenges,” said Truist Market President John Rutenberg. “Our purpose at Truist is to inspire and build better lives and communities, and this donation will support career development in the health care industry.”

In collaboration with a myriad of community, cross-sector and interagency partners, the OneMUSC Health Workforce Development Initiative has identified resources to train and retain more physicians, nurses and technicians in South Carolina. This program aims to expand critical priority occupations through the existing MUSC Health registered apprenticeship by adding 360 patient care technicians each year, starting in 2027.

"Thank you to every MUSC leader, care team member, preceptor and mentor for creating the welcoming, supportive environments where apprentices don’t just gain skills, they find belonging, purpose and a future,” said MUSC Workforce Development manager LeeAnn Weaver Hayes. “I'm incredibly proud of what we've built together – and even more excited for the future we’re creating across South Carolina.”

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 About MUSC   

Founded in 1824 in Charleston, MUSC is the state’s only comprehensive academic health system, with a mission to preserve and optimize human life in South Carolina through education, research and patient care. Each year, MUSC educates over 3,100 students in six colleges and trains 950+ residents and fellows across its health system. MUSC leads the state in federal and National Institutes of Health and research funding. For information on our academic programs, visit musc.edu.

As the health care system of the Medical University of South Carolina, MUSC Health is dedicated to delivering the highest-quality and safest patient care while educating and training generations of outstanding health care providers and leaders to serve the people of South Carolina and beyond. In 2024, for the 10th consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report named MUSC Health University Medical Center in Charleston the No. 1 hospital in South Carolina. To learn more about clinical patient services, visit muschealth.org.

MUSC has a total enterprise annual operating budget of $7.1 billion. The 31,000 MUSC members include world-class faculty, physicians, specialty providers, scientists, contract employees, affiliates and care team members who deliver groundbreaking education, research, and patient care.

About Truist Foundation 

Truist Foundation is committed to Truist Financial Corporation's (NYSE: TFC) purpose to inspire and build better lives and communities. The Foundation, an endowed private foundation established in 2020 whose operating budget is independent of Truist Financial Corporation, makes strategic investments in a wide variety of nonprofit organizations centered around two focus areas: building career pathways to economic mobility and strengthening small businesses to ensure all communities have an opportunity to thrive. Embodying these focus areas are the Foundation’s leading initiatives – the Inspire Awards and Where It Starts. Learn more at Truist.com/Foundation.