Lacombe, LA.— St. Tammany Health System Receives LCTCS Foundation Joe D. May Award
The Louisiana Community and Technical College System Foundation presented their Joe D. May Excellence in Public Policy Award to St. Tammany Health System in New Orleans on October 1, 2024. Northshore Technical Community College nominated St. Tammany Health System for the award in recognition of their work to address the critical health care workforce shortage in southeast Louisiana.
Working with support from the St. Tammany Health Foundation, the St. Tammany Health System in Covington, LA, joined forces with their ongoing local education partners to create the St. Tammany Academic Center (STAC). The nearly 12,000 square foot facility opened in January 2024, providing 5 classrooms, 2 skills labs, 4 hospital simulation rooms for education, training, coaching and mentoring. The award was presented in recognition of STHS’s initiative to bring educational choices closer to home, developing a strong nursing workforce for the Northshore. Southeastern Louisiana University is also a partner in the center.
‘On behalf of the college, we were proud to nominate St. Tammany Health System to receive a 2024 LCTCS Impact Award,” said NTCC Chancellor Dr. Jim Carlson. “This recognition reflects their strong commitment to supporting the next generation of healthcare professionals by providing a dedicated training space for Northshore Technical Community College's new Registered Nursing program at the St. Tammany Academic Center in Covington. STHS CEO Joan Coffman and her team believe that investing in education and workforce development is essential to ensuring the future of healthcare in our community.” The award was presented at LCTCS Foundation’s annual Impact Awards Gala in New Orleans, LA.
“We are honored and proud to have received the 2024 Joe D. May Excellence in Public Policy Award for our collaborative work with Northshore Technical Community College and Southeastern Louisiana University to bring our St. Tammany Academic Center to our community,” said Joan Coffman, President, and CEO of St. Tammany Health System. “Through this work, we have provided opportunities for students to follow their nursing dreams— close to home — and at the same time, create a workforce pipeline to meet the growing demand for qualified, caring nurses called to healthcare. We could not ask for better partners to make this vision, a reality.”
NTCC student Austin Lebo also received accolades from the LCTCS Foundation as the recipient of the “I Am Louisiana’s Future” scholarship. Lebo, a US Air Force Veteran, is a student in NTCC’s Registered Nursing Program. He aspires to work in Orthopedics or Emergency Medicine.
"I could not be more proud of Austin Lebo and the way he represents Northshore Technical Community College," said Carlson. "As a Veteran and current RN student at NTCC, Austin Lebo's dedication and perseverance exemplify the spirit of our future healthcare professionals. His receipt of the I am Louisiana's Future Award is a testament to his hard work and commitment to serving the community as a Registered Nurse. We are proud to see Austin recognized for his potential to make a lasting impact in the healthcare field, and we look forward to his continued success."