ALEXANDRIA, La. (WNTZ) – Louisiana State University at Alexandria has received a major boost toward building a new health education center in downtown Alexandria, with an initial $750,000 contribution from Martin Sustainable Resources, LLC (dba RoyOMartin) to the LSUA Foundation.

The 70,000-square-foot facility is designed to help meet the region’s growing demand for healthcare professionals by offering students access to advanced technology and modern training across multiple disciplines.

“Our company employs and depends on nurses to keep our team members safe and in good health at each facility. Nurses have provided elderly care to my family in Cenla for decades,” said Roy O. Martin III, chairman and CEO of RoyOMartin. “We owe this profession a great deal, and our family is committed to advancing the education of those in our communities. This state-of-the-art center will provide much-needed opportunities for those in our area, and we are honored to play a role in its development.”

The gift builds on the Martins’ history of support across the LSU system. Previous contributions include $2 million for LSUA’s Martin Family Student Success Center, set to open next month, $1 million for the LSU Interdisciplinary Science Building in Baton Rouge, and $500,000 for LSU Health Shreveport’s Center for Medical Education.

University officials said the project comes at a critical time, as Louisiana faces significant workforce shortages. Area hospitals, clinics and physicians’ offices currently report more than 550 vacancies for registered nurses and 170 for allied health professionals.

In partnership with regional stakeholders, LSUA plans to expand capacity for all health education programs and increase the number of nursing graduates to about 250 annually. The downtown campus will also offer interdisciplinary learning opportunities and advanced technology resources, preparing graduates to meet workforce needs while strengthening ties to the community.

“It is with heartfelt appreciation that we thank the entire RoyOMartin family for their multi-generational support of LSUA and the growing number of students being served and entering the workforce in central Louisiana,” LSUA Chancellor Paul Coreil said. “The generosity and inspirational leadership provided by the entire Martin family continues to drive higher education excellence that effectively addresses critical health-related workforce shortages in nursing and allied health professions across Louisiana.”

The new campus will be strategically located near major hospitals and healthcare providers in Alexandria.

More information about supporting LSUA is available through the LSUA Foundation at www.lsuafoundation.org