Beaufort County Community College hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony for the newly established Lisa Long Nursing Simulation Lab on Wednesday, Feb. 25.
The new simulation lab represents a major investment in the future of nursing education in eastern North Carolina and directly addresses ongoing healthcare workforce shortages across the region.
$485,000 Investment in Nursing Education
The Lisa Long Nursing Simulation Lab was made possible through $405,000 from the Golden LEAF Foundation, awarded to expand Beaufort CCC’s nursing programs and strengthen the regional healthcare workforce. The Charles A. Cannon Charitable Trust No. One contributed an additional $80,000 in structural costs to support the project.
This combined $485,000 investment supports essential equipment, training resources, and instructional materials that enhance hands-on student learning.
Through advanced simulation technology, nursing students train in realistic clinical scenarios that mirror modern healthcare environments, including critical care, mental health, pediatrics, obstetrics, and community health.
Preparing Nurses for Real-World Clinical Settings
The simulation lab allows students to build clinical judgment, technical proficiency, critical thinking skills, and confidence before entering live clinical settings. Students participate in structured simulation experiences that assess competency and readiness, strengthening persistence and progression toward graduation.
“This simulation lab has transformed how we prepare future nurses in clinical settings,” said Dr. David Loope, President of Beaufort CCC. “The Lisa Long Nursing Simulation Lab expands our capacity to educate and retain nursing students, ensuring more graduates are ready to fill critical healthcare roles across our region.”
Recent nursing cohorts at Beaufort CCC achieved a 100 percent employment rate within six months of graduation, with most graduates serving in regional healthcare facilities. The new lab expands the college’s ability to sustain that level of workforce impact.
Scott T. Hamilton, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Golden LEAF Foundation, emphasized the broader economic significance of the investment.
“The Golden LEAF Foundation is pleased to support Beaufort County Community College as it expands high-quality nursing education and strengthens the healthcare workforce in eastern North Carolina,” Hamilton said. “By supporting advanced training environments like the Lisa Long Nursing Simulation Lab, we are helping build a stronger talent pipeline that benefits local employers, communities, and the region’s long-term economic vitality.”
Honoring the Legacy of Lisa Lynette Long
The simulation lab was named in honor of Lisa Lynette Long, whose life and career embodied compassion and dedication to patient care.
From a young age, Lisa cared for injured and abandoned animals, instinctively “nursing” them back to health. At just 18 years old, she earned her R.N. from St. Luke’s College of Nursing in Kansas City, Missouri.
She served 21 years as an Intensive Care and Cardiac Care nurse and five years as a palliative and hospice nurse. Lisa devoted her career to caring for the most seriously ill patients, leaving a legacy of compassion, skill, and service.
In her passing, Lisa left a model of excellence and kindness for future nurses to strive toward. The lab that bears her name will continue that legacy by preparing students to serve patients with competence and heart.
Positioning Beaufort CCC as a Leader in Simulation-Based Education
With the addition of the Lisa Long Nursing Simulation Lab, Beaufort CCC plans to pursue accreditation through the International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning. Achieving this accreditation will further position the college as a leader in high-quality, simulation-based nursing education.
Community members, healthcare partners, and local leaders attended the Feb. 25 ribbon cutting ceremony.
About Beaufort County Community College
Beaufort County Community College serves students across eastern North Carolina through accessible, affordable academic transfer programs, workforce training, and career and technical education designed to strengthen the regional economy.
About the Golden LEAF Foundation
Established in 1999, the Golden LEAF Foundation is a nonprofit organization created to receive a portion of North Carolina’s funding from the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement with cigarette manufacturers. For 25 years, the Foundation has worked to increase economic opportunity in rural and tobacco-dependent communities.
Golden LEAF has helped create 68,000 jobs, generated more than $780 million in new payroll, and supported training or retraining for more than 98,000 workers statewide.
For more information about Golden LEAF and its programs, visit GoldenLEAF.org.