It is projected that the new funding for Phase Two will add more than 700

nurses and other highly trained specialists to the state's healthcare

industry, joining the 600-plus already graduated from or currently enrolled

in, the two-year-old program. A total of 60 Georgians will complete Clayton

State's Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing in Fiscal Year 2005 and

Fiscal Year 2006 through this program. These 60 graduates will be placed

through hiring commitments by partners Fayette Community Hospital, Grady

Health System, Henry Medical, Piedmont Medical Center, Southern Regional

Medical Center and Tenet Healthcare Corp. Kaiser Permanente is also a partner

with Clayton State in this initiative.

The program is administered through the Board of Regents' Intellectual

Capital Partnership Program®, or ICAPP®. Named the ICAPP® Health

Professionals Initiative (HPI), it matches private sector healthcare providers

with USG colleges and universities to create programs that are producing

fast-track graduates in the fields of nursing, medical technology and pharmacy.

The initiative uses ICAPP's® proven model that meets the "just-in-time-needs" of

the state's business community.

Phase One of the initiative resulted in 632 additional new licensed healthcare

professionals being produced through customized University System "fast-track

programs" � far exceeding the original goal of 500 new graduates. Phase

Two of the Health Professionals Initiative will use the same structure as

Phase One, leveraging the $3.8 million state commitment with $3.2 million

in cash and in-kind support from 26 private employer partners charged with

guaranteeing the program graduates jobs. Twelve University System institutions,

including Clayton State, will be the partners in Phase Two and will graduate

an additional 721 healthcare professionals over the two-year effort.

"The ICAPP® Health Professionals Initiative is proof positive

of what can be achieved when we mobilize strong public-private partnerships

to tackle a problem," said University System Chancellor Dr. Thomas C.

Meredith. "We responded efficiently and quickly and the result will

mean better healthcare for Georgians."

Phase One of the Initiative was a $6.75 million public/private partnership

between Georgia healthcare providers and the University System. Thirteen

University System institutions worked with medical providers in 19 Georgia

communities. Many of the colleges and universities and private sector employers

involved in Phase One will continue similar programs in Phase Two.

A total of 40 Clayton State Nursing graduates are projected to be placed

the spring 2005 semester. One of those students, Adonness Amon, was present

at today's USG announcement.

Dr. Lisa Eichelberger, professor of Nursing, is Clayton State's contact

for the ICAPP® Health Professionals Initiative. She can be reached at

(770) 961-3431. The contacts for Clayton State's partners are as follows;

Fayette Community Hospital, Ryan Duffy, director of Community Relations,

770-719-7076