A $900,000 contribution toward Fayetteville State University’s $13.9 million health and wellness center is more than a donation, university and health officials said.
FSU Chancellor Darrell Allisson announced July 29 at a press conference on the campus of Fayetteville State University that Cape Fear Valley Health made the investment.
“Partnerships are not built overnight. They are outcomes of mutual interest, hard work, intentional conversations and an honest belief that what we are doing collectively is for the greater good … Cape Fear Valley Health under strong leadership … believes in the greater good of health and wellness and the work of FSU — doing what it takes to make sure that that is available to the greater community — and they have been intentional,” Allison said.
Cape Fear Valley Health CEO Mike Nagowski said the $900,000 will be committed over the next two years.
“This is not a donation. It is an investment,” Nagowski said. “You are training the next set of leaders for the next generation.”
Cape Fear Valley Health’s 8,300 employees are supported by the workforce that FSU builds, he said.
The health and wellness center will provide physical and mental health and pharmacy access to FSU’s students and faculty, which Nagowski said are important services.
“You don’t want to travel for those kind of services,” he said. “You need to have that local. We believe healthcare should be local.”
The need for the health and wellness center
Dr. Juanette Council, FSU vice chancellor for student affairs, said the university’s current pharmacy operates under a limited formulary because of limited spacing, “often requiring students to leave campus to obtain their prescriptions.”
The 24,631 square foot health and wellness center, which is expected to open in spring 2026 along the Murchison Road corridor beside Leary Hall and behind Seabrook Auditorium, will house a full-service North Carolina licensed pharmacy along with the university’s Bronco Wellness Program, a modern fitness and movement center and student health services, Council said.
Students will have direct access to physician offices, dedicated triage and treatment rooms, laboratory services and private rooms with telehealth equipment to expand access to off-site specialists.
The pharmacy will be twice the size of the existing space and will allow for private counseling space for pharmacist education; chronic disease support; space for flu, glucose and cholesterol testing; and a vaccination suite that will support storage and refrigeration for a broader range of medications, Council said.
“Barriers will be removed,” she said. “Students will no longer have to choose between prioritizing their health and managing their academic responsibilities. They’ll be able to do both right here on campus.”
The health and wellness center will also feature a 7,500 square foot fitness floor with state-of-the-art equipment, yoga and dance studios and modern locker rooms, she said.
“These services will create a centralized student-centered hub for health education, prevention, treatment and overall wellness,” Council said. “Students will learn and develop lifelong healthy skills and behaviors.”
Collaboration
Council said that Cape Fear Valley Health system’s contribution “sends a powerful message that our local community stands with us, believes in our students, invests in their potential and is committed to helping them succeed.”
Local government officials who attended the July 29 announcement agreed.
The collaboration builds a more prosperous, healthy and viable workforce in the community, said Mayor Mitch Colvin, who is an FSU alumnus.
“The spirit of collaboration is yielding a lot of results and a lot of return on those investments,” the mayor said.
Commissioners’ Chairman Kirk deViere said the investment celebrates “two great gems in our community coming together.”
“Collaboration goes deep when you look at the medical profession side … collaboration that we see across the board at all levels, city, county, hospital, university systems … This is how we paint the picture and move toward the vision for the future of the community,” deViere said.
Staff writer Rachael Riley can be reached at rriley@fayobserver.com or 910-486-3528.
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