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The University System of Maryland at Hagerstown is getting $250,000 from Washington County to help narrow a funding gap for hospitality and physician assistant programs to start this year.
“We are certainly excited about the prospect of additional students walking down the street, shopping in downtown Hagerstown and just contributing toward the vitality of a growing city,” USMH Executive Director Mark Halsey said.
With the county contribution, which will be spread over five years, the university is left with approximately $150,000 to raise toward a $2 million goal for costs associated with the two new programs, Halsey said.
The two-year master’s degree program for physician assistants is expected to start this summer, once final accreditation is granted, Howard “Blackie” Bowen said. Bowen led a fundraising effort for the physician assistant and nurse practitioner programs.
University officials decided the nurse practitioner program, which began in the fall, should be an online program, Halsey said. Frostburg State University is providing both medical programs. The hospitality and tourism management bachelor’s program, which will be offered by the University of Maryland, Eastern Shore, will start this fall.
The hospitality and physician assistants programs will create more than $600,000 in additional payroll. They also are expected to generate more economic impact through consumer spending by students, faculty and staff; more rental housing for students; and possible home sales to faculty and staff.
USMH’s program expansion is part of the Urban Improvement Project in downtown Hagerstown.
The university system is finalizing paperwork for a lease agreement with local developers Hager 5 for the hospitality program. The 25-year lease is for the first floor of the former BB&T Bank at 55-59 W. Washington St. The lease for the first year would cost an estimated $224,644.
The goal is to get renovations done in time for the fall, said Greg Snook, one of Hager 5’s partners. If they aren’t ready, students could take classes at the main university building across the street and do their cooking work later in the semester. Snook said the renovations are expected to cost less than $2 million.
Snook said the square-footage rate for the 11,300-square-foot space increases 1 percent annually.
The university is leasing the second and third floors of the Horace W. Murphy Community Health Center at 24 N. Walnut St. from Meritus Health for $1 a year for 10 years. There’s a 10-year renewal option. The physician assistant program will be on the third floor; leaving room on the second is for future programming. The space is referred to as USMH’s Health Sciences Center.
Bowen said 25 students have been provisionally accepted to that program, pending accreditation approval. More than 400 people applied. Another 25 will be accepted next year, so there will be room for 50 students a year once the program is in full swing.The goal for the hospitality program is to enroll 40 students, Halsey said.
The county commissioners voted 4-0 on Tuesday to provide $50,000 a year for five years, using hotel-tax revenue funds.
Commissioner Wayne Keefer abstained from the vote because he is an adjunct instructor with Frostburg State, a partner institution with USMH.
Halsey said about $550,000 has been raised toward a $1 million endowment for scholarships for the physician assistant and other health-related programs.
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