RAPID CITY, S.D. (June 1, 2026) —In its first full year of operation, the West River Health Science Center,a nursing pathway partnership between Black Hills State University and South Dakota State University, graduated 122 registered nurses across two classes. This milestone was made possible in part by Monument Health’s $2 million investment to expand the facility in 2022. Sixty-two of those graduates have committed to joining Monument Health.
Across four regional nursing programs this academic year, 195 new nurses are entering the workforce, and at least 87 have committed to Monument Health. That group spans South Dakota State University, Dakota Wesleyan University, and Western Dakota Tech, representing both registered nurses and licensed practical nurses. DWU’s placement numbers are still growing as that class moves toward its official August graduation and July pinning ceremony.
The DWU connection runs deeper than a partnership on paper. Their Rapid City nursing program is housed in Monument Health’s Turbine Building, the same location where high school CNA students completed their skills review this spring.
“Western South Dakota has a real and persistent need for nurses, and these partnerships are how we meet it,” said Trina Allen, Vice President of Human Resources at Monument Health. “By the time many of these graduates accept an offer, they have had a financial relationship with us for two or three years. We’ve built this pipeline intentionally, and this year is proof it’s working.”
Scholarship programs have been central to that strategy. Thirty-two students across SDSU and DWU received Monument Health nursing scholarships this academic year, and 21 WDT graduates were Build Dakota Scholarship recipients, a designation that carries a commitment to work in South Dakota.
The workforce pipeline extends all the way to high school. This school year, roughly 80 students from Central High School, Spearfish High School, Rapid City Christian, and Custer High School enrolled in Monument Health’s CNA Pathway. Sixty-two tested for certification this spring, and 44 passed on their first attempt, a first-time pass rate more than 10 percent higher than last year. Every student who did not pass has already signed up to try again.
Placing student CNAs requires scheduling flexibility that has not always been fully available. Monument Health is addressing that through its new Career Development and Planning Center, which will include a student float pool designed to accommodate school schedules across the system.
Across every level of education, from high school certification to four-year nursing degrees, the region’s health care workforce is growing.
About Monument Health
Monument Health is a community-based health system headquartered in Rapid City, South Dakota. The organization serves 14 communities across western South Dakota and eastern Wyoming through five hospitals, more than 40 clinics and specialty centers, and 31 specialties. Monument Health’s team of more than 6,300 physicians and caregivers is dedicated to making a difference in the lives of those they serve. Monument Health is a member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network.
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