On any given year in Monterey County, hundreds of prospective nursing students apply to local programs. Most are turned away. Not because they aren’t qualified, but because there aren’t enough seats.
Montage Health and California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB), are doing something to fix that bottleneck. In March 2026, Montage Health committed $15 million to establish the Montage Health Helen Baszucki School of Nursing at CSUMB.
The investment will launch a new four-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program and a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program, creating 40 new nursing seats per year and effectively doubling the region’s capacity to train new nurses.
“We have so many people who want to be nurses,” says Debbie Sober, MSN, chief nursing officer at Montage Health. “The limitation has always been how many we can educate.”
Creating a direct pathway into nursing
The new programs at CSUMB will create Monterey County’s first public, four-year, pre-licensure nursing pathway, allowing students to enroll as freshmen and progress directly to becoming registered nurses.
The investment supports the hiring of faculty and clinical educators, construction of simulation and skills labs, and expansion of classrooms and training spaces. It also funds program development, accreditation, and student support services, all of which are necessary for a program that can grow over time without sacrificing quality.
“We’ve always believed that the strongest healthcare workforce is one we grow right here at home,” says Mike McDermott, MD, MBA, president and chief executive officer of Montage Health. “Expanding access to BSN education is part of our mission as a local nonprofit — to invest in our community, open doors to meaningful careers, and make sure people across Monterey County can rely on excellent care for years to come.”
Who is Helen Baszucki?
The new school of nursing at CSUMB honors the late Helen Baszucki, a nurse and clinical instructor whose career reflected a commitment to patient care and the nursing profession. Her legacy continues to be honored by her husband, local philanthropist and Montage Health Foundation board member Paul Baszucki, and his goal of making it easier for more people to become nurses — and to have successful, rewarding careers once they do.
After Helen’s death in 2020, Paul partnered with Montage Health Foundation to establish the Helen Baszucki Center for Nursing Excellence at Montage Health.
The center provides scholarships, gives students hands-on clinical experience, and supports new graduates through residency, mentorship, and specialty training programs. It also creates ongoing opportunities for professional growth, including leadership development and clinical advancement pathways that help nurses build their careers.
Building on a decades-long model
The CSUMB partnership builds on a longstanding relationship between Montage Health and CSUMB and more than 40 years of Montage Health’s investment in local nursing education.
Montage Health has partnered with CSUMB since the school’s early years, investing in programs across the university’s health sciences portfolio, including physician assistant education, social work, and physical therapy. CSUMB students are embedded throughout Montage Health as service learners, gaining hands-on experience in clinical settings while contributing to patient care.
In 1982, Montage Health partnered with Monterey Peninsula College to create the Maurine Church Coburn School of Nursing, funded by Montage Health and led by Montage Health nurses. The program started with a 32-student cohort and, with funding from Montage Health’s Helen Baszucki Center for Nursing Excellence, expanded to accommodate 48 students annually, reaching the limit of its physical space, faculty, and clinical training capacity.
It receives about 200 applications per year, and the new program at CSUMB means more of those applicants will now have more options.
“The Maurine Church Coburn School of Nursing has graduated more than 1,600 nurses since its inception,” says Michele Melicia Young, director of Montage Health Foundation. “We’ve seen first-hand that students who train locally are more likely to stay, build their careers here, and care for their neighbors, friends, and family members in the community they already know.”
Looking ahead
The first cohort of students begins in fall 2027, with enrollment projected to grow over time. The long-term objective is not just to produce more nurses, but to create a stable, sustainable pipeline — one that reflects the community it serves and evolves with its needs.
