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Stormont Vail Health gives $7.5 million to Washburn University. Topeka Capital-Journal Updated Aug. 11, 2026, 11:18 a.m. CT Washburn University received a major donation for health care education. JuliAnn Mazachek, Washburn University president, announced a partnership and $7.5 million investment from Stormont Vail Health. "Washburn is building on its long history of serving the health care needs of our community and region," Mazachek said. "This strategic academic partnership will strengthen health care education, help build a highly skilled health care workforce and reinforce the community partnerships vital to our region. This new learning environment will bring students and faculty together across disciplines, creating a collaborative educational experience that reflects the technologies, practices and teamwork of today's health care workplace. "We are deeply grateful to Stormont Vail Health for its visionary investment and shared commitment to preparing exceptional health care professionals who will serve Topeka, our region and communities throughout Kansas." What will the $7.5 million from Stormont Vail be used for at Washburn? The money will be used to support university's "bold new vision for integrated health care education." To recognize Stormont's investment, the new health sciences facility will be named the Stormont Vail Health Clinical Institute of Excellence. "Stormont Vail Health and Washburn University share a deep commitment to serving our community and investing in educational and career opportunities," said Mark Slyter, Stormont Vail Health CEO. "This partnership is about innovating health care education and training opportunities for what students need. Together, we will prepare the next generation of health care professionals while strengthening the workforce our communities will depend on for decades to come. The new facility will bring Washburn's Harmony J. Hines School of Nursing, School of Applied Studies Allied Health programs and Department of Kinesiology under one roof to create an integrated learning environment. The Stormont Vail Health Clinical Institute of Excellence will "bring together advanced simulation spaces, collaborative laboratories and interdisciplinary classrooms, creating extraordinary opportunities for students to learn, innovate and solve problems alongside future professionals from across a wide range of health care disciplines." It will also include spaces to help meet the growing demand for science labs that is adaptable, which will provide hands-on learning. "Turning an ambitious vision into reality is only made possible with the extraordinary partnership of alumni, donors and friends who believe in Washburn's plans for the future," said Marshall Meek, Washburn University Alumni Association and Foundation president. "Stormont Vail Health recognizes this is more than an investment in a building. It is an investment in students, the future health care workforce and the lives their care will transform for generations. We are deeply grateful for Stormont's leadership and confidence in Washburn's vision." Why is Stormont Vail Health investing in Washburn University? Slyter said during the announcement approximately 60% of Stormont Vail nurses come from Washburn. "Many of our graduate other graduates at Washburn are at Stormont Vail," Slyter told The Capital-Journal. "If they're not at Stormont, well, they're with a lot of our partners across the 19-20 counties that surround Shawnee County and this area. "So, we feel like this is an absolute essential investment in the future of Health Care here locally and across Northeast Kansas." Slyter told The Capital-Journal efforts like this help the facility address health care shortages. "We've been very proactive as a system to invest in multiple partners to help create the pipeline for the future," Slyter told The Capital-Journal. "Washburn's our anchor partner because we're both headquartered right here in Topeka. So, because of that, we have been able to maintain a really high quality staffing level and talent and not have to fear a lot of contract labor from boats outside of the community." Stacey Saldanha-Olson is an enterprise reporter for The Topeka Capital-Journal. She can be reached by email at [email protected]. Follow her on X @ssaldanhao. (This story was updated to add new information.)

Stormont Vail project reaches major milestone with $26.8 million building permit. Construction of the new Stormont Vail Health campus in Emporia has taken another major step forward with the issuance of a $26.8 million building permit, marking the project's transition from foundation work to vertical construction. According to the City of Emporia's weekly building permit report, Stormont Vail Healthcare received a permit July 23 for construction of a new medical clinic at 1700 Road G. The permit, issued to Kendall Construction Inc., carries a valuation of $26,847,000 and was the largest permit issued during the July 18-24 reporting period. The permit follows a $2.4 million foundation permit issued in June, when the city approved footings and foundation work for the project shortly after community leaders, local officials and Stormont Vail representatives gathered for a groundbreaking ceremony. The latest permit represents a significant milestone as construction moves beyond site preparation and foundation work into the building phase of the new healthcare campus. Stormont Vail announced plans for the new facility earlier this year as part of an effort to expand healthcare services in Emporia and Lyon County. The campus is expected to bring multiple medical specialties together in one location and improve access to care for area residents. The medical clinic permit accounted for nearly all of the week's construction activity. Six permits were issued during the reporting period with a combined valuation of $26,961,804.15, meaning the Stormont Vail project represented more than 99% of the week's total permit value. The remaining permits included: * Waterproofing work at 901 Elm St., valued at $20,517. * Reroofing projects at 2908 Monterey Drive and 1338 Prairie Park Lane, valued at $19,610 and $24,677, respectively. * Construction of a new garage at 924 Walnut St., valued at $25,000. * An interior and exterior remodeling project at 737 Sherman St., valued at $25,000. With the building permit now in place, construction activity at the Stormont Vail site is expected to become increasingly visible in the coming months as work begins on the structure of the new medical campus.

Dr. Alec Britt named Chair of Stormont Vail Health Institutional Review Board. July 21, 2026 Stormont Vail Health is pleased to announce the appointment of Alec Britt, M.D., as the new Chair of the Stormont Vail Health Institutional Review Board (IRB), effective Aug. 1. Dr. Britt succeeds Dr. Mark Synovec, pathologist, in the role. Dr. Britt specializes in hematology and oncology at Stormont Vail and is part of the Clinical Research Center. He completed his fellowship in Hematology and Oncology at the University of Kansas Medical Center in 2024, following his residency in Internal Medicine. He earned his Doctor of Medicine from the University of Kansas School of Medicine and holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology with distinction from the University of Kansas. Dr. Britt is board-certified in Internal Medicine and is a member of the American Society of Hematology, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the American College of Physicians, and the American Medical Association. He currently serves as a scientific member of the Stormont Vail IRB. With a strong foundation in clinical research, Dr. Britt has been actively involved in multiple oncology clinical trials and observational studies, contributing to advancements in cancer treatment and biomarker development. He has also authored and co-authored numerous peer-reviewed publications focused on oncology and hematologic malignancies. Dr. Britt brings a deep commitment to ethical research oversight, patient safety, and scientific rigor. His clinical and research experience, combined with his dedication to advancing high-quality research, make him well-suited to lead the IRB in its mission to protect research participants and promote responsible research practices.