Senator Driscoll Statement on Labouré and Curry College Announcement

FEBRUARY 13, 2026

Senator Driscoll offers the following response to the joint announcement from Labouré College and Curry College:

I write with mixed emotions and great respect regarding yesterday's news that Labouré College of Healthcare and Curry College have reached an agreement to transition Labouré’s nursing program to Curry’s School of Nursing and Health Sciences, and to establish the Labouré Center for Advancing Healthcare Opportunity at Curry College.

The loss of Labouré in Milton is tough news but President Hsu and the school deserve immense credit for acknowledging the challenges that lay ahead. This solution backstops their nursing students and ultimately strengthens another Milton institution, Curry College.

Following the similar, but more abrupt, closure of Mount Ida College in Newton several years ago, the Legislature passed legislation that required Massachusetts colleges and universities to disclose to the Board of Higher Education (BHE) any financial challenge that was likely to inhibit their ability to continue expected service. In the case of a potential higher education institution closure, a school would now need to submit a contingency plan to the state and make students and staff aware of the closure in advance. This Labouré/Curry transition demonstrates that law successfully in action. It cannot be understated how important the transition plan to support current students is in this situation. All involved have had to make difficult decisions and I am grateful to the leadership at each institution.

Labouré and Curry stated that the new Labouré Center for Advancing Healthcare Opportunity at Curry College will provide the access, resources, and support Labouré has provided to its student population of local adults, English language learners, and current healthcare workers to further their success consistent with Labouré’s mission.

I am heartened to read these focal points – in particular the mention of English language learners. In last year's budget I, along with Representatives Wells and Fluker-Reid, helped secure funding for nursing programs at both schools. Of note, was support for Labouré's advanced Vocational Nursing English for Speakers of Other Languages program that was developed as a result of the budget earmark. That curricula will now live on at the Labouré Center at Curry. This will not only help current students, but future students as well as the program has the chance to continue to grow.

I want to thank Curry President Jay Gonzalez, Labouré President Lily Hsu and the Healey-Driscoll Administration for their steadfast work to support students and ensure that the Commonwealth's capacity to educate future nurses remains and continues uninterrupted.

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