Scholarship Success
Each year, the College of Nursing awards more and more scholarships to our well-deserving students. In the last five years, we have seen the number of scholarships awarded in the college grow by over 100%. This would not be possible without the generosity of our alumni, friends and supporters. The gift of receiving a scholarship is felt well beyond the classroom for our students. These recipients have someone who believes in them, is rooting for their success and has invested in their future. Scholarships represent the single most impactful way to help students graduate on time and with less debt. Below are a few examples of the amazing philanthropy our supporters have provided over the last few months.
The Power of Support
The Sheward Family Scholarship in Nursing continues to provide amazing opportunities to talented students from Girard High School. This fall, four amazing students from Girard High School will begin their studies on a full academic scholarship, including room and board. They join a cohort of two current nursing students from Girard who are entering their sophomore year. This investment in these students represents philanthropy in action, as these future nursing leaders will soon go on to serve their community through their dedicated nursing work.
The College of Nursing Emergency Fund, the Emergency Relief Scholarship in Nursing, and the College of Nursing Student Scholarship Fund, have distributed thousands of dollars in emergency grants to keep our nursing students enrolled and on the path to graduation. Sometimes life can get in the way of the pursuit of a degree. When that happens, these funds allow us to provide flexible dollars to our students to keep them working towards their goal of receiving their BSN. Without scholarships like these, something as simple as a broken-down car, a new textbook, or an unexpected bill, can derail a student’s journey. These funds ensure that when life happens, our students have a resource to ask for help.
The Undergraduate Nursing Study Abroad Fund has provided scholarships to over 30 students studying in London, England and Florence, Italy this year. These students will explore new cultures, learn about healthcare systems other than our own and have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fully immerse themselves in a new land. Thanks to donor support, students who otherwise would not be able to attend are making their dreams of studying abroad a reality.
Each of these scholarships has one thing in common: an individual or a group of supporters decided that they believed in our students enough to provide a helping hand. Many of these supporters received similar assistance during their time as students and wanted to pay it forward. Many of those receiving scholarships today hope to one day pay it forward as well.
Future Opportunities beyond Scholarships
The College of Nursing continues its preparations for a massive renovation of our Simulation Laboratory. This new state-of-the-art facility will double the simulation space, bring new technologies, including Virtual Reality, an Immersion Room, as well as create a new “Open Skills Lab” for our students to hone their skills. This much-needed renovation is slated to begin at the start of 2027, with the new lab ready for use by the start of the 2027/2028 academic year. This new space will allow our facilities to finally align with our amazing faculty and students. Opportunities to support the lab through naming gifts and equipment sponsorship are currently ongoing. If you are interested, please contact Corey Hukill at 330-672-8753.