Ashland University Receives Grant to Provide Nursing Scholarships

ASHLAND, OH, June 27, 2012 (Press-News.org) Ashland University's Dwight Schar College of Nursing and Health Sciences has received a $50,000 grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF).

The RWJF New Careers in Nursing (NCIN) grant will provide scholarships for five accelerated second-degree nursing students who were admitted to the college in May, according to Faye Grund, interim dean of the Dwight Schar College of Nursing and Health Sciences.

"Students who are considered underrepresented or disadvantaged are eligible to apply for the scholarships, which will be available in September 2012," Grund said. "The recipients of the scholarships may use the scholarships to pay tuition, academic fees and living expenses."

Following an application process, five Ashland University Dwight Schar College of Nursing and Health Sciences accelerated nursing students will each be awarded a $10,000 scholarship.

The students will join 400 other students from 55 schools of nursing across the country as recipients of the NCIN scholarship. The students will participate in additional opportunities including a mentorship and leadership program, and students will be paired with nursing professionals who are experts in leadership, practice and service in the provision of care.

This is the first time the College has been awarded this prestigious grant, which is a collaborative program between RWJF and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing.

Grund said the grant was established to assist underrepresented and disadvantaged students afford a second degree, promote development of professional leadership skills, alleviate the national nursing shortage and increase the number of nursing professionals from diverse backgrounds.

"We are very excited to have been chosen to receive this scholarship award and we appreciate the work being done by RWJF," Grund said. "As a result, the College of Nursing expects to increase diversity in its accelerated program and increase the number of enrolled students from disadvantaged backgrounds."

According to RWJF, the grant is part of a commitment to work with a diverse group of organizations and individuals to address the nursing shortage, by funding scholarships in accelerated bachelor's and master's degree programs, for students from groups underrepresented in nursing or from an economically disadvantaged background.

RWJF focuses on the pressing health and health care issues facing our country. As the nation's largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to health and health care, the Foundation works with a diverse group of organizations and individuals to identify solutions and achieve comprehensive, measurable and timely change. For 40 years the Foundation has brought experience, commitment and a rigorous, balanced approach to the problems that affect the health and health care of those it serves. For more information, visit http://www.rwjf.org.

Ashland University, ranked in the top 200 colleges and universities in U.S. News and World Report's National Universities category for 2012, is a mid-sized, private university conveniently located a short distance from Akron, Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio. Ashland University (www.ashland.edu) values the individual student and offers a unique educational experience that combines the challenge of strong, applied academic programs with a faculty and staff who build nurturing relationships with their students.