 State’s Schools of Nursing Salute Pa. Higher Education Foundation.
Nursing education programs in Pennsylvania recently paid tribute to contributions made by the Pennsylvania Higher Education Foundation which have benefited their students and programs.
Andrea Hollingsworth, RN, PhD, dean of the School of Nursing at Gwynedd-Mercy College, represented baccalaureate degree-granting schools of nursing; and Lana deRuyter, RN, MSN, dean of Allied Health and Nursing at Delaware County Community College, represented associate degree schools in presenting a recognition award to Foundation president and CEO Michael H. Hershock.
Aided by the Foundation’s support, the state’s nursing programs have experienced a 59% increase in enrollment, an 86% increase in nursing graduates and a nearly 3% improvement in the pass-rate for nursing graduates taking licensure examinations.
Moreover, the vacancy rates for RN’s and LPN’s at Pennsylvania health care facilities have decreased by around 5%.
The Foundation’s mission is to expand and enhance accessible and affordable options for postsecondary education by identifying key areas of education in need of financial assistance and creating innovative programs and services to alleviate the burden of tuition and related costs.
To stimulate and sustain public interest and support, the Foundation solicits donations from the community, private donors and other charitable organizations, including foundations and corporations.
Achievements of the Foundation and its donors include:
- The Nursing Education Grant Program in the past five years has disbursed $41.9 million through 16,000 scholarships to 125 schools of nursing.
- Through donations by Independence Blue Cross and Capital Blue Cross, the Nurse Scholars Program has given more than 450 scholarships within the last three years worth approximately $3 million.
- The Foundation jointly administers the Nursing Loan Forgiveness for Healthier Futures, the Big 33 Nurse Scholarship Program and the Penn Hosa Scholarship Program.
- The Foundation’s Public Awareness Campaign has brought attention and public focus to the need for nurses and the many careers available in nursing.
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