Nearly 100 nursing students from across the state selected for WV Nursing Scholarship Program
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia Nursing Scholarship Program, which provides awards to Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN), Registered Nursing (RN), graduate and LPN teaching certificate students, has awarded nearly 100 students with scholarships for the Fall 2020 semester. Awardees will receive scholarships ranging from $800 to $4,000, depending on what kind of nursing program they are enrolled in.
“Receiving the West Virginia Nursing Scholarship means the world to me,” said Shelby Jarrell, a bachelor’s degree student at West Virginia University Institute of Technology who aspires to work in women’s health. “It shows me that I have support in the state that I love. Without scholarship programs like these, many people wouldn’t have the opportunity to reach their goals and make West Virginia a better place.”
“It feels incredible to receive an award for a career choice I love. It moves me closer to all of my nursing goals,” said Brandi Harvey, an associate degree student at BridgeValley Community and Technical College who plans to work in oncology.
In exchange for receiving an award, participants agree to complete a service obligation in West Virginia after graduation. The program, which is administered by the West Virginia Center for Nursing in conjunction with the Higher Education Policy Commission, is designed to increase the recruitment and retention of nurses across West Virginia. An examination of recipients who have received awards and their service obligation since 2016 shows that about 88 percent of completers maintain an active nursing license in West Virginia.
“On behalf of the West Virginia Center of Nursing, we are so pleased to provide financial assistance to so many new nurses,” said Gerald Bragg, LPN, Chair of the Board of the Center for Nursing. “Our goal has always been to recruit and retain as many nurses that we can, and to continue to provide the care and services that the residents of our wonderful state need so desperately. We look forward to seeing all the great work this next cohort will do to improve the quality of healthcare in our state.”
Additional awards for students meeting the eligibility requirements in time for the Spring semester will be made starting in January. The next application cycle will open on April 15, 2021 and remain open through June 1, 2021 for nursing students enrolled in programs during the 2021-22 academic year. For additional information about eligibility requirements, visit www.wvcenterfornursing.org.
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