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The California State
University, Fresno Department of Nursing was awarded $100,000 from the
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) New Careers in Nursing Scholarship
Program.
The funds will provide $10,000 scholarships to 10 students to help
increase the number enrolled in Fresno State’s accelerated baccalaureate
nursing program. This national initiative, launched by RWJF and the
American Association of Colleges of Nursing, aims to help alleviate the
nation’s nursing shortage by dramatically expanding the pipeline of
students in accelerated nursing programs.
“The nursing shortage in the San Joaquin Valley is approaching crisis
proportions,” said Cricket Barakzai, director of the Central California
Center for Excellence in Nursing, a university program. “It is very
important that all students in nursing programs are able to complete
their studies. Often students drop out because of financial concerns.
These scholarships will help students remain in school and enter the
nursing workforce.”
Scholarships will be distributed nationally to 706 entry-level nursing
students in accelerated programs during the 2008-09 academic year. Award
preference is given to students from groups underrepresented in nursing
or from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The RWJF program supports accelerated programs, which offer the most
efficient route to licensure as a registered nurse for adults who have
already completed a baccalaureate or graduate degree in a discipline
other than nursing. Although enrollment in these programs has steadily
increased over the past few years, many potential students are unable to
enroll since already having a college degree disqualifies them for
receiving most federal financial aid programs for entry-level students.
The New Careers in Nursing scholarships address this problem and the
overall nursing shortage by enabling hundreds of students to launch
their nursing careers through accelerated education.
For more information, contact
Barakzai at 559.451.3428.
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