New scholarship for UC's College of Nursing

By Katy Cosse

A significant grant from the Helene Fuld Health Trust will allow the University of Cincinnati College of Nursing to help students pursuing accelerated direct entry master’s degrees, a sector that is often lacking in financial aid options.

The three-year, $900,000 award will create an endowment for future awards and support current scholarships for students in the college’s Accelerated Direct-Entry Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program.

“This grant transforms the financial aid opportunities for our Accelerated MSN students,” Greer Glazer, dean of the College of Nursing and UC associate vice president of health affairs, said.

She added, “As we focus on growing the nursing workforce with leaders who will transform health care, it’s imperative to support our students at every level of their training. This award will make a true difference for our students who are called into the practice of nursing from other fields.”

The Accelerated Direct-Entry MSN program allows students with a bachelor’s degree in a field other than nursing to earn a master’s degree in five semesters. With the grant, the college expects to award scholarships each year to students based on financial need who meet the Fuld application criteria.

In the last year, the UC College of Nursing received its third Apple Distinguished School recognition and its fourth INSIGHT Into Diversity Health Professions Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award.

The college recently expanded enrollment in the Accelerated Direct Entry MSN program to meet the needs of the community. Additionally, it updated the program curriculum to a competency-based focus, added more diverse clinical placement opportunities and increased student training in high fidelity simulation experiences.

The first cohort of Fuld scholarship recipients already has received awards, with future scholarships able to be used as a key recruitment tool for incoming classes. Additionally, the Helene Fuld Health Trust endowment will be supported by $250,000 in matching funds from the Office of the Provost at UC, bringing the total endowment for MSN scholarships to $1 million.

“We’re extremely grateful to both the Fuld Trust and to UC for this generous support for our students,” Eileen Werdman, DNP, director of the Accelerated Direct-Entry MSN program and associate professor said. “By relieving some of the financial burden so many of our master’s students experience, this allows them to put their energy and focus into being the best providers and health care leaders for their future patients.” 

Featured image at top: Dr. Derek van Amerongen, chairman, College of Nursing board of advisors; Fuld scholarship recipients and Greer Glazer, PhD, dean of the College of Nursing.