The University of Mississippi Medical Center School of Nursing is establishing a new scholarship program courtesy of a $2 million donation.
Students at the nursing school’s Jackson and Oxford locations will now have access to the new Joanne and William Conway Nursing Scholarship, which was ignited by a grant from the Bedford Falls Foundation. The gift will create 167 full scholarships for traditional and accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) programs.
The traditional BSN program lasts four years, with two years of nursing curriculum completed at UMMC School of Nursing, whereas the accelerated programs for students who have a baccalaureate degree in another area of study are completed in a year.
According to the medical school’s vice chancellor for health affairs, Dr. LouAnn Woodward, the scholarship fund comes at a time when Mississippi is facing a great nursing shortage. Expanding opportunities for prospective healthcare workers to earn a quality education could fill a widening gap in one of the nation’s sickest states.
“Nurses are the heart of every health care team,” Woodward said. “Their expertise, compassion, and dedication not only save lives but also shape the future of health care. We cannot achieve our vision of a healthier Mississippi without increasing the number of nurses in our state.”
A report from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration projected that Mississippi could see a near-17% shortfall in the number of nurses by 2030. With trends predicting an alarming shortage, officials are working to reverse course and have quality nurses educated and trained to meet the present and future needs of Mississippians. The new scholarship program at UMMC is believed to be a step in the right direction.
