$600,000 financial aid grant to help nursing students reach goals

As part of an ongoing effort to grow the state's nursing industry and provide the next generation of health care workers, Michigan State University has been awarded $600,000 to provide financial aid to students in the College of Nursing's accelerated second-degree bachelor's program.

The grant, from the Helene Fuld Health Trust, will provide $300,000 directly to students in the next three years, while the remaining portion will set up a permanent endowment fund for students in the program.

"We are honored to be recognized by the Helene Fuld Health Trust,” Dean Mary Mundt said. "Not only is this award a sign of the excellent nursing program at MSU, it is a way for the college to respond to the needs of the nursing work force and prepare the next generation of nursing leaders.”

The accelerated program was created in 2005 for students who already have a bachelor's degree in another field; it was designed to quickly add new, qualified nurses into the work force. Students going full time can complete the program in 14 months.

"The fast-track program is another example of the flexibility of the college in responding to the growing needs of an aging population and the national needs for increased access to health care,” Mundt said.

The Helene Fuld Health Trust, the nation's largest private funder devoted to nursing education, was created in 1935 by Leonhard Felix Fuld and his sister, Florentine, in honor of their mother, Helene.

The grant announcement comes amid several ongoing college initiatives to address a potential nursing shortage and expand the industry:

*The college recently received a $1.42 million grant from the Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration to expand its primary care nurse practitioner program.

*A $933,420 federal grant is allowing the college to help students from disadvantaged backgrounds - including underrepresented minority students - gain acceptance to the college, graduate with a bachelor's degree and become licensed nurses.

*On Sept. 24, the college broke ground on the Bott Building for Nursing Education and Research, an expansion that will provide expanded, high-quality space for existing and future faculty research programs. The outcomes of their nursing and health related research will then be translated to care for patients and families to improve their health status and quality of life.

From MSU Today on Impact Radio: Dean Mary Mundt talks with Russ White about how the College of Nursing is addressing a potential nursing shortage through a variety of initiatives.