News Releases

University of Maryland School of Nursing Receives Grant for Nursing Scholarships Through RWJF New Careers in Nursing Scholarship Program

June 4, 2014

Scholarships support second-career nurses from groups underrepresented in the profession.

Baltimore, Md. – The University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) is pleased to announce that for the sixth time, it has been selected as a grant recipient of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) New Careers in Nursing (NCIN) Scholarship Program. UMSON is one of 52 schools of nursing that will comprise the final cohort of the program.

Ten $10,000 scholarships will be awarded to UMSON for the 2014-2015 academic year for newly-admitted students in the Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) master’s degree option. At the end of round seven, 63 students will have received a total of $630,000 in scholarship funds. In addition to the monetary award, NCIN scholars have access to a variety of academic resources and serve as mentors to other students.

“Since 2008, New Careers in Nursing has made amazing strides in helping schools of nursing recruit and retain diverse students in these competitive and rigorous accelerated degree programs,” said David Krol, MD, MPH, FAAP, RWJF senior program officer. “Through supporting these institutions, NCIN is working to increase the diversity of our nursing workforce, while also assisting schools of nursing in making their institutions more inclusive. The leadership, mentoring, and other support these institutions provide is helping prepare a diverse nursing workforce to be able to meet the challenges associated with building a culture of health in our nation.”

“Because relatively few scholarships are available for CNL students, we are especially pleased that UMSON has once again been awarded these funds, which will help reduce the financial burden for our students,” said Gail Schoen Lemaire, PhD, PMHCNS, BC, CNL, associate professor and director of the CNL master’s option. “Previous scholarship recipients have been grateful for these funds and have used them for tuition, books, child care costs, and other living expenses.” 

NCIN grantee schools must maintain leadership and mentoring programs for their scholars. The schools are also required to provide a pre-entry immersion program to assist scholars with learning essential study, test-taking, and other skills needed to succeed in their program of study.

For more information about the RWJF New Careers in Nursing Scholarship Program, visit www.newcareersinnursing.org.  To learn more about UMSON’s CNLmaster’s option, visit http://www.nursing.umaryland.edu/academic-programs/grad/masters-degree/cnl.

# # #

The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools, and is ranked eleventh nationally. Enrolling 1,700 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.