$125,000 to Tackle Rural Hawaii’s Nursing Shortage
The William Randolph Hearst Foundations has awarded $125,000 to UH Manoa Nursing to fund scholarships for 15 community college students from rural areas of Hawaii pursuing a baccalaureate degree in nursing.
UH Manoa Nursing Dean Mary G. Boland said “The Hearst Foundation BS Nursing Scholarship Program gives nurses in rural areas of Hawaii the funds they need to pursue education beyond the community college level. Having BS prepared nurses throughout our rural communities is essential in ensuring our residents have access to quality health care.”
Paul “Dino” Dinovitz, Hearst Foundations executive director added, “Grants toward efforts like the UH Manoa Nursing Program are an example of our commitment to help leading academic centers respond to the country’s evolving healthcare needs. The Foundations are pleased to provide continued financial support for nursing students.”
Nursing education programs at Maui College, Kauai Community College and UH Manoa worked together to increase access to baccalaureate nursing education in Hawaii by transforming the educational environment. Together, faculties developed one curriculum, academic standards, student learning outcomes, and nursing courses culminating into the UH Hawaii Statewide Nursing Consortium (HSNC). HSNC offers a BS degree in nursing with innovative, integrated learning opportunities for nursing students throughout the state, regardless of their island of residence. During the first three years, the curriculum is identical at the community colleges and UH Manoa, with seamless transition for students into the fourth (final) year offered through UH Manoa on Oahu or via distance for Maui and Kauai students.
From 2013-2016, 81 students from Maui College and Kauai Community College earned the BS degree from UH Manoa via the HSNC pathway.
Due to the generosity of the Hearst Scholarship, 24 students received financial support. UH Manoa Nursing matched $50,000 to further support student success. This new funding will provide 15 additional scholarships for community college students.
Meet one of the Hearst Scholarship recipients Ryan Gingrich who lives on Maui.
If you have any questions about how you can support University of Hawaii nursing students, please contact Malia Peters at malia.peters@uhfoundation.org or (808) 956-6311. You can also make a gift online at www.uhfoundation.org/givetonursing
___________________________________________________________________________
About UH Manoa Nursing
UH Manoa Nursing, the Nursing Capitol of the Pacific, is the leader in nursing education and research in Hawaii with outreach to Asia and the Pacific Basin. We support the mission of the University of Hawaii at Manoa: to provide an innovative, caring and multicultural environment in which faculty, students and staff work together to generate and transmit knowledge, wisdom, and values to promote quality of life and health for present and future generations. The school offers the BS, master’s and doctoral programs. To reflect Hawaii’s unique cultural diversity and heritage, UH Manoa Nursing is committed to increasing the representation of Native Hawaiian and other underserved people in all nursing programs. www.nursing.hawaii.edu.
The University of Hawaii Foundation is a nonprofit organization that raises private gifts, manages assets, and provides alumni and donor services for all 10 campuses of the UH System. www.uhfoundation.org