SUNY Downstate Awarded Robert Wood Johnson Nursing Scholarships:
Jul 23, 2012
Scholarships Will Support Second-Career Nursing Students from Underrepresented Groups
For the fourth consecutive year, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University’s College
of Nursing has been selected as a grant recipient of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
New Careers in Nursing Scholarship Program (NCIN). SUNY Downstate has received $100,000
for the 2012-2013 academic year to support students who are enrolled in its accelerated
nursing program and pursuing a second career in nursing.
The support is given to second-career students from groups who are traditionally underrepresented
in the field of nursing or from disadvantaged backgrounds. Since 2009, the College
of Nursing has received a total of $500,000 to support students in its accelerated
baccalaureate program.
The NCIN Scholarship Program was launched in 2008 by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
(RWJF) and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) to expand enrollment
in accelerated degree programs in schools of nursing while increasing diversity in
the nursing workforce.
“We are delighted to be among the nursing schools recognized by the New Careers in
Nursing Scholarship Program,” said Daisy Cruz-Richman, PhD, RN, dean of the College
of Nursing at SUNY Downstate. “This honor represents a tremendous vote of confidence
in our Accelerated Baccalaureate Nursing Program from one of the premier philanthropic
healthcare organizations in the country.”
Students who receive the NCIN scholarships—in the amount of $10,000 each—have already
earned a bachelor’s degree in another field, and are making a career switch to nursing
through accelerated nursing degree programs. These programs prepare students to pass
the National Council Licensure Examinations (NCLEX-RN) required for all registered
nurses in as little as 12-18 months and provide quicker routes to workforce eligibility
than traditional programs.
This year, funding for 400 scholarships was granted to 55 schools of nursing by the
NCIN program. All NCIN grantee schools are required to maintain a mentoring program
for their nursing students, and many offer a pre-entry immersion program to help them
learn study, test-taking, and other skills that will aid them in managing the challenges
of the program. Students also receive other support to help them meet the demands
of an accelerated degree program. At SUNY Downstate, 10 students will be awarded NCIN
scholarships.
By bringing more nurses into the profession at the baccalaureate and master’s degree
levels, the NCIN program also helps to address the nation’s nurse faculty shortage.
Data from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration show that nurses entering
the profession via baccalaureate programs are four times more likely than other nurses
to pursue a graduate degree in nursing. This trend is reflected in the NCIN scholars,
as 91 percent of the students receiving funding in the first three years of the program
indicate a desire to advance their education to the master’s and doctoral levels.
For more information about SUNY Downstate’s accelerated nursing program, visit Advanced Certificate Program.
About NCIN
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) joined with the American Association of
Colleges of Nursing (AACN) to create New Careers in Nursing: an RWJF Scholarship Program
to help alleviate the nursing shortage and increase the diversity of nursing professionals.
Through annual grants to schools of nursing, NCIN provides $10,000 scholarships to
college graduates with degrees in other fields who wish to transition into nursing
through an accelerated baccalaureate or master’s nursing program. For more information,
visit www.newcareersinnursing.org.
About RWJF
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation focuses on the pressing health and health care
issues facing our country. As the nation’s largest philanthropy devoted exclusively
to health and health care, the Foundation works with a diverse group of organizations
and individuals to identify solutions and achieve comprehensive, measurable, and timely
change. For 40 years, the Foundation has brought experience, commitment and a rigorous,
balanced approach to the problems that affect the health and health care of those
it serves. When it comes to helping Americans lead healthier lives and get the care
they need, the Foundation expects to make a difference in your lifetime. For more
information, visit www.rwjf.org.
About AACN
The American Association of Colleges of Nursing is the national voice for baccalaureate
and graduate programs in nursing. Representing more than 690 member schools of nursing
at public and private institutions nationwide, AACN’s educational, research, governmental
advocacy, data collection, publications, and other programs work to establish quality
standards for bachelor’s and graduate degree nursing education, assist deans and directors
to implement those standards, influence the nursing profession to improve health care,
and promote public support of baccalaureate and graduate nursing education, research,
and practice. For more information, visit https://www.aacnnursing.org.
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About SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University
Downstate Health Sciences University in Brooklyn is one of four academic health centers (AMCs) in The State University of New York (SUNY) 64-campus system and the only SUNY AMC in New York City dedicated to health education, research, and patient care for the borough’s 2.7 million residents. Its flagship hospital, University Hospital at Downstate (UHD), is a teaching hospital and benefits from the expertise of Downstate’s exceptional medical school and world-class academic center research facilities. With a staff of over 800 physicians representing 53 specialties and subspecialties, Downstate offers comprehensive healthcare services to the community.
UHD provides high-risk neonatal and infant services, pediatric nephrology, and dialysis for kidney diseases and is the only kidney transplantation program in Brooklyn. Beyond its clinical expertise, Downstate houses a range of esteemed educational institutions, including its College of Medicine, College of Nursing, School of Health Professions, School of Graduate Studies, and School of Public Health. Downstate fosters innovation through its multifaceted biotechnology initiative, the Biotechnology Incubator and BioBAT, which support early-stage and more mature biotech companies.