/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gray/I6FCI7E54BGQHOMEZ2A3MQOSDM.jpg "KSU, CHI St. Joseph Health partner to address commonwealth’s nurse shortage")
KENTUCKY (WKYT) – CHI St. Joseph Health has partnered with Kentucky State University to address the commonwealth’s nurse shortage.
CHI St. Joseph Health donated $2.5 million to the university to encourage more students to become nurses. The money will provide scholarships to students in Kentucky State University’s nursing program.
The scholarships will go to up to 30 students enrolled at any time in the KSU school of nursing.
The total award to each student will either cover two years of an associate’s degree in nursing or the final two years of a bachelor of science degree in nursing. Students who receive the scholarship must work at a CHI St. Joseph Health facility as a registered nurse for 30 months after graduation.
Dr. Clara Ross Stamps, acting president of KSU, says many students at the historically Black college and university have financial struggles. She’s grateful for CHI St. Joseph Health’s investment.
“This gift for our students ensures that they will not have the financial burden of trying to decide how to pay for their education,” said Stamps.
CHI St. Joseph Health CEO Dr. Anthony Houston says the medical institution has more than 250 nursing positions open. He hopes the KSU donation will encourage more students to become nurses.
“We found such common ground in our want to diversify the workforce, to attend to the needs of the underserved, and to really focus on that next generation of the workforce,” Houston said.
This semester, KSU had 15 students graduate from its nursing program.
The application period for the KSU and CHI Saint Joseph Health scholarship is now open.
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