Scholarships for Nursing Students in Mississippi

Mississippi has suffered from a nursing shortage in recent years, and both the state’s government and its large employers have gotten very creative in how they handle the situation. Many students are familiar with the concept of grants and scholarships: schooling money that does not have to be paid back. They are also familiar with the concept of loans, and of the burden they can be! Those options exist for nursing students, just as they do for students in other programs. In the world of nursing, though, there are also work commitment nursing scholarships. They don’t have to be paid back either, as long as you fulfill your service commitment. If you’ve got what it takes to be successful in the profession, such arrangements can be a healthy situation for you, the state’s hospitals, and the ill residents as well.

Nursing Scholarship Requirements in Mississippi

State sponsored nursing loan and nursing scholarships are available to Mississippi nursing students at different levels of their educational career, from the associate’s level RN to the doctoral student. Mississippi awards these scholarships differently than some other states. There are some basic requirements, like a 2.5 undergraduate GPA or a 3.0 graduate one. Awards are made to eligible applicants, though, on a first come first serve basis. If you are unable to fulfill the commitment (for reasons less than permanent disability) or find that the profession isn’t right for you, you will owe some money. But if you are a nurse at heart, then get your application in promptly. The priority deadline is March 31.

A big part of the nursing shortage, surprisingly, is a shortage of nursing educators. Mississippi has addressed this issue with the Nursing Teacher Stipend. Currently licensed nurses who are enrolled in MSN programs and also participate in NELM can apply to receive a stipend of up to $1,000 a month. They will owe a two year teaching commitment in exchange for this one year of schooling assistance.

The government is not the only organization exchanging schooling money for future commitment. Some of the state’s hospitals have programs of their own. Baptist Health Systems, for instance, offers nursing scholarships.

In Mississippi, there are also scholarships based on nursing specialty or interest. Emergency nurses may want to look into the Mississippi Magnolia Scholarship or other scholarships available through the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA). Applications are due June 1.

Nursing Scholarship Professional Advice – MS

Some nursing scholarship committees publish information about their decision making process. The ENA, for instance, has published the percentages allotted to different application qualities The ENA requires professional membership, so 30 points is for activities related to committee involvement and conference attendance. 40 points are given for the statement of goals; this needs to be, among other things, consistent with the purpose of the award. 10 points are awarded for having high quality reference letters, and another 10 for appearance of the application, including spelling and syntax. Don’t discount these things. Doing so could make the difference in whether you get a award or not, just as later it could help determine your job prospects.

Some of Mississippi’s best nursing scholarships entail substantial commitment. If you have what it takes, service obligation scholarships are a win-win situation. But what exactly does it take? Remember that nursing is a job that generally entails moderate levels of stress, and that some settings will have more than others. Some settings will also have more happy endings for patients. Look for opportunities to shadow — or volunteer — early in the process, and get a sense of what jobs will work for you. Your knowledge and confidence will look good on the application, too.

Contact Information for Nursing Scholarships in Mississippi

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