Scholarships for Nursing Students in Washington

Washington needs well trained caring nurses, particularly at the higher levels of practice. If you are having trouble financing your nursing school dreams, you may want to consider applying for grants and scholarships. Although scholarships have traditionally been thought of as merit-based, and grants as need-based, many take both factors into account. At the level that most nurses study (the master’s level and lower), there is little practical difference between the two. At the very high levels of scholarly pursuit, grants are also awarded for research; there may be opportunities outside formal scholarships for the handful of doctoral level nurses.

Nursing Scholarship Requirements in Washington

In Washington, nursing scholarships are available through individual colleges and universities like the University of Washington. Some, like the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Traineeship, are available to those studying particular advanced level courses.

Washington nursing students studying at the RN level or higher can apply for the Frances Tomkins Memorial award. Scholarships range from $1,000 to $5,000.

African American professional nursing students in the Puget Sound region can apply for the Mary Mahoney Professional Nurses Endowment, named after the first African American graduate nurse in the nation. The Mary Mahoney Registered Nurses Club was founded in 1949 by minority nurses at Harborview. They came together to work for equality within the profession as well as to share stories of achievement. Today the endowment helps other nurses reach their dreams. The stated criteria include financial need, life experiences, and GPA. There is a February 15 deadline for receipt of the initial application package. There will be interviews of candidates in March.

There are even more opportunities available to master’s candidates. This is because nurse practitioners, who have master’s level educations, can serve as primary care providers in areas of high need. One such program is the National Health Services Corps Scholarship. Candidates must be committed to serving two years in a medically underserved area. Funds are paid per quarter, but a person does have to sign a two year service agreement or face penalties.

Nursing Scholarship Professional Advice

There are a number of scholarships available to Washington nurses, but there are also may people vying for them. It can help to read the bios or essays of past scholarship recipients in order to see the various ways candidates have distinguished themselves. Some foundations, like the Mary Mahoney Professional Nurses Endowment, publish these. There were eleven MMPNE recipients in 2005. Some had striking life experiences. One had gone with a church group to West Africa to serve in a medically needy area, and, from that experience, had formed her dream of becoming a nurse practitioner. Another hailed from another country — Somalia — herself, and that experience had of course shaped her professional goals. Others, though, hadn’t been out of the nation. One had demonstrated commitment to the field by serving as a nurse technician at Harborview. Those that might not yet have experience in the field expressed clear goals. One, for instance, wanted to enter the field of women’s health to reach other African American women. Aware that there is more preventable disease in women of her race than in white women, she wanted to ‘lead by example’.

A member of the organization notes that it is important to remember that there are multiple factors that the committee takes into account before making scholarship decisions; these include everything from references to transcripts. The process includes, ultimately, an interview for qualified candidates. For some, the interview provides an opportunity to shine. A person shouldn’t worry that others may have more striking life experiences than she has. It is important, however, to fill out all parts of the application and to let it reflect accurate and careful work.

Contact Information for Nursing Scholarships in Washington

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