A $2.5 million gift from the Bedford Falls Fund to Duquesne's School of Nursing in conjunction with National Nurses Week will provide partial scholarships as soon as this fall for students enrolling in the University's 12-month or 16-month second-degree Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) programs. This significant scholarship support will be dispersed over the next five years.
"On behalf of the Duquesne School of Nursing, I want to express my sincere gratitude to the Bedford Falls Fund for their investment in the future of nursing," said Duquesne Nursing Dean Dr. Mary Ellen Glasgow. "This grant will allow the school to fund 32 students per year with a partial scholarship and simultaneously increase enrollment among second-degree students. I want to acknowledge Mr. and Mrs. Conway for their transformational gift and for their vision to prepare nurses who will be so critical to the health of our region and nation."
Bill and Joanne Conway, the philanthropists behind the Bedford Falls Fund, are renowned for their generosity to support nursing education and address the national nursing shortage.
"We admire how the Duquesne University School of Nursing has continued to evolve its programs to serve the needs of the health care profession," Bill Conway said. "It's gratifying to know that these scholarships will swiftly expand the pool of highly qualified nurses."
In addition to the classroom, Duquesne second-degree nursing students begin their clinical experiences during their very first semester and complete clinical hours in hospitals and community facilities in Pittsburgh, renowned as a top-ranked health hub in the United States.
Nursing faculty-scholars walk alongside students to help them realize their bigger goals, including preparing for the NCLEX-RN exam, the post-graduation exam for licensure as a registered nurse (RN).