New $100,000 Scholarship Fund for KY Nursing Students

• The Hager Educational Foundation has created a $100,000 scholarship fund for Owensboro nursing students at the University of Lousiville. 
• This scholarship aims to assist ten students each year who plan to work at local healthcare facilities in Owensboro’s surrounding counties.
• The University of Lousiville offers over a dozen scholarship opportunities for its School of Nursing to combat the state’s predicated 20,000 nursing staff shortage in 2025.

The University of Louisville Owensboro in Kentucky has partnered with the Hager Educational Foundation to create a $100,000 scholarship fund for local nursing students. This merit-based scholarship will help students earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing (BSN).

The $100,000 scholarship aims to help ten students each year, with preference given to students who plan on working as nurses in the local counties. The scholarship will be partially awarded on merit, hoping to ease the financial burdens faced by non-traditional students at the University of Louisville.

In this article, learn more about this new scholarship opportunity, similar funding opportunities for BSN programs, and how the Hager Educational Foundation supports healthcare in Kentucky.

University of Louisville’s School of Nursing

The University of Louisville Owensboro offers two options for nursing students pursuing a BSN. The first is a traditional bachelor’s degree program, and the second is an accelerated BSN program for students who already have a bachelor’s degree outside of nursing. 

Additionally, the university offers several Master of Science degrees in nursing, PhD in Nursing programs, and Doctor of Nursing Practice programs.

As the University of Louisville’s School of Nursing continues to grow, it has launched more specific nursing programs, such as the Certified Nurse Anesthetist Program. This is one of only three-degree options for students interested in becoming a nurse anesthetist in Kentucky.

For undergraduate students, tuition and fees for the BSN program are under $20,000 a year. Aid from the new scholarship fund will cover a portion of the total cost every year, in addition to any financial aid or scholarships the student receives.

Alongside the Hager Education Scholarship fund, there are 17 other scholarship opportunities for students at the University of Louisville. The University of Louisville also offers a list of external scholarship resources, which can be found here.

Lawrence & Augusta Hager Educational Foundation Inc

Amy M. Higdon explains that support from the Hager Educational Foundation came after touring the Owensboro nursing program facilities and learning about the needs of non-traditional BSN students. Several of their nursing students are single parents or are working to support their families while in university.

These students were already a part of the local community, and the Hager Foundation wanted to create scholarships that prioritized nurses who would give back and serve patients in the surrounding area. This is why the scholarship fund is awarded with preference to students planning on working in the Green River District Health Department Area.

The Green River District Health Department Area includes the following seven counties: Daviess, Hancock, Henderson McLean, Ohio, Union, and Webster. These counties represent over 200,000 of Kentucky’s 4.5 million residents.

The Hager Educational Foundation has also committed to other healthcare initiatives in Owensboro, including a $400,000 donation to relocate the Owen Autism Center, which is the region’s only clinic with specific programming for individuals with autism.

Since receiving this donation and relocating in 2023, the Owen Autism Center has continued to grow and once again has reached capacity at its current location. The center is also creating new early intervention programs in addition to its regular programming, which helps students apply for college and local jobs. 

The Bottom Line

It is vital for universities and non-profit organizations in Kentucky to prioritize keeping nursing talent within the state. Kentucky’s Nurses Association predicted there will be a 20,000 nurse shortage by 2025.

The Hager Education Foundation’s support of local nurses at the University of Louisville demonstrates how growing the nursing workforce is becoming more important to the public, especially when scholarship funds can make nursing a more inclusive and accessible career for students from a variety of backgrounds and previous experiences.

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