Baker College joins forces with Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services’ Nursing Academy
The partnership will provide nursing program students with up to $40,000 to cover their tuition in exchange for working at Pine Rest during their study and for two years after they complete their education.
Nursing students at Baker College will now have the opportunity to join Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services’ Nursing Academy in order to receive $40,000 in loan money toward tuition, hands-on mental health nursing experience, and a job for at least two years after graduation.
According to an article on Baker College’s website, Maria McCormick, who is the dean of Nursing at Baker College, said of the new partnership, “We are thrilled to partner with Pine Rest to offer this transformative scholarship program to our students. This partnership exemplifies our shared commitment to supporting the next generation of nurses. By providing students with financial assistance and guaranteed employment opportunities, we are empowering them to pursue their dreams and make a meaningful impact in an area of care that engages with a vulnerable population.”
The purpose of the partnership is to give nursing students who are interested in mental health nursing the opportunity to receive actual workplace training while also studying in a classroom setting and to strengthen the mental health nursing workforce in the state. There is a general shortage of nurses in Michigan that is affecting all areas of healthcare.
Gretchen Johnson, DNP, MSN, RN-BC, who serves as the chief nurse executive at Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services, was quoted as saying, “The true impact of the nursing shortage is felt by the people in our Michigan community who cannot access the care they need because there are not enough nurses across the board. That’s not a problem that will be solved by recruiting nurses from one local organization to another. It can only be solved by increasing the number of new nurses entering the field. That is what we aim to achieve through collaboration with educational partners like Baker College.”
Students who take part in the Nursing Academy with Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services are eligible to receive up to $40,000 in loans toward their Baker College tuition. They will also be guaranteed a job for at least two years following the completion of their education. The Nursing Academy is also available to individuals who are already employed with Pine Rest who are seeking to continue their education.
For more information about Baker College, visit the school’s website.