University of Pikeville awarded funding to provide two years of tuition for two nursing students

The University of Pikeville’s Elliott School of Nursing can now fully fund two years of tuition for two nursing students thanks to its partnership with Pikeville Medical Center and the to the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education’s Healthcare Workforce Investment Fund, which matches funding provided to schools for student scholarships in certain healthcare related programs.

According to an article on the University of Pikeville’s website, Karen Damron, Ph.D., RN, who serves as the university’s Dean of the College of Nursing and Human Services, was quoted as saying of the funding, “We are incredibly grateful to the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education for this generous support, which will reduce financial barriers, allowing more individuals to pursue a career in nursing. This support helps build a strong, local healthcare workforce, essential for addressing critical healthcare shortages. This partnership with Pikeville Medical Center reflects our mutual commitment to preparing compassionate, skilled nurses who will serve our communities with excellence.”

Through the initial donation from Pikeville Medical Center and the matching funds provided by the Healthcare Workforce Investment Fund, the Elliott School of Nursing can now fully fund two years of tuition for two students. The students who receive these scholarships must commit to practicing nursing in Kentucky for two years upon their graduation and licensure; in this case, they will be spending those two years at Pikeville Medical Center.

Donovan Blackburn, who is the president and CEO of Pikeville Medical Center, shared his thoughts about the collaboration and the benefits it will bring. He is quoted as saying, “We are honored to support the Elliott School of Nursing and proudly offer our facilities as a learning environment for the next generation of nurses. This collaborative effort with UPIKE underscores our shared commitment to better educate and strengthen the healthcare workforce in our region, not just now but for many years to come.”

The Healthcare Workforce Investment Fund initiative was created in order to help ease healthcare employee shortages in the state of Kentucky by creating a pipeline of talented students who are able to have portions of their education funded by the employers they will then commit to working for within their specialties.

For more information about the University of Pikeville, visit the school’s website.