Highmark West Virginia Charitable Fund for Health  Creates New Nursing Scholarship Program at West Virginia State University

3/19/2024

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INSTITUTE, W.Va. -- The Highmark West Virginia Charitable Fund for Health has awarded a $305,000 grant for the establishment of a new nursing scholarship program at West Virginia State University (WVSU).

The grant was announced today during a check presentation ceremony on the WVSU campus. 

“We are extremely grateful to the Highmark West Virginia Charitable Fund for their commitment to creating this new scholarship program for students in our nursing program,” said WVSU President Ericke S. Cage. “Our nursing program is expanding to meet the needs of the health care industry in West Virginia and this new scholarship program will be a tremendous benefit to our students.”

Up to 10 scholarships will be awarded annually to cover the cost of attendance in the nursing program for student pursing either a traditional bachelor’s degree in nursing or a new Licensed Practical Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing hybrid degree program. 

“Finding ways to address the state’s healthcare worker shortage is a funding priority of the Highmark West Virginia Charitable Fund for Health, and we’re thrilled to partner on such an important initiative,” said Cathy McAlister, executive director of the Highmark West Virginia Charitable Fund. “The goal of these nursing scholarships for West Virginia State University students is to help ease the financial burden of those looking to build lifelong careers of providing care for individuals and families West Virginia.” 

The baccalaureate degree program in nursing at West Virginia State University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, 202-887-6791.

WVSU’s Bachelor of Science in nursing degree program began in 2020. The program is now enrolling for the fall 2024 semester.

For more information, visit www.wvstateu.edu/nursing or call (304) 766-5117. 

Follow West Virginia State University on Facebook, Instagram @wvsu_official, and Twitter @WVStateU.
 
About West Virginia State University
West Virginia State University is a public, land-grant, historically black university, which has evolved into a fully accessible, racially integrated, and multi-generational institution, located in Institute, W.Va. As a “living laboratory of human relations,” the university is a community of students, staff, and faculty committed to academic growth, service, and preservation of the racial and cultural diversity of the institution. Its mission is to meet the higher education and economic development needs of the state and region through innovative teaching and applied research.
 
 

About The Highmark Foundation

The Highmark Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) private, charitable organization dedicated to improving the health, wellbeing, and quality of life for individuals who reside in the communities served by Highmark, Inc. and its subsidiaries and affiliates. We fulfill our missing by awarding high-impact grants to charitable organizations that implement evidence-based programs aimed at improving community health. Central to the Foundation’s mission is identifying and continuously reevaluating our region’s prevailing health care needs. By doing so, the Foundation remains at the forefront of those needs, well-equipped to pinpoint the issues that more urgently need support.  
 
In 2021, two new restricted funds were established at the Highmark Foundation - the Highmark West Virginia Charitable Fund for Health and the United Concordia Dental Charitable Fund. These funds support the ongoing work of the Highmark Foundation across its footprint and beyond.  
 
For more information, visit www.highmarkfoundation.org and follow the Highmark Foundation on LinkedIn.