Rivier University Will Award Full-Tuition Scholarships to LPNs
Project SEND scholarships will support diversity in the nursing workforce and promote ongoing economic and community development.
Rivier University will make a major investment in New Hampshire’s nursing workforce by awarding 45 full-tuition Project SEND scholarships to licensed practical nurses (LPNs) over the next three years. Project SEND will enable scholarship recipients to earn an Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) degree, which is a prerequisite to licensure as a registered nurse, without financial burden.
Project SEND scholarships have been made possible through a $4 million grant from the U.S. Health Resources Administration (HRSA). This highly selective grant is one of only nine Nurse Education, Practice, Quality and Retention grants awarded by HRSA nationally in 2023. Annual grant distributions over the next four years will fund 45 full-tuition scholarship awards in 2024-26, plus an additional 15 partial-tuition awards in 2027.
“The need to build a diverse nursing workforce is great; Project SEND will change the lives of 60 LPNs and expand qualified nursing care in our region,” says Sister Paula Marie Buley, IHM, Rivier’s President. “The grant requirements and highly selective nature of the award speak volumes as to the quality of a Rivier education and the integrity of our nursing leadership and faculty.”
Project SEND directly supports diversity in the nursing workforce and promotes ongoing economic and community development. Scholarship applicants must hold a current, unencumbered LPN license; be a U.S. citizen or resident; and be a member of an environmentally or economically disadvantaged population and/or underrepresented minority.
“We are grateful for the HRSA grant and opportunity to support LPNs in becoming registered nurses,” says Dr. Paula Williams, Dean of the Division of Nursing and Health Professions. “Diversity within the nursing workforce is known to enhance communication and trust between patients and care providers. This greater engagement helps to improve health outcomes and progress toward health equity within our nation.”
Prospective Project SEND students must apply to the University and the scholarship program.
Admissions criteria and scholarship guidelines are detailed at rivier.edu/ProjectSEND. The scholarship is available to new students applying to Rivier’s ASN program for Spring 2024 semester entrance; all applications must be submitted by October 30, 2023. Applications received after the deadline will be considered for spring 2025 admission and scholarships.
To further support nursing education, the University offers tuition discounts to LPNs and RNs at a range of health facilities throughout the region and supports affordable access to education by awarding more than $14 million in financial aid to students annually.
Information on Rivier University’s Nursing and Health Professions programs is available at www.rivier.edu/programs or by contacting the Office of Admissions at admissions@rivier.edu or (603) 897-8507. Rivier University, located in Nashua, New Hampshire, offers degrees at the undergraduate, graduate, postgraduate, and doctoral levels with on-campus and online options.