West Virginia University Health System’s Center for Nursing Excellence in Morgantown announced the launch of what it is calling an "Aspiring Nurse Program," which will offer local community college students up to $25,000 in exchange for a three-year work commitment, according to a June 19 news release.
The $25,000 is financial support that can be used for day-to-day life expenses, the release states, something the university noted it has heard time and time again that students need support with — particularly as inflation and cost of living have risen in recent years.
"What we've heard from many students is that they are working two jobs to support themselves while they're in school and are one flat tire away from having to drop out," Melanie Heuston, DNP, RN, chief nurse executive for the WVU Health System said in a statement. "The Aspiring Nurse Program will help to alleviate some of the financial stress the students are under, so they can focus their time and energy on completing their education."
Accepted students will be given $5,000 each of the four semesters they are enrolled as well as an additional $5,000 sign-on bonus upon hire in exchange for a three-year work commitment with their hospitals post-graduation.
The first cohort will be made up of nursing students at BridgeValley Community and Technical College in South Charleston and West Virginia University at Parkersburg.