When the first class of Grove City College nursing students begins clinical rounds next fall, they’ll be outfitted for work thanks to a grant from Highmark Inc. and Allegheny Health Network (AHN.)
A $5,500 grant from the healthcare industry leaders to the Charles Jr. and Betty Johnson School of Nursing at the College will provide each student in the Bachelors of Science in Nursing (BSN) program with a backpack, stethoscope, pen light, customized scrubs and a jacket.
Highmark Inc. and AHN said they are working together to support current college students who will serve as the future generation of frontline healthcare professionals. “Frontline caregivers have always been the heart and soul of our communities,” Highmark President Deb Rice-Johnson said. “The last several months have truly reconfirmed how essential all frontline workers are, including nurses, and how much we appreciate their tireless dedication to serving others. Highmark is proud to support future generations of health care heroes through this grant.”
“We’re grateful for the grant. It will offset student costs associated with earning their degrees and help students know they are recognized by regional healthcare employers,” Janey Roach, director of the College’s Nursing Program, said. “It also helps AHN as they recruit the next generation of nurses.”
Grove City College established the Johnson School of Nursing in 2019 and began offering the BSN degree this year to a class of 10 students. “The first year is going well,” Roach said. “The students are engaged and excited to start their nursing classes which will happen next fall when they are sophomores.”
The College partnered with Butler County Community College (BC3) to create an innovative program that has students dividing their undergraduate years between general education and major-related classes at the College and clinical and professional training through BC3’s accredited and highly regarded nursing school.
Interest in the program is growing, with many prospective students applying for admission in fall 2021. The College is in the process of seeking accreditation from the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing.