Kent State launches new scholarships for nursing students
Kent State University Trumbull has announced a new $400,000 endowment dedicated to nursing programs benefitting Trumbull, Mahoning, and Columbiana Counties.
The endowment comes courtesy of the District Three Nurses Association and honors the late Mary Ellen Patton, who advocated for nursing in the Mahoning Valley and nationwide.
The District Three Nurses Association Mary Ellen Patton Scholarship will be available at two campuses. At Kent State's Trumbull and Salem campuses, the scholarship is available for students enrolled in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.
Another scholarship, the District Three Nurses Association Make a Difference Scholarship, will be available at Kent State East Liverpool for Associate Degree in Nursing Students, and at Kent State's main campus for registered nurses looking to earn their bachelor's degrees in nursing.
The endowment was ceremonially established at a ceremony on Monday, according to a release from Kent State. Mary Ellen Patton's daughter, Rebecca Patton, who is herself a Kent State BSN recipient, represented the Patton family for the ceremony.
"As a nurse, Mary Ellen was an advocate for safe, effective and quality patient care," she said. "As a leader, she ensured nurses were fairly compensated for their skills and given the respect in health care that they deserve. She was an inspirational role model and mentor to nurses across the United States."
According to Dave Smith, Senior Director of Philanthropy for Kent State's regional campuses, the $400,000 will be invested by the Kent State University Foundation, and the scholarships administered from the funds earnings, allowing the scholarship to continue in perpetuity.
Smith says Kent State plans on initially offering two scholarships at each location for the Kent, Trumbull, Salem, and East Liverpool campuses, totaling 8 scholarships. Scholarships will range from $1,000 to $3,000 per student.