“We need people who will take care of people, and you are those people,” the Rev. Starsky Wilson, CEO of the Deaconess Foundation, addressed the first cohort of nursing scholarship recipients served by a unique partnership between three regional foundations.
The Deaconess Foundation, the St. Louis American Foundation and the Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis have committed more than $100,000 annually in resources and support over the next five years to assist future nurses in their education and training.
“I thank God that you have committed to giving your lives to service of others, because this is how ultimately we will reduce disparities – by one-on-one contact and care,” Wilson told the students.
“Ultimately, this is how we will build a regional network in health care – by inspiring people like you and then by being inspired by people like you.”
Six students who attend area universities received their first award on Wednesday, July 24 during a special ceremony at Saint Louis University School of Nursing.
Scholarship recipients include Brittany Brewer, a sophomore at the University of Missouri – St. Louis; DaKari Burrell, a junior at Rockhurst College; Barbara Harris, a sophomore at St. Louis Community College – Florissant Valley; Alexandria Holmes, a senior at Saint Louis University; Heather Rowland, an incoming freshman at Missouri State University; and Kayla Stallworth, a freshman at Central Missouri State University.
“So it’s wonderful that you all are on the verge of a career that involves caring for others, which is the highest purpose we can serve,” said Donald M. Suggs, president of the St. Louis American Foundation and publisher and executive editor of The St. Louis American.
“And we are going to need a lot more mid-level professionals in administrative care and in direct care. You are part of a great profession, and there’s a reason you are the most trusted profession – because the work you do is essentially vital to our community.”
Each of the three foundations has distinct roles in the effort. Deaconess commits an annual sum for scholarship and administrative support grants to the other two foundations. The St. Louis American Foundation, known for its Salute to Excellence award programs and educational scholarships, will disperse the scholarships and publicize student progression. The Scholarship Foundation will provide student outreach and support.
Each student, upon meeting qualifications, will receive funds to support their nursing education for up to eight semesters toward a bachelor of science in nursing. The goal is to increase the number of nurses in the workforce in the St. Louis area.
“We want to invite you to commit to come back to this community to practice,” said Faith Sandler, executive director of The Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis.
Teri A. Murray, PhD, APHN-BC, RN, FAAN, dean of SLU School of Nursing, provided an overview of the nation’s nursing shortage.
“The registered nursing workforce is projected to be the top occupation all the way throughout 2020, and it’s been pretty much recession-proof,” Murray said. “During the recession, when many fields were laying off, it was tight in nursing, but nursing grew 26 percent.”
In terms of job security and job growth, Murray said nursing leads all health care occupations.
“There are about 3 million nurses now, and we will need about another million now through the next decade,” she said.
“The shortage is also projected to spread across the country, so even though we want you to stay in the St. Louis area, the shortage is projected to spread through 2030, and mainly in the South and the West.”
But, she restated, “we want you to stay in the Midwest in the St. Louis region.”
