Nurse Practitioner (NPs) Scholarships Applications are Available
Published on: May 31, 2022
Watertown, New York — Applications are now being accepted for the fifth annual Susan Peters Nursing Scholarship. A retired nurse from Samaritan Medical Center established a scholarship through the Samaritan Medical Center Foundation for Registered Nurses (RNs) looking to advance their careers as Nurse Practitioners (NPs). Sadly, Peters passed away in 2020, yet this scholarship remains as part of her legacy and commitment to healthcare in the community.
The Susan Peters Nursing Scholarship was established in 2018 to assist with the education costs for an RN who is continuing his/her education, specifically to pursue a Nurse Practitioner degree. Two scholarships of $2,000 will be awarded each year.
Peters graduated from the former House of the Good Samaritan School of Nursing and retired from Samaritan Medical Center (SMC) as a Certified Oncology Nurse; prior to that, she had served as a staff RN and for more than 20 years as a Nurse Manager of Medical/Surgical, Orthopedic and Alternate Level of Care Units.
Beth Fipps, VP Samaritan Foundation and Community Services explained that “We are so grateful to Susan for leaving a legacy to a profession she was so committed to. Susan so generously established this scholarship to promote the Nurse Practitioner profession because she felt there is an increasing need and role for such due to the nationwide shortage of physicians.”
Nurse Practitioners provide many of the same services as physicians, including developing treatment plans for their patients, ordering tests, performing minor procedures, and prescribing medication.
The 2021 scholarship awardees were Desiree Fuller and Teresa Bednar, both Samaritan Medical Center nurses.
The application period for the Susan Peters Nursing Scholarship opens on June 1, 2022, and concludes on July 15, 2022, with the scholarship award announcement in August 1, 2022.
To be eligible for this scholarship, candidates must meet the following criteria:
- Must be a registered nurse (RN) with a minimum of two full years’ working experience. RNs currently working for Samaritan Medical Center preferred, but not mandatory.
- Medical/Surgical experience is preferred but not necessary.
- Must be a resident of either Jefferson or Lewis County, New York
- Eligible to apply after successful completion of the first semester in a Nurse Practitioner program with at least a B average.
As part of the application, Registered Nurses must describe why they are pursuing their Nurse Practitioner degree and where, as well as whether or not they have a financial need. Applicants should submit two letters of recommendation and the two most recent transcripts along with the application to support the RNs pursuit of a Nurse Practitioner degree.
For more information, or to obtain a scholarship application, please contact the SMC Foundation at 315-785-4584 or visit www.samaritanhealth.com/scholarships. The application can be completed online, emailed to [email protected], or mailed to 830 Washington Street, Watertown, NY 13601.