D’Youville Scholarships to Advance Education for Essential Workers and Address New York State’s Critical Workforce Shortages

D’Youville Scholarships to Advance Education for Essential Workers and Address New York State’s Critical Workforce Shortages

Buffalo, New York – April 27, 2020 – D’Youville announced new scholarships today to provide tuition relief for essential workers and to recruit and retain healthcare professionals in rural communities.

Scholarships for Essential Workers

Nurses, front-line retail workers, emergency personnel and others deemed essential during the Coronavirus pandemic may be eligible for D'Youville’s newly announced Scholarship for Essential Workers. Those who meet the criteria will be awarded $2,000 per academic year toward tuition.

“The university wants to honor those individuals who find themselves at home or quarantined after serving on the front lines of the pandemic.” said Dr. Lorrie Clemo, D’Youville President. “They may be interested in using that time to further their education with a certificate or degree that will be useful when they return to work or as they begin to prepare for a career change or promotion.”

D’Youville’s Scholarship for Essential Workers is an unrestricted grant for incoming, undergraduate majors, applied in $1,000 increments to each qualifying semester, up to $2,000 per year, to pay tuition balances.

“At D’Youville, we appreciate the sacrifices our essential workers make every day to keep us safe. We see it first-hand, as we hear from so many of our graduates who are serving on the front-lines, fighting COVID-19,” said Meghan Harmon, Director of Transfer Admissions. “As a result, we want to help our essential workers in the best way we know how – through education.”

To be eligible, applicants must demonstrate they are a worker deemed essential during the current state of emergency and stay at home orders; register at D’Youville as half-time or more (minimum 6 credits per semester); complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA); and work with D’Youville’s Solutions Center to determine eligibility for other federal, state, and private grants, scholarships, and loans.

"As a D'Youville graduate and an occupational therapist myself, I can personally attest to the outstanding education, training, and experience that students receive throughout their journey at the school," said Senator Tim Kennedy. "I applaud D'Youville for working to increase financial accessibility for students striving to pursue careers in healthcare, especially at a time when these frontline workers are needed the most."

Rural Outreach Initiative (R.O.I.)

D’Youville’s Rural Outreach Initiative or R.O.I. provides a 50 percent tuition scholarship after aid for up to two current or prospective healthcare employees at rural healthcare facilities in regions experiencing critical workforce shortages.

Participants can select from programs including:

• 100% Online RN to BSN
• 100% Online MS in Nursing Management and Leadership
• 100% Online Graduate Certificate in Health Services Administration
• 100% Online Graduate Certificate in Long-Term Care Administration
• Low-residency Online Master’s in Nursing Education with a Clinical Focus
• Online Certificate in Medication Management with a final on-site session at the facility
• Online Certificate in Point of Care Testing with a final on-site session at the facility
• In-seat Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Science
• In-seat Doctorate of Pharmacy

Additionally, three low-residency online programs projected to start in Fall 2020 will be available. They include the Advanced Certificate and Master’s in Family Nurse Practitioner and the Doctor of Nursing Practice in Family Nurse Practitioner.

"As the Ranking Member of the Senate's Health Committee, I am aware of the many challenges facing rural hospitals across New York State,” said Senator Patrick Gallivan. “I am confident the Rural Outreach Initiative will provide critical support to hospitals in rural communities throughout our region. Providing advanced educational programs and training to health care workers in these facilities will help the hospitals attract and retain critical professional staff while ensuring quality health services are provided to the community."

Healthcare providers who elect to participate will commit to hosting clinical placements and offering a designated tuition contribution. The employee-participant will commit to an agreed-upon period of employment post-graduation. The organization’s tuition contribution and duration of employment are at the discretion of the organization.

“Rural health providers will benefit from the R.O.I. program in ways that will address immediate and long-term workforce shortages while increasing retention and recruitment,” said Dr. Clemo. “The cost to bring in a trained professional can astronomically high for a rural hospital. D’Youville is here to give some relief as we train the next generation of leaders and advance the skills of critical employees.”