News
S.C. BlueCross Foundation Names its First Fellows, Recipients of a $1.5 Million Nursing Scholarship Program - 10/21/2008
Columbia, S.C. – The BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Foundation announces the first recipients in its $1.5 million graduate-level nursing scholarship program.
Established through the South Carolina Nurses Foundation, Inc., and distributed over three years, the $1.5 million is enabling financial support for nursing students who will eventually become faculty in nursing education programs across the state. Sixteen students were selected as the first recipients and were honored at an event at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center today celebrating the establishment of these scholarships.
The first BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Foundation Fellows are:
Doctoral Students University (anticipated graduation date) Hometown
Mary Beth Steck Clemson (2011) Simpsonville, S.C.
Holisa Wharton Clemson (2011) Abbeville, S.C.
Lisa Duggan USC Columbia (2011) Greenville, S.C.
Christy BuShea USC Columbia ( 2011) Elgin, S.C.
Theresa Lawson MUSC (2010) Pelzer, S.C.
Sharon Bond MUSC (2009) Mt. Pleasant, S.C.
Pamela Murphy MUSC (2009) Mt. Pleasant, S.C.
Lisa Marie Sternke MUSC (2010) Charleston, S.C.
Kathryn Mock USC Columbia (2009) Columbia, S.C.
Jada Quinn USC Columbia (2009) Columbia, S.C.
Master’s Degree Students
Leigh Heintze Clemson (2010) Liberty, S.C.
Tomeka Samples Clemson (2009) Greenville, S.C.
Meaghan Askea MUSC (2010) Charleston, S.C.
Cathy Mulloy MUSC (2010) Mt. Pleasant, S.C.
Michael Winfree USC Columbia (2010) Summerville, S.C.
Ashley Haynes USC Columbia (2010) Columbia, S.C.
The scholarships are available to in-state or out-of-state students accepted to or already enrolled in nursing graduate programs at the University of South Carolina, Clemson University and the Medical University of South Carolina, with each university receiving equal amount scholarship funds. Scholarship recipients are required to sign a contract that commits them to teach in a South Carolina state-approved nursing program for at least three years. Scholarship applicants apply through their universities.
“It’s imperative to the health of people in our state to have a sufficient number of working nurses. I congratulate these students for stepping forward with the intent of eventually teaching others,” said Foundation Executive Director Harvey Galloway.
Colleges and universities currently must limit enrollments based on faculty-to-student ratios required by the South Carolina Board of Nursing (8-10 students per faculty member). Faculty are required to hold higher degrees ? a minimum of a master’s degree in associate degree programs and a doctoral degree in baccalaureate and graduate programs.
Headquartered in Columbia, the BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Foundation (www.bcbsscfoundation.org) is a philanthropic affiliate of BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina. It was created to identify and help solve South Carolinians’ health problems, with special emphasis on access, affordability and quality of health care. The BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Foundation and BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina are independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.