Bunker Hill Community College Awarded $1.2M Grant for Nursing Scholarships
Tuesday, July 26, 2016
Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC) has received a $1.2 million grant from the United States Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). The funds, to be awarded over four years, will provide scholarships for full-time Registered Nursing students from economically or academically disadvantaged backgrounds. Of the 78 grants awarded, BHCC is the only community college and the only institution in Massachusetts to receive a grant.
“We are extremely pleased that HRSA funds will help bright BHCC students achieve their goal of a career in nursing,” said BHCC President Pam Eddinger. “This funding will continue the College’s commitment to ensuring that all students have the support they need for academic success.” Since 1995, HRSA has awarded over $2 million in scholarships to BHCC. These funds have made it possible for approximately 650 students to pursue their Associate Degree in Nursing at the College.
To meet the Boston region’s intense demand for registered nurses, BHCC’s Nurse Education Program (NEP) has increased enrollment by over 100 students between 2006 and 2015. Sixty-eight percent of NEP graduates in 2015 were economically or academically disadvantaged.
Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students (SDS) is an initiative of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, which is focused on increasing diversity in the health professions. SDS’s goals include expanding graduates who practice in primary care; boosting enrollment and retention of students from disadvantaged backgrounds, including those from racial and ethnic minority groups; and increasing the number of graduates who work in medically underserved communities. Eligible SDS disciplines include nursing, allied and public health and behavioral and mental health.
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About Bunker Hill Community College
With more than 50 years of academic excellence, Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC) is Massachusetts' largest community college, annually welcoming a diverse community of around 16,000 students. With campuses in Charlestown and Chelsea, BHCC extends its reach across several locations in Greater Boston. The College offers associate degrees and certificates, early college and dual enrollment, community education, corporate training, and industry-specific training programs. BHCC is celebrated for its diversity, boasting a student body where 65% identify as people of color and more than half are women. The College also embraces a global perspective, with over 600 international students representing 90 countries and conversing in more than 65 languages. Our commitment to diversity is further reflected in BHCC's designation as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and an Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPISI).