CF nursing students benefit from new scholarship
Through the inaugural round of scholarships, 44 students had their tuition paid, collectively receiving nearly $53,000 in funds.
First-semester nursing students, in red, and third-semester nursing students, in blue, pose with CF nursing faculty and Vernon Lawter, vice president of regional campuses, at the CF Wilton Simpson Citrus Campus. [Photo courtesy College of Central Florida]
College of Central Florida nursing students are benefitting from a new Citrus County Hospital Board Nursing Scholarship, which covers 100% of tuition and fees for Citrus County residents accepted into CF’s associate degree nursing program. The scholarship was made possible by an $11.7 million endowment established by the CF Foundation in partnership with the hospital board.
In the first round of scholarship awards, 44 students had their tuition paid for the Fall 2024 semester, collectively receiving nearly $53,000 in funds.
“In my cohort, a lot of us are working double time, and it can be really hard to balance that work with schooling. So now with this scholarship, we’re able to focus primarily on school,” said Aleigh Alexander, a third semester nursing student at the CF Wilton Simpson Citrus Campus, in the press release. “This is going to open so many more doors for us because we’re able to 100% focus on our education and grow as future nurses.”
CF offers associate and bachelor’s degrees, along with professional certificates, in more than 150 academic pathways at campuses in Ocala, Citrus and Levy counties. To qualify for the CCHB scholarship, students must be Citrus County residents and complete the application for federal student aid and CF Foundation scholarship application annually.
“I want to become a nurse because I want to help people,” said Julia Harrigan, a level one CF nursing student, said in the release. “This scholarship helps so much. I don’t believe I would be able to attend CF without the scholarship.”
The CF nursing program has received national recognition, including being ranked the top nursing program in Florida by registerednursing.org and number three for best online nursing programs in Florida by research.com. Most recently, CF was included on the “US News & World Report” list of best Bachelor of Science in nursing programs, in which CF was ranked highest among Florida College System institutions, the release noted.
CF anticipates supporting as many as 50 future registered nurses a year through the CCHB scholarship fund, the release stated.
To learn more, visit cf.edu/nursing