JONESBORO — The College of Nursing and Health Professions (CNHP) at Arkansas State University has received a $30,000 grant from the Dorothy Snider Foundation. The funds will go toward scholarships for students pursuing a Master of Science in Nursing degree, specifically those opting for the family nurse practitioner track.
Previously, the Dorothy Snider Foundation, a private charitable organization, had donated a total of $50,000 to the CNHP scholarship fund. With this most recent contribution, the foundation’s support for Arkansas State University students has reached $80,000.
Dr. Mark Foster, associate professor and chair of the graduate programs in nursing, expressed gratitude for the foundation’s ongoing commitment. “All of us in the College of Nursing and Health Professions are very grateful for this latest scholarship gift and the Snider Foundation’s continued and generous support for A-State’s family nurse practitioner students,” he stated.
Foster emphasized the significance of the scholarships, stating, “The Snider Scholarships make a positive impact on multiple students within our region. The care they will give, as professional healthcare providers, will be far-reaching in generations to come.”
Each year, the Dorothy Snider Foundation awards over $250,000 in scholarships to students in Arkansas and Tennessee. Their contributions focus on promoting education in various fields, including medicine, law, theology, business, natural sciences, and other scientific fields.
“Arkansas State’s family nurse practitioner program matches one of our core focus areas — healthcare. Add to that the clear impact it has on the health of Arkansans, and that makes us proud to support this program and A-State once again,” said Clint Cummins, vice chairman of the distribution committee for the Dorothy Snider Foundation.
The university’s program features two onsite clinical visits per semester, the most affordable tuition in the region, and the highest number of required clinical contact hours for an MSN degree in the area. Over half of the program content involves direct interaction with faculty and students, including those from the family nurse practitioner specialty and health assessment courses.
The first class of A-State’s family nurse practitioner program graduated in 1996. On average, 35 students are admitted to the program each year. These family nurse practitioners play a crucial role in providing healthcare access to underserved populations, such as the Delta region.