Hood, Frederick Health to launch nursing scholarship program
Oct. 18—Hood College and Frederick Health on Tuesday announced a scholarship program aimed at addressing what the organizations said was a "critical need" for nurses, both locally and nationwide.
The program will provide recipients with up to $22,000 over four years and a $5,000 bonus upon graduation from Hood's undergraduate nursing program.
The aid will be eligible to cover tuition, lab fees, textbooks and required uniforms like scrubs, the college wrote in a press release.
Frederick Health will provide the scholarships and select the recipients through an application and interview process. The recipients will commit to working full-time for Frederick Health for two years after graduating, the release said.
Scholarships will be offered beginning in fall 2023.
A report published earlier this year by the Maryland Hospital Association identified a staffing crisis across the state, with one in four hospital nursing positions being vacant.
"It has been no secret that the global COVID-19 pandemic has been difficult for healthcare workers," Tom Kleinhanzl, president and CEO of Frederick Health and a member of Hood's Board of Trustees, said in the release. "By encouraging and supporting the next generation of these healthcare heroes, we are investing in our collective futures."
Hood President Andrea Chapdelaine said in the release that Hood's nursing program was "one of the fastest-growing programs on our campus."
"We're excited to be able to provide this scholarship for our students, and continue to meet Frederick County and Maryland's urgent need for trained registered nurses," she said.
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