The 熊猫AV免费 (USF) College of Nursing has received a transformational $2 million gift from the William R. Kenan Jr. Charitable Trust to establish the 鈥淪econd Degree Nursing Success Scholarship.鈥� This initiative will provide critical financial support to students enrolled in the college鈥檚 Accelerated Second Degree Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program, helping address Florida鈥檚 urgent nursing workforce shortage.
USF鈥檚 ABSN offers college graduates an expedited path to nursing, allowing them to earn their second degree in just 16 months. These dedicated, high performing students are ineligible for federal or state aid such as Pell Grants or Bright Futures because they are earning a second bachelor鈥檚 degree. This scholarship helps ensure talented students can pursue nursing without undergoing financial hardship.
鈥淲e are so grateful that the William R. Kenan Jr. Charitable Trust is investing in the future of Florida鈥檚 health care by helping us educate more nurses,鈥� said Charles J. Lockwood, MD, MHCM, executive vice president of USF Health and dean of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. 鈥淭hese scholarships will reduce barriers for some of our most driven, academically accomplished students, allowing them to complete their nursing education and enter the workforce at a critical time for our state.鈥�
By 2035, Florida is expected to face a shortage of nearly 60,000 nurses, including 37,400 registered nurses. To meet this critical demand, USF is expanding undergraduate nursing enrollment on the Tampa campus to 500 students by 2028. The new Second Degree Nursing Success Scholarship directly supports this effort by investing in students pursuing a second bachelor鈥檚 degree to join the nursing workforce.
About the Scholarship
- The Second Degree Nursing Success Scholarship will award 400 scholarships of $5,000
each over the next three years.
- Scholarships will be distributed to ABSN students across USF鈥檚 three instructional
sites: Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Sarasota-Manatee.
- Awards will begin in Spring 2026, with preference for students with demonstrated financial
need.
- USF College of Nursing will use the $2 million gift to reduce student debt, expand access to the nursing profession, and strengthen Florida鈥檚 healthcare workforce.
鈥淭his scholarship represents more than financial support鈥攊t is an investment in the future health and well-being of Floridians. We are deeply grateful to the Kenan Trust for recognizing the urgency of the nursing shortage and partnering with us to prepare the next generation of nurses.鈥�
Usha Menon, PhD, RN, FAAN, FSBM, dean of the USF College of Nursing and senior associate vice president at USF Health