GPC nursing students pal around while awaiting the beginning of the 2014 nurse pinning ceremony. (photo by Bill Roa)

by Rebecca Rakoczy

An $80,000 gift will give Georgia Perimeter College nursing students hope for a “brighter, more productive future,” and assist with professional development and retention efforts for nursing faculty and students.

The Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Georgia recently awarded the money to the college to support nursing student scholarships, programs and faculty recruitment and retention at the college. This gift is a continuation of Kaiser’s support to the GPC Nursing program and follows others during recent years.

“This money helps support faculty professional development, and helps with school-related expenses by providing scholarships to students enrolled in the nursing program,” said Dr. Joann Smith, GPC nursing program chair.

Nurses must continually update their professional skills, and the grant helps faculty defray costs for their required professional development courses, she said.  The money also helps fund programs such as GPC’s popular “boot camp” that helps new nursing students learn ways to balance their time with the academic rigors of the program. In some cases, it also pays for tutors to assist students who may need additional tutorial assistance to ensure their success in the program. In addition to this gift, Kaiser also provides health insurance for nursing students while they are in school full time and not working.

“This assistance can determine whether a student remains in school or drops out before completion. It gives many students hope for a brighter, more productive future,” Smith said.

“Kaiser has been a valued partner for more 10 years with the department of nursing,” says Vicki Carew, GPC’s executive director of Institutional Advancement & GPC Foundation. “At a time when private support is even more critical to preparing qualified nurses, Kaiser’s financial support has had a direct impact on faculty recruitment and retention, along with student retention and success at GPC.”

Kaiser has been a donor to the college since 2002 and has endowed the Kaiser Endowed Nursing Scholarship that eases the financial burden on students enrolled in the program.