WSSU Awarded Funding for DHHS

Health Resources and Services Administration

Winston-Salem State University has been awarded a $136,000 grant from the Department of Health and Human Services for Dr. Cecile Holland, Professor & Associate Dean Division of Nursing. This notice announces the opportunity to apply for funding under the Nurse Faculty Loan Program (NFLP). Dr. Holland’s project is a one-year funding opportunity, and the program is to increase the number of qualified nursing faculty nationwide. NFLP seeks to accomplish this by providing funding to accredited schools of nursing to establish and operate a student loan fund and provide loans to students enrolled in advanced education nursing degree programs who are committed to becoming nurse faculty. 

Dr. Holland shares that in exchange for completion of up to four years of postgraduation full-time nurse faculty employment in an accredited school of nursing, the program authorizes cancellation of up to 85 percent of any such student loan.  The goals of this program are to: support training of advanced education nursing students who will serve as nurse faculty upon graduation, with a focus on doctorate preparation; decrease the financial barrier of serving as nurse faculty through loan cancellation; increase the number of adequately prepared and qualified nursing faculty nationwide; and address the nationwide primary care provider shortage by increasing access to designated joint nurse faculty (serving as Advance Practice Registered Nurses (APRN) preceptors, etc.).

The NFLP projects will: establish and/or maintain a distinct NFLP loan fund account and provide fiscal oversight in accordance with NFLP requirements; conduct an active training program, operate an active loan fund, disburse loans to students, and provide accurate programmatic and financial data to show successful project implementation; recruit, train and graduate advanced nurse education students who will serve as nurse faculty post-graduation; and provide up to 85 percent loan cancellation of the original loan amount through four years of post-graduation full-time nurse faculty employment. This program will build upon HRSA’s existing health workforce development investments, increasing access to quality health care services.

Dr. Erin Lynch, Associate Provost of Scholarship, Research, and Innovation supports this project’s contribution to the nursing field.   “Dr. Holland’s work will not only benefit the academy but also the medically underserved communities throughout our state by preparing more high quality health care professionals.”