The permanent endowment shall be named the Martin and Laura Lynn Miller Endowment Scholarship and shall be co-mingled with other endowment funds held by the VSU Foundation and subject to investment as allowed by the foundation's investment policies. Earnings for endowment shall be subject to the endowment spending policy of the VSU Foundation, Inc. The spendable income for the endowment fund shall be used to advance the following purposes:

• To provide scholarships for students who demonstrate a desire to enter the field of community or behavioral nursing and who are committed to remain in the field of community or behavioral nursing in the South Georgia region for a period of two years. Scholarship recipients will be selected by the Student Affairs Committee of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences based on criteria including but not limited to:  a personal interview, a written statement of desire to enter the field of community or behavioral health nursing, commitment to work in the field in South Georgia for a minimum of two years after graduation, and an academic record predicting successful program completion. The endowment fund will pay an annual stipend of $500 for up to two years after graduation if scholarship recipients can provide proof of employment in the field of community or behavioral health nursing in South Georgia.

• To provide support to faculty and students who may be engaged in research or other such projects which promote the fields of community or behavioral nursing. This support could include, but is not limited to, stipends; travel for academic or professional purposes; professional certifications or memberships, etc.

Application Deadlines:

Fall Cohort:  April 1st

Summer Cohort:  April 1st

Spring Cohort: November 1st

Criteria and Requirements

Student scholarship amount - $8,000/student ($2000/semester)

Criteria:

  1. Full admission into the BSN or MSN program
  2. Written statement of desire to work in the field of community or behavioral health nursing (no more than 750 words)
  3. Attend an annual community/mental health workshop outside of the required course offerings
  4. Personal interview with the selection committee
  5. Undergraduate students must complete an intensive in community and/or behavioral nursing with an emphasis on home health care of developmentally delayed individuals. This experience must be with an approved preceptor and must be completed prior to the student’s graduation.
  6. Graduate students must complete 10% of their clinical hours of each psych-mental health clinical course focused on developmentally delayed individuals.

Requirements of the scholarship recipient:

  1. Sign an agreement to work in South Georgia in the field of community or behavioral health nursing
  2. Meet the progression requirements of the nursing program to receive each semester installment of the scholarship
  3. Complete an annual employment update for at least two years following graduation

 *Number of scholarships available will be determined annually and may vary from year to year.