Nebraska Methodist College receives $600,000 grant to address nursing faculty shortage

Omaha, Nebraska - Nebraska Methodist College (NMC) received a $600,000 grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to address a shortage of nursing faculty.

“The HRSA grant is essential for NMC to be able to support nurses wanting to teach. Many of whom would not be able to go back to college without it. Our nursing faculty are the heart and soul of the college and shape the next generation of nurses. This grant allows us to develop our own faculty and maintain a strong nursing program,” said Deb Carlson, president and CEO of NMC. “Nurse educators play a vital role in addressing nursing shortages and maintaining a skilled and competent nursing workforce. Our college depends on nurse educators and so does the future of healthcare.”

Earlier this month, the HRSA, an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, announced it had awarded more than $100 million in grants to schools to train more nurses and grow the nursing workforce.

More than $26 million of the grant is for a faculty loan repayment program aimed at addressing the shortage of nursing professors

NMC has received over $5.8 million in HRSA funds since 2003. The grant funds the Nurse Faculty Loan Program (NFLP), which provides low-interest loans to individuals pursuing a graduate degree and becoming faculty members within an accredited nursing program.

After graduating, participants qualify for cancellation of up to 85% of their loan principal and interest in exchange for four consecutive years as a full-time faculty member of an accredited nursing school.

“Graduate students typically do not have many options for scholarships and this provides a means to enable nurses to advance their education. Many of our current faculty received NFLP funds,” said Marla Kniewel, the Master of Science in Nursing program director at NMC.

Since its inception at NMC, nearly 400 graduates have received NFLP funds. 

At NMC, nursing students can qualify for NFLP funds when they’re enrolled in the nurse educator track in the BSN to MSN, RN to MSN, Nurse Educator Post-master’s Nursing Certificate, DNP and EdD - Education and Leadership in Healthcare programs.

Learn more about the Nurse Faculty Loan Program at NMC at methodistcollege.edu/nurse-faculty-loan-program.