Press Releases: Southern California
November 18, 2008
Good News for Southern California Nursing Students: Kaiser Permanente Awards $256,500 in Scholarships
Kaiser Permanente Dedicates More Than $4 Million to Nursing Education in 2008
PASADENA, Calif. – Happy to be the bearer of good news in tough economic times, Kaiser Permanente announced today that 102 nursing students from 27 Southern California colleges will receive a total of $256,500 in scholarship funds to help meet expenses and complete their education.
As one of the largest employers of nurses in California, Kaiser Permanente's annual support to build California's nursing workforce will again exceed $4 million for Nursing Pathways, career ladder programs, nursing scholarships, grants to colleges, and forgivable loans.
One example is the $410,000 awarded this year to 190 California nursing students through the Deloras Jones RN Scholarship Program. This scholarship program has awarded more than $3 million to 1,702 students since it was established in 2001.
Scholarships of $1,000 to $2,500 are based primarily on financial need to assist individuals who are pursuing nursing degrees in the following categories: Academic Excellence (minimum 3.9 GPA required for this category only); Graduate/Doctoral Studies (registered nurses pursuing an MSN, DNSc or Ph.D. with a minimum 3.0 GPA required); Underrepresented Groups in Nursing (minority and male students); and Nursing as a Second Career. Additionally, a $1,000 scholarship was awarded to a student in each nursing program affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.
$5,000 scholarships are also granted to Kaiser Permanente employees in the "Excellence in Bachelor's Degree Nursing" special category. These scholarships are intended to recognize and reward employees who demonstrate a commitment to leadership, education and excellence in nursing practice, and who embody Deloras' spirit and dedication in their daily lives. Deloras Jones retired as Kaiser Permanente's director of divisional nursing services for California in 2000, after 34 years, to continue a career dedicated to professional nursing and leadership. Jones is the founding Director of the California Institute for Nursing and Health Care in California, a statewide institute focusing on "Optimizing the Health of Californians Through Nursing Excellence."
Current nursing students are encouraged to contact their school's nursing or financial aid office at the beginning of the year for information on Kaiser Permanente's 2009 scholarships and forgivable loans, or visit the Kaiser Permanente Student Financial Aid Program’s website at: http://financialaid.kp.org, or call the Program's toll-free number at (866) 232-2934.
The Southern California participating colleges (by area) are:
Inland Empire: California Baptist University; California State University-San Bernardino; San Bernardino Valley College; University of Phoenix-San Bernardino; Victor Valley Community College; and Western University of Health-Pomona.
Kern County: California State University-Bakersfield and Bakersfield College.
Los Angeles County: Azusa Pacific University; College of the Canyons; Cerritos College; El Camino College-Compton and Torrance; Los Angeles County College of Nursing; and UCLA.
Orange County: California State University-Fullerton; Golden West College; Saddleback College; Santa Ana College; and University of California-Irvine.
San Diego County: Grossmont College; Imperial Valley College; Point Loma Nazarene University; San Diego City College; and University of San Diego.
San Fernando Valley and Lancaster: Los Angeles Valley College.
Ventura County: California State University-Channel Islands and Moorpark College.
About Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente is one of the nation’s leading integrated health plans. Founded in 1945, it is a nonprofit, group practice prepayment program with Southern California headquarters in Pasadena, California. Kaiser Permanente serves the health care needs of 3.3 million members in Southern California. Today it encompasses the nonprofit Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc., Kaiser Foundation Hospitals and their subsidiaries, and the Southern California Permanente Medical Group. Kaiser Permanente’s Southern California Region includes more than 55,800 technical, administrative and clerical employees and caregivers, and more than 6,400 physicians representing all specialties. More information about Kaiser Permanente can be found at kaiserpermanente.org.
