UWF Nursing program receives $1million endowment

The University of West Florida has announced an endowment gift of $600,000 from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida (BCBSF) to the UWF Foundation. With an anticipated match through the State of Florida's Major Gifts Challenge program, the gift will create a $1.02 million endowment to support UWF's Nursing program.

The gift will provide support for launching a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree program at UWF with tracks in nursing education and nursing administration.

"We are grateful for BCBSF's investment in UWF and its commitment to working as a partner to address the critical shortage of nurses in Northwest Florida and our state," said John Cavanaugh, UWF president. "It is clear that BCBSF truly understands the difference a MSN program will make in educating the nursing leaders and faculty of tomorrow.

The MSN track in nursing education will help address faculty shortages at the junior college and university levels. Asecond track in nursing administration will service the local community's health care needs.

Currently, UWF offers a generic four-year bachelor's degree in nursing and also a RN to BSN bridge program designed for registered nurses interested in furthering their career through higher education. UWF's limited access nursing program is designed to prepare students to become clinical generalists capable of planning health care for individuals, families or groups. Scholarships for undergraduates in nursing are available through an endowment established at UWF by BCBSF in 2005.

"Generation RNsm" is a public/ private partnership initiated by BCBSF to build an expanded, stable and culturally diverse nurse workforce in Florida.