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The College of Nursing reception offered an opportunity for donors to mingle with some of the students who benefit from scholarship assistance. Image by Evan Lewis

UAMS College of Nursing Holds Reception for Scholarship Recipients, Donors

Sept. 20, 2024 | The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) College of Nursing hosted a Sept. 12 reception to honor more than a dozen scholarship recipients and to thank donors for their support. 

Patricia Cowan, Ph.D., RN, dean of the College of Nursing, said 205 nursing students are receiving scholarships in the 2024-25 school year, whether through grant funding or through donor assistance. The average scholarship amount is about $2,300. 

“Some people may say, ‘That’s not a lot of money,’ but it has a significant impact as you go through the nursing program,” she said. 

Cowan recalled her own experience as an undergraduate nursing student, including a year in which she lived on one meal a day. While some students might be able to scrape by, she said, financial constraints can serve as a barrier for those who have families to support.  

“We know that financial challenges prevent some qualified applicants from pursuing a nursing degree,” she said. “Others drop out because they need to work full time or because they lack transportation to get to clinical sites.” 

Cowan said her goal is for every student to receive scholarship support during their time in the College of Nursing.

“I am humbled by the gifts of time, talent and treasure that you provide, which enable us to meet our missions of education, research and service,” she told the donors.  

Jan Rooker, MNSc, who recently retired from the College of Nursing faculty after 20 years of teaching, said her work at UAMS gave her a firsthand view of the hardships that many students face. She established a scholarship for neuroscience nursing after she grew troubled from watching them struggle to balance their classroom, workplace and familial responsibilities. 

“When you’re trying to wear many hats, it’s difficult to wear them well,” she said. 

Rooker emphasized the importance of training nurses to serve in all parts of the state, including rural communities that lack access to high-quality health care. She encouraged her fellow donors to continue doing their part to ensure that students can focus on their studies instead of their finances.  

Retired faculty members Richard and JoAnn Smith were also inspired by their personal experiences. Both veterans of the U.S. Navy, they established the Richard Monroe Smith and JoAnn Hennessy Smith Endowed Scholarship, which is awarded each year to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) student who has served in the military or as a first responder. 

“This scholarship honors people who have already given back to society,” Richard Smith said. “We can be sure that those folks will continue to serve Arkansas and their communities.” 

Attendees also heard from Victory Jackson, a BSN student who was the inaugural recipient of the Dr. Freda McKissic Bush Scholarship. McKissic Bush, who passed away in 2023, was a College of Nursing graduate and leader in women’s health and sexual health.  

Jackson described how the scholarship has changed her life, noting not only the financial relief but also the mentorship she’s received from McKissic Bush’s family. 

“I’m standing here debt-free, with five years of undergraduate study paid for through the contributions of people who see the value in supporting young scholars,” she said. “I pray that each scholarship recipient here understands the gravity of what they’re receiving, and I pray that each person who dedicated their time, effort and monetary resources feels our appreciation.” 

The reception offers an opportunity for donors to mingle with some of the students who benefit from scholarship assistance. Marty Bushmiaer-Heiple, APRN, said she’s always impressed by the students she meets at the annual event, including recipients of the scholarship that carries her name. 

The Marty Bushmiaer Orthopaedic Nursing Scholarship was established with the help of C. Lowry Barnes, M.D., chair of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery in the UAMS College of Medicine. Bushmiaer-Heiple, a graduate of the UAMS College of Nursing, worked alongside Barnes as an orthopaedic nurse for more than 20 years.  

Bushmiaer-Heiple said she and her husband, Tim Heiple, contribute to the scholarship and hope to one day see it endowed.  

“Right now, we just need more nurses in Arkansas,” she said. “Anything we can do to encourage people to go into the field of nursing is important.” 

Sergio Vargas-Maya, a second-year nursing student, said he is grateful to be this year’s recipient of the Cammy Giffin Haynes BSN Endowed Scholarship. Vargas-Maya works in his father’s construction company but said the scholarship has further eased his financial burden. 

“Everyone has bills to pay, so having that extra source of money alleviates a lot of stress,” he said.  

The first-generation college student said his parents have long encouraged him to pursue higher education. He’s interested in starting his career in the Burn Unit at Arkansas Children’s, where he went through clinical training, but he hopes to eventually return to UAMS as a graduate student.  

“Coming to UAMS has given me educational opportunities that many people don’t have, and I’m truly thankful for that,” he said.