Colby-Sawyer College will receive $125,000 in scholarship funding as a sub-award from Dartmouth Health’s H-1B Grant for Rural Healthcare Workforce Development issued by the United States Department of Labor.

The $2.5 million federal grant was awarded to Dartmouth Health in 2021 to address workforce shortages in rural New Hampshire healthcare organizations by creating and providing access to sustainable employment and training programs in healthcare occupations. With the most recent $125,000 award, the total scholarship support that Colby-Sawyer has been sub-awarded through the grant now stands at $430,000.

“These scholarships have been a huge success for Colby-Sawyer in terms of our ability both to provide financial assistance to students and to increase access to a high-quality nursing program at a more affordable price,” Colby-Sawyer Dean of the School of Nursing & Health Sciences and Director of Clinical Partnerships Kevin Finn said.

Scholarships funded through the latest award will be available to students enrolled in Colby-Sawyer’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN), Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and Master of Social Work (MSW) programs who are employed at an approved rural healthcare facility in New Hampshire. Eligible students can receive up to $5,000 in scholarship funds to help continue their education and advance their careers.

“The scholarship program has provided students the opportunity to work in a rural healthcare facility in a variety of roles while completing their degree,” Finn said. “It is another example of how Colby-Sawyer College and Dartmouth Health have partnered to create a pipeline of nurses and other healthcare professionals to the rural healthcare workforce.”

Renee Bellinger of Lebanon, New Hampshire, is a current recipient of a Colby-Sawyer Rural Health Careers Scholarship, which is helping her complete the college’s ABSN program while she works as a licensed nursing assistant in the Norris Cotton Cancer Center at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon. Bellinger said her work as an LNA inspired her to become a nurse, and she was excited to learn about the funding opportunities available to her as a Dartmouth Health employee.

“I honestly don’t know what I would have done without this program,” Bellinger said. “This scholarship is definitely appreciated and motivates me to continue to work at Dartmouth Health, which for me is beneficial since it both keeps me up on my skills and helps me with time management.”

ABSN student Katie Tuttle of Enfield, New Hampshire, is another recipient of the scholarship. Tuttle said that after working as a surgical technologist in the operating room at New London Hospital for seven years, she wanted to expand her knowledge and her ability to care for patients.

“The scholarship has made a large impact on making this ABSN program possible,” Tuttle said, explaining that the fast pace of the accelerated nursing program makes it impossible for her to work full time. “That can cause financial tension, even with well-planned solutions. I greatly appreciate the scholarship helping take some of that burden off.”