CSCU Awards $2.1 Million in Scholarship Funding to Nursing and Social Work Students in Year Two of CT Health Horizons Initiative
The initiative, funded by the American Rescue Plan Act, seeks to address the critical statewide workforce shortage in nursing and social work.
Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU) announced today that it has awarded more than $2.1 million in scholarship funding to nursing and social work students at the Connecticut State Universities (CSUs) – Central, Eastern, Southern, and Western – and Charter Oak State College (COSC) in year two of the CT Health Horizons Initiative.
CT Health Horizons, a three-year $35 million initiative, is a partnership between CSCU, the state’s Office of Workforce Strategy (OWS), the University of Connecticut (UConn), the Connecticut Conference of Independent Colleges (CCIC), multiple state agencies, and the Connecticut Hospital Association. The initiative, funded by the American Rescue Plan Act, seeks to address the critical statewide workforce shortage in nursing and social work, by allocating $30.5 million to partner colleges and universities to expand faculty and provide tuition support for students, while creating strategic workforce partnerships.
“The Connecticut Health Horizons Initiative is a game changer for the state of Connecticut. Through this innovative initiative, we have been able to open up access to nursing and social work degrees, create new partnerships, and build futures,” said CSCU Chancellor Terrence Cheng. “Registered nurses and social workers are two of the most in demand roles in Connecticut across all industries. Through this statewide initiative, we are addressing the workforce shortages in these critical sectors by equipping the next generation of nurses and social workers with the training they need to succeed.”
During year two of the three-year initiative, CSCU awarded 481 scholarships, totaling more than $2.1 million, to students enrolled at the CSUs and COSC. In year one of the initiative, CSCU awarded more than 200 scholarships, totaling over $1 million. In total, CT Health Horizons has awarded $3.2 million in scholarship funding.
A breakdown of the total CSCU scholarships issued in the first two years of the initiative includes:
- 169 Accelerated Bachelor’s in Nursing
- 358 Bachelor of Science in Nursing
- 101 Master of Social Work
- 20 Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
CSCU has also hired an additional 13 faculty members across the system which has enabled CSCU’s institutions to expand their classroom teaching, clinical support and add enrollment and support staff to assist in recruitment and retention.
CSCU plays the largest role in the traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing delivery, representing 67% of the total scholarship issuance of that category. Additionally, in the Master of Nursing and Post-Grad Primary Health Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, CSCU is the only institution providing scholarship assistance.
“CT Health Horizons is a workforce accelerator,” said Nestor Leon, CSCU Project Director for the CT Health Horizons Initiative. “Through this initiative, we have been able to diversify the students entering the nursing and social work sectors and build sustainable education and career pathways. CT Health Horizons has a strong return on investment, faculty hiring, student access, and student retention, and is a model for how we can work together in the future and scale to other in-demand industries.”
CT Health Horizons was recently awarded the annual Excellence Award from the CT Center for Nursing Workforce (CCNW) for the initiative’s work in amplifying the critical importance of the CCNW mission to foster collaborations for a highly educated, diverse, and sustainable nursing workforce to support the healthcare needs of Connecticut’s residents.
The 22 CT Health Horizons partner institutions representing nursing and social work programs statewide include: Albertus Magnus College; Central Connecticut State University; Charter Oak State College; CT State Community College; Eastern Connecticut State University; Fairfield University; Goodwin University; Mitchell College; Quinnipiac University; Sacred Heart University; Southern Connecticut State University; University of Bridgeport; University of Hartford; University of St. Joseph; Western Connecticut State University; Yale University; University of Connecticut, Storrs; UConn Avery Point, Stamford, and Waterbury campuses; and UConn School of Social Work.
CT Health Horizon’s Project Director, Nestor Leon, recently appeared on CSCU’s Office Hours podcast to highlight the success of the three-year initiative and underscore its impact in addressing the state’s workforce challenges. Listen to the episode.