American Indian College Fund Announces $100,000 Endowment for Native Nursing Students

by Native News Network Staff in Native Currents. Discussion »

$100,000 Fund

DENVER - The American Indian College Fund announced on Tuesday the establishment of $100,000 endowment fund to provide annual scholarships each spring to Native nursing students enrolled in the Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing program at Salish Kootenai Tribal College in Pablo, Montana.

The endowment was established by the Alumnae Association of St. Luke’s Hospital of Nursing, based in New York City. The endowment will be handled by the American Indian College Fund, which is the nation’s largest provider of scholarships for American Indian students, providing on an average 6,000 scholarships annually.

“We are delighted at the generosity of The Alumnae Association of St. Luke’s Hospital School of Nursing. American Indians suffer from some of the most severe health conditions in the nation. This scholarship will help nursing students at Salish Kootenai College achieve their dreams while providing hope to their communities,”

Richard B. Williams - Lakota

commented Richard B. Williams, president and CEO of the American Indian College Fund.

The St. Luke’s Hospital of Nursing was established in 1888 and the Alumnae Association was incorporated in 1898. Since then more than 4,000 graduates have become nurses. The school was closed in 1974, reflecting the end of the hospital-based diploma era, yet the association and alumnae remain committed to the advancement of the nursing profession.

“The Alumnae Association of St. Luke’s Hospital School of Nursing has chosen to create a lasting legacy based on its rich tradition of public service stretching back to the school’s founding in the late 1800s,”

said Lee Keppel Carr, an alumna of the school and member of the association.

“Endowing a baccalaureate scholarship in nursing at Salish Kootenai Tribal College through the American Indian College Fund will pay tribute to this distinguished history that has provided graduates with a way to improve the circumstances in their personal lives and the health of their communities. We do not have huge resources, but we can plant a seed and ensure that St. Luke’s will be a vital influence and presence in the academic preparation of Native students for the nursing profession long into the future,” Carr said.