Oklahoma Nursing Scholarships & Grants

All nursing students are feeling the effects of the recession but a partial solution would be to receive a non-refundable financial award in terms of a scholarship or grant program.

General Scholarship and Grant Information Relevant to Oklahoma Nursing Students

Those scholarship and grant programs that are specific to Oklahoma are mainly offered through the University of Oklahoma and are thus open only to students studying at UO. There are, however, several other programs where studying through OU is not a requirement for eligibility, including several small grant programs offered through the Oklahoma Nurses Association. Scholarship programs finance general studies whereas grant programs finance research and Oklahoma is one of the few states that offers research grants to students who have not yet graduated.

The list below includes information on both grant and scholarship programs offered in Oklahoma, either privately or through the university, but is not meant to be exhaustive. Oklahoma resident students who are interested in applying for funding should therefore review all available information before making a decision about which programs to apply for. Further information in this regard can be obtained from, for instance, websites belonging to other Oklahoma educational institutions, philanthropic societies and specialized nursing organizations.

Specific Scholarships and Grants in Oklahoma

Oklahoma Nurses Foundation Small Grants Program

The purpose of this grant program is to supply short-term funding to projects initiated by members of the Oklahoma Nurses Association (ONA). Four grants of $500 each are awarded in terms of this project, with the deadline for submission applications for two being in April and for the other two being in September. The requirements that have to be complied with for nurses to be eligible to receive these grants include:

• Applicants must be either Registered Nurses practicing in Oklahoma, who already hold at least a master’s degree, or students who are presently enrolled in a master’s degree program and who wish to conduct research in an area of professional nursing practice;
• Applicants must be members in good standing of the Oklahoma Nurses Association; and
• Applicants must submit several different documents along with their applications including a covering letter discussing their eligibility, a goals’ statement for their proposed project, a budget and a statement detailing the purpose and significance of the research.

Factors that will be taken into account when determining the projects that will qualify for the grants include design/methodology, relevance of the project to professional nursing practice, the researcher’s qualifications and the project’s feasibility. Any students who wish to obtain further details of these grant packages can contact the Oklahoma Nurses Foundation care of the Oklahoma Nurses Association at 6414 North Santa Fe, Suite A, Oklahoma City, OK 73116 (tel: 405-840-3476 and website: http://www.oknurses.com/).

Juanita Granger Millsap Research Fund

This grant is also administered by the Oklahoma Nurses Association and was developed for providing research project funding to ONA members. The number of grants awarded in terms of this program varies every year and eligibility requirements include:

• Applicants must be RNs resident in Oklahoma who are active members of the ONA;
• Applicants must want to conduct research in a cutting-edge area of either nursing education or nursing care and they must hold at least a bachelor’s degree in nursing;
• Applicants must submit detailed documentation in support of their project including a review of the available literature on their area of study, letters authorizing their access to any populations needed for the study and a letter of approval from the appropriate institutional review board.

Nurses who wish to obtain further information concerning this grant program can contact the Association at the above address.

Nursing Student Assistant Award

This award is administered through the University of Oklahoma’s Norman campus and the deadline for the submission of applications is July of any given year. Eligibility requirements include:

• The students must be Oklahoma residents and US citizens;
• The students must be enrolled or admitted to the University of Oklahoma and they must also undergo an interview.

Further information regarding this award can be obtained from the university at 660 Parrington Oval, Norman, OK 73019 (tel: 405-325-00311 and website: http://www.ou.edu/web.html).

Scholarships available through the University of Oklahoma College of Nursing

UO has many scholarships to offer its students and, apart from any individual requirements that the programs may have, they have set two overriding criteria for eligibility:

• Students must be admitted and enrolled in one of the programs offered by the College of Nursing; and
• Students must have an up to date Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on file with the university’s Office of Financial Aid.

Further information can be obtained from the university through its website: http://nursing.ouhsc.edu/.

A Representative Undergraduate Scholarship

Gladys and James Lepley Scholarship: In order to be eligible for this program, students must be Oklahoma residents, must be full-time students, must not be able to afford their tuition and must be able to maintain a cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of at least 3.75.

A Representative Graduate Scholarship

Jacquelyn Sue Whittaker Memorial Scholarship: In order to be eligible for this program, students must be pursuing a full-time graduate degree, must have obtained a Bachelor in Nursing from the University of Oklahoma and must maintain a 3.50 or higher GPA in their nursing courses. Students must also submit two letters of recommendation from their professors and preference will be given to those students who reside in Oklahoma. Further factors influencing the selection process include a student’s level of creativity, integrity, knowledge and dedication.

A Representative Doctoral Scholarship

Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education Nursing Educator Scholarship Program: This program has been set up specifically to assist those who are currently teaching nursing to obtain their master’s degree in nursing. An applicant should be both a citizen of the United States and a resident of Oklahoma and have at least a 3.00 cumulative GPA on a 4.00 scale. An applicant must also have been unconditionally accepted into the MN/MSN program at the OU College of Nursing.