Rural Workforce Scholarship Fund
The Caring Foundation has been supporting student scholarships for nearly 30 years, established in 1993, with our Health Professions scholarships at all seven Wyoming community colleges.
The Health Professions scholarships provide a $1,000 scholarship annually ($500 per semester) to a student seeking a degree in a health profession at each community college and the University of Wyoming.
In 2016, we expanded our scholarship program. With the nationwide shortage of nurses, and through conversations with our hospital partners, the Caring Foundation recognized that Wyoming hospitals have a unique need when it comes to recruiting and hiring nurses, particularly in rural settings. Therefore, the Foundation saw nursing education as an area where it can help strengthen Wyoming’s rural hospital system.
This expansion included two scholarship programs offered through the University of Wyoming.
- The ReNew Scholarship program–is a program in partnership with all seven community colleges in Wyoming and allows students to enroll in BSN coursework through UW simultaneously with their Associate Degree in Nursing. This program structure allows students to reside in their local community, while working toward a nursing degree. The Caring Foundation is proud to fund seven $1,000 scholarships annually.
- The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program–this program is an advanced nursing degree and offers two tracts: family nurse practitioner (FNP) and psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP). Both clinical concentrations prepare students for careers in rural health care. The Caring Foundation is proud to fund five $10,000 scholarships annually.
In 2020, we expanded our scholarship opportunities to include an Inclusive Scholarship for an Indian American student at Central Wyoming Community College. This $5,000 annual scholarship is a full-tuition scholarship for a student working toward a degree with a focus on a health profession.
All scholarships are awarded through each school’s scholarship process. For more information on how to apply, contact your local scholarship office.