The University of the Pacific in Stockton has announced that their School of Health Sciences was awarded nearly a million dollars in state grants to continue helping students fill the need for health care workers.
Of the awarded funding, $540,000 will go to UOP’s Entry-Level Master of Science in Nursing program, created in 2022, and over $430,000 will go toward creating post-undergraduate fellowships for students in any health care discipline, the university said.
The California Department of Health Care Access and Information provided the Song-Brown grant, which will allow the university’s nursing program to create new training opportunities in areas where there have been shortages of registered nurses.
Additionally, the money will give the school the opportunity to expand simulation experiences that will prepare its students for real-world scenarios.
“We are grateful that the state is investing in our students,” School of Health Sciences dean Nicoleta Bugnariu said in a statement. “Many are from the Central Valley and are committed to returning to their communities to provide the care that is so needed. This funding will help us enhance their education and attract more students.”
UOP said the second grant awarded to them will establish paid fellowships for their underrepresented students who want to pursue a graduate health science degree.
According to the university, five fellows per year are set to receive $15,000 each to help their transition through teaching, research, health career workshops, mentorship and other areas.
