Scholarships Help Pave The Way For Students At St Elizabeth School Of Nursing In Lafayette

LAFAYETTE, Indiana - Receiving great care from a nurse as a child, after breaking her arm once, and then breaking it again, which required surgery, inspired Kenzie Brown to want to become a nurse when she grew up.

Raised in the small farming community of Fowler, Indiana, Brown achieved that goal, graduating from the St. Elizabeth School of Nursing in May 2021. She now works as a nurse at Franciscan Health Lafayette East.

Brown received a scholarship to the St. Elizabeth School of Nursing, which started her journey to become a nurse. She credits the scholarship itself and the support system of those at the school as helping her achieve the goal of becoming a nurse, especially during the tough times.

"Nursing school is hard," said Brown. "In high school, I was a 4.0 (GPA) student and coming into nursing school and being whapped in the face with an exam is a challenge. Having the community within the school, having the backing of scholarships, and people who supported me and were proud of me, motivated me to keep going on."

Brown was the first recipient of the Gertrude Loeb Rosen Nursing Scholarship. That scholarship came to fruition thanks to nurses at Franciscan who made an impact on Loeb Rosen's life and she decided to donate financially to the school to fund a scholarship.

"I was proud to get a scholarship and it also is a big sigh of relief, knowing that there was not that big financial burden on me," said Brown. "I personally received the benefit of this impact from the Gertrude Loeb Rosen Nursing Scholarship. Now I get to make that impact on patients' lives in the hospital."

To help continue being able to provide scholarships and fund various other initiatives, the St. Elizabeth School of Nursing will hold a Day of Giving on Tuesday, November 19, 2024.

Proceeds raised will fund student scholarships, the St. Elizabeth Garden and the St. Elizabeth School of Nursing General Fund, which assists faculty and students by funding necessary materials, technology and more. Various giving opportunities exist and every donation makes a difference.

"One of the biggest ways to make a difference is by donating to the scholarships at St. Elizabeth School of Nursing for the students," said Brown. "You can make an impact on their lives, providing them with the financial relief to go through the school. You help build them a community within the school, knowing that when they get knocked down by the troubles of nursing school, they have people backing them who believe in them, that motivate them and support them. No donation is too big or too small. Every little bit makes a difference in their lives to go make a difference in patients' lives in the hospital."

The Day of Giving is held close to the Feast Day of St. Elizabeth of Hungary, known as the "mother of the poor," to honor her accomplishments, building a hospital and becoming a servant to the sick and the poor. Widowed at just 20 years of age, she chose a life of poverty and humility over wealth and influence.

The St. Elizabeth School of Nursing delivers an immersive nursing education to develop highly prepared graduates. Beginning in the first semester, students are provided hands-on clinical learning experiences. All graduates earn an RN diploma from the St. Elizabeth School of Nursing as well as a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from the University of Saint Francis and are trained and prepared to meet the challenges of a 21st Century nursing career.

The St. Elizabeth School of Nursing is approved by the Indiana State Board of Nursing as a Diploma program and is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).

For more information or to make a donation, visit StESon.org.