August 29, 2002 Contact: Maureen Maigret
For immediate release (401) 884-8772

 The Nursing Foundation of Rhode Island recently awarded scholarships to sixteen students enrolled in undergraduate nursing programs in Rhode Island schools of nursing. The scholarships range from $500 to $1,000 and are awarded to students in good academic standing who demonstrate financial need.

In announcing the scholarship recipients, Betsy Nield, President of the Nursing Foundation of Rhode Island, said "I am pleased that this year at a time when the nursing shortage is acute and projected to grow that the Foundation was able to provide this level of scholarship support. Nurses are the backbone of our healthcare delivery system. It is crucial for us to provide financial aid to students who choose nursing as a career. These scholarships often provide the extra funds needed for students to successfully complete their courses."

Recipients of the 2002 undergraduate scholarships were: Community College of Rhode Island, Susan Cardoza Porter, Charlene Russo, Frank Zawacki; Rhode Island College, Mary Akinnusota, Sara Burton, Melanie Dubois, Jennifer Ewing, Deanna Mantoni, Joseph Paquette, Elissa Thivierge; Salve Regina, Jessica Denecke; St. Joseph Hospital, Alicia Cerreto, Allison Reed; University of Rhode Island, Kacy Catalan, Rachelle DiMedia, and Emily Huggins.

The Nursing Foundation of Rhode Island was founded in 1991 to promote nursing. Its mission is threefold: to increase public awareness of nursing and its role in promoting health and well-being, to foster the advancement of nursing through the awarding of research grants and scholarships; and to preserve the history of nursing in Rhode Island.

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