Nursing
Scholarship Information
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We’re supporting our valley’s future nurses
The Evans Nursing Scholarship and the Colton Allen Memorial Scholarship provide financial assistance to qualified students who are pursuing registered nursing degrees from Oregon Health & Science University Ashland Campus (at Southern Oregon University) or Rogue Community College, and intend to work as nurses in the Rogue Valley.
“I felt honored and thankful that there’s such gracious people in this community. And I hope that I one day can give back to the Foundation and help another nursing student that needs it.”
– Amy Hickey, 2022 Recipient
Scholarship eligibility
Scholarship awards are considered for students who submit complete applications and meet the following criteria:
- Intend to work in the Rogue Valley as a nurse.
- Enrolled in an RN degree program at OHSU Ashland Campus (SOU) or RCC.
- Graduated from the RCC RN nursing degree program and have been accepted to or are enrolled in the OHSU RNBS Completion Program.
- Is a second or third-year nursing student, or has been accepted to the OHSU Accelerated Bachelor of Science program or the RCC Accelerated ADN program.
- Is currently or will be a full-time student, as defined by their program.
- Is in good academic standing, with a nursing or prerequisite GPA of at least 3.0.
Application requirements
Applicants must apply online through our website, and include the following:
- If the applicant has applied for financial aid through their college/university, upload the financial aid award letter, their FAFSA Submission Summary (FSS), or their completed ORSAA.
- Two-page maximum resume that includes relevant and significant work and volunteer experience showing employer, dates of employment or service, and position. The resume should also include educational institutions attended and GPA(s).
- Signed letters of reference from two people who have known the applicant for a minimum of one year and are not friends or relatives. One letter must be from a prerequisite instructor or nursing instructor. Both letters must be dated for the current calendar year.
The application window is now closed.
Frequently Asked Questions
How are the scholarships awarded?
- A limited number of scholarship awards will be made per academic year.
- Scholarship awards may be used only for tuition and other academic fees.
- Funds will be sent directly to the school and earmarked for the recipient.
- Awards will be made based on the relative merits of each applicant.
- Past recipients will need to reapply each year of their nursing program by submitting a complete scholarship application.
What are the application guidelines?
- Applicants should review these Frequently Asked Questions, carefully read and follow the instructions in the application, and complete all required fields.
- When uploading documents, use either PDF, Word (.doc or .docx), or text files. Please do not submit JPEG files.
- Before submitting the application, applicants are advised to print a copy for their records.
- Once you submit your application, you will receive an email confirmation within one hour. If you do not receive an email confirmation, please contact our office at 541-482-0367.
When is the application window open?
The online application is made available in mid-May each year, and closes near the end of June. Applicants should visit our website for exact application dates each year. OHSU students in the Accelerated Program must apply at the beginning of their program to be considered, as funds are distributed in fall, winter, and spring terms.
Can I start my application now and save it for later?
Yes! Applicants are given the option to save and continue at a later time.
Do I need to reapply for the scholarship each year?
Yes. Applicants who have received funding in the past need to submit a new application each year in order to be considered. Previous application documents should not be reused.
Which GPA should I submit?
Accelerated program students should enter their pre-nursing requirement GPA. Continuing juniors, seniors, and RCC second-year nursing students should enter their nursing course GPA.
What financial information is required?
The application will ask:
What was your adjusted gross personal income? Applicants need to provide their adjusted gross personal income (AGI) from their last personal income tax return (on Tax Form 1040). However, if the applicant is a dependent and claimed by someone else, they will need to submit their family’s adjusted gross personal income from their last tax return.
What is your estimated Cost of Attendance (COA): Applicants need to provide the tuition cost for their program, which is available on each school’s respective website. The COA should be for the academic year for which they are applying for the scholarship.
Please provide an estimated budget of how you will pay your COA: Explain how the applicant intends to pay tuition in the coming year. Applicants who haven’t received their financial aid award letter can refer to their previous years financial aid award package as an estimate. For scholarships, applicants should list only scholarships they have secured for the upcoming academic year.
Why do you have financial need? In this essay question, applicants should elaborate and explain the information submitted in the Financial Information section. Applicants should also address any barriers to receiving financial aid, total existing educational debt, as well as their living situation.
What will I be asked in the personal essay?
Why are you pursuing the degree you’ve chosen? What has influenced you and what are your career plans upon achieving your degree?
The applicant should include relevant work and volunteer experience that brought them to this goal. In this essay, they should tell us what inspired them to go into the nursing field, why they will be an excellent future nurse, and how they intend to support patients in the Rogue Valley.
Do I need to attach a resume?
Yes, the applicant should include on their resume: relevant and significant work experience, relevant and significant volunteer experience, and educational institutions attended, including their cumulative GPA at each listed institution
Do I need to include references?
Applicants must submit two current (this calendar year) letters of reference. Reference letters must be signed and need to accompany the application at the time it is submitted. Applicants can do this by scanning the letters and uploading them as a PDF. Reference letters cannot be submitted separate from the application. Individuals selected to provide references need to meet the criteria listed on the application. References should speak to the applicant’s academic achievements, leadership, work ethic, and why the applicant is an excellent candidate for a scholarship.
Award decisions
Award decisions are made in early to mid-August for the upcoming year and all applicants will be notified by email of the funding decision.
What if my contact information changes after I submit my application?
If applicants have a change of address or phone number after their application has been submitted, they should contact our office to update their information.
Does the scholarship provide funding for other nursing programs?
The scholarship supports students in the registered nursing programs at Rogue Community College (RCC) and at Oregon Health & Sciences University (OHSU), Ashland Campus. At this time students enrolled in other nursing degree programs or at other schools are not eligible to apply.
Scholarship History
The William G. and Ruth T. Evans Endowed Nursing Scholarship was established in 2002 through the generosity of Mrs. Ruth Evans. In 2024, Tiffany and Jason Allen started the Colton Allen Memorial Scholarship for nursing students who are also caregivers outside of nursing work in their personal time.
