The Long Island State Veterans Home (LISVH) Nursing Scholarship Program’s first-ever cohort graduated from the Stony Brook University School of Nursing (SON) last month.
Bryanna Foster, Keith Krupa, Fuxia Ma, Krista Romano, and Kristi Rubino-Rosales earned Bachelor of Science degrees through Stony Brook’s Registered Nurse Baccalaureate Program (RNBP) while working full- or part-time at the LISVH.
The Nursing Scholarship Program recruits eligible Suffolk County Community College (SCCC) graduates to work at the LISVH while enrolled in the RNBP at no additional cost to the student.
Those enrolled agree to a three-year contract with LISVH, the first two of which coincide with their time in the RNBP. The Class of 2025 will spend at least one year post-graduation working as registered professional nurses.
LISVH covers all costs associated with the RNBP, including tuition, course-related fees, course materials, books, and more, as well as NCLEX fees for associate degree nurses.
The program was established in 2023, and the Class of 2025 is the first cohort to complete the RNBP and transition into registered professional nurse roles. Five more students in the Nursing Scholarship Program are expected to graduate in 2026.
A comprehensive education through the Stony Brook School of Nursing
SCCC students in the Nursing First Program or those who meet admissions requirements for the RNBP at the SON are eligible for the Nurse Recruitment and Retention Grant offered by the LISVH.
If approved for entry into the RNBP and LISVH employment, candidates are required to sign a three-year contract with the LISVH to work full- or part-time. They may begin employment as a graduate nurse immediately after graduating from SCCC or delay employment until they have passed the NCLEX exam and are fully licensed to practice.
While enrolled at the SON, students must maintain good academic standing to continue receiving grant funding. Students are awarded one paid day each week for study time on-site at the LISVH.
All fellows participate in a 16-week nurse residency program at the LISVH, which includes simulation, didactic, and clinical experiences. Clinical Associate Professor Mary Ellen LaSala meets with students monthly at the LISVH to monitor their progress and provide support. Dr. LaSala and Janet Galiczewski, chair of the Department of Undergraduate Studies, coordinate on-site learning days at the LISVH taught by several SON undergraduate faculty members.
For more information and to apply for the LISVH Nursing Scholarship Program, click here.
