Scholarships will support 10 DNP nurse practitioner and nurse-midwifery students 

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – April 17, 2024 – The University of New Mexico College of Nursing has received $450,256 from Western Sky Community Care to fund scholarships for Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) nurse practitioner and nurse-midwifery students. The scholarships will be awarded to 10 students in the 2024-2025 academic year.

“Healthcare providers see increasingly complex patients and have an expanding and changing scope of practice and available treatments to address the needs of their patients and their families,” says College of Nursing Interim Dean Carolyn Montoya, PhD, RN, CPNP, FAAN, FAANP. “This is why getting a DNP is so important for our nurse practitioners and nurse-midwives.”

Western Sky Community Care, a Medicaid managed care organization located in Albuquerque, funded the scholarships after identifying a need for nursing care in rural New Mexico. The gift will support nurse practitioners and nurse-midwifery students who plan to care for patients in the areas of rural health, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, nurse-midwifery, maternal-child health, and other health care areas. In addition, the funds will cover all anticipated educational costs, including tuition and fees, housing, food, textbooks and supplies, transportation, and test preparation.

“Western Sky Community Care’s generous gift will be of significant help to our students, allowing them to focus on their studies, without the worry of excessive debt after graduation,” says Montoya.

The College of Nursing will identify the 10 scholarship recipients before June 1, 2024.

About the UNM Foundation

The UNM Foundation promotes excellence at the University of New Mexico by raising, investing, and managing private gifts through the cultivation of long-term partnerships with donors, and by matching their interests to the University’s priorities.

About Western Sky Community Care
Established to deliver quality healthcare in the state of New Mexico through local, regional, and community-based resources, Western Sky Community Care is a Managed Care Organization and subsidiary of Centene Corporation. Western Sky Community Care exists to improve the health of its beneficiaries through focused, compassionate, and coordinated care. Our approach is based on the core belief that quality healthcare is best delivered locally.

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