Nurse Education Scholarship

Funder: Lancaster Osteopathic Health Foundation (LOHF), operating as Touchstone Foundation

Geographic Scope: Lancaster County, PA only

Program Overview:
LOHF provides nursing education scholarships to qualified Lancaster County students pursuing nursing degrees at all levels, from Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) through Doctoral of Nurse Practitioner (DNP).

History & Impact:

• Has invested nearly $700,000 in the education of 193 nurses (as of 2016)
• In 2015, invested $60,000 in nursing students
• 93% of scholarship recipients have fulfilled program requirements and are working in Lancaster County facilities

Degrees Supported (Since 2003):

• Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN): 69
• Registered Nurses (RN): 17
• Bachelor of Science Bridge Program (RN-BSN): 12
• Master of Sciences (MSN): 3
• PhD: 1
• Doctoral of Nurse Practitioner (DNP): 2
• School Nurse Certificates (SNC): [number not specified]

Eligibility Requirements:

• Must be a resident of Lancaster County
• Must demonstrate strong academic performance
• Must articulate passion for the nursing profession
• Must be enrolled in or admitted to a nursing education program

Application Materials Required:

• Admission letter from nursing education program
• Evidence of financial status (copy of FAFSA or recent IRS income tax form)
• LOHF financial worksheet
• Documentation of any grants, scholarships, loans, and employer tuition reimbursement
• Letter of reference (completed by teacher, supervisor, etc., mailed directly to LOHF)
• Recent transcript
• Two one-page essays using prompts provided in application

Selection Process:

• A selection committee consisting of nurses and LOHF staff reviews applications
• Finalists are invited for interviews
• Award recipients are notified by mail
• Recipients are invited to attend an awards reception
• Initial scholarship payments made to nursing schools

Contact Information:

• Phone: 717-397-8722
• Email: info@lohfoundation.org or info@touchstonefound.org
• Website: lohf.org/scholarships/
• Address: 128 East Grant Street Suite 104, Lancaster, PA 17602-2854

Application Process

Timeline Example (2015 cycle):

• Application deadline: May 29, 2015
• Interviews: July 2015
• Award notification: July 2015
• Awards reception: September 2015
• Initial payments to schools: August 2015

Application Submission:

1. Complete application checklist with all required information
2. Submit by deadline either by mail or email to LOHF

Required Application Materials:

1. Admission letter from nursing education program
2. Evidence of financial status:
   • Copy of FAFSA form, OR
   • Recent IRS income tax form
3. LOHF financial worksheet
4. Documentation of other funding sources:
   • Any grants
   • Any scholarships
   • Any loans
   • Any employer tuition reimbursement
5. Letter of reference:
   • Completed by teacher, supervisor, or other reference
   • Mailed directly to LOHF (not included in application)
6. Recent transcript
7. Two one-page essays using prompts provided on application

Selection & Award Process:

• Applications reviewed by selection committee of nurses and LOHF staff
• Finalists selected for interviews at LOHF office
• Award recipients notified by mail
• Invited to awards reception
• Initial scholarship payments made directly to nursing schools

Contact for Questions:

• Email: info@lohfoundation.org
• Phone: 717-397-8722
• Website: lohf.org/scholarships/