When Shalan Stroud was little, she wanted to be a doctor. She became a nurse instead. "In college I discovered how busy hospital doctors stayed, moving from patient to patient," said Stroud, R.N., B.S.N., who is now a clinical nursing educator at Saint Luke's East Hospital. "I liked helping patients and families understand why a doctor said this or why a nurse did that."
Stroud enrolled in Saint Luke's College of Health Sciences, which evolved from a nurse's training school that started in 1887. There she maintained a perfect grade point average and earned her bachelor of science degree in nursing in 2003—thanks to financial help from a privately funded scholarship.
An Essential Potential
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, this country will need more than 1 million new and replacement nurses by 2016. More than half of Saint Luke's College graduates become nurses in the Saint Luke's Health System.
Contributions from generous donors ensure that we can continue to attract talented and caring students like Stroud, who might not otherwise be able to attend Saint Luke's College.
"We learned more than just the nuts and bolts of medicine," said Stroud. "They taught us a holistic view of our patients, so we can tend to all factors that help them heal."
Last year, 87 students at Saint Luke's College received nursing scholarships through the generosity of donors in the community. Donations also fund essential technology and teaching tools, the Learning Resource Center, and endowed professorships.