SFA awarded $250,000 state grant to boost nursing student success

NACOGDOCHES, Texas -- Stephen F. Austin State University's Office of the Provost has been awarded a $250,000 grant from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board that aims to enhance the academic performance, retention and graduation rates of nursing students.

SFA was selected out of 26 institutions across Texas to receive the competitive Student Success Acceleration Program 2.0 grant, "Accelerating Nursing Students' Success." This program aligns with state and national efforts to address the critical shortage of registered nurses.

Texas is projected to experience a 15% increase in demand for registered nurses over the next 10 years. The initiative not only aims to graduate more SFA nursing majors but also equips them with the tools to manage the high levels of stress and anxiety inherent in the field, investing in overall success and well-being in their career.

"This grant supports two of SFA's marquee programs at once - nursing and social work. I am especially pleased that all the money goes to students in the form of scholarships, stipends and supplies," said Dr. Marc Guidry, associate provost for the Division of Academic Affairs. "The resources provided by this grant will enable more of our nursing students to persist and graduate with their registered nurse license while providing hands-on training for our graduate social work majors. It is a double-win for SFA and the state of Texas."

Guidry was the primary investigator for the grant. The project will be managed by Dr. Tamara Harris, director of the DeWitt School of Nursing, and Dr. Emmerentie Oliphant, Buddy Zeagler Endowed Professor and director of the doctoral program in the School of Social Work. Together, they will oversee a multi-faceted approach designed to support first- and second-year nursing students through a combination of academic and wellness initiatives.

These initiatives include intervening when a nursing student is struggling, ensuring they get the help they need in the correct area of their life.

To assist in the needs of nursing students challenged by rigorous classwork and course load, SFA will encourage nursing majors to attend tutoring services offered by the university's Academic Assistance and Resource Center. The grant will also cover the cost of some school supplies and provide scholarships for textbooks and lab kits, particularly for pregnant and parenting nursing majors.

"This grant will support students in developing the life skills required to be successful in the program and keep them healthy throughout their professional nursing careers," said Harris. "Through financial assistance to pregnant and parenting students, who we know often are trying to hold down a job, attend school and take care of a family, the grant should help lighten the load and stress of this added responsibility."

This approach builds on SFA's existing strengths, including more than a decade of data from the AARC showing that students who attend tutoring sessions five or more times in a semester see significant improvements in GPA and retention.

To assist the anxiety and stress nursing students face, students in the School of Social Work will serve as case managers for first- and second-year nursing students. They will conduct workshops and webinars on mental health, well-being, academic mindsets and self-care to give nursing students tools for stress management and anxiety.

"The School of Social Work is proud to be part of a project that will retain nursing students and provide leadership opportunities for the social work students," said Oliphant. "The National Association of Social Workers describes social work mentoring as a transformative power. We know this project will be transformative for our nursing and social work students."

For more information about both programs, visit sfasu.edu/nursing and sfasu.edu/socialwork.