BY OCU COMMUNICATIONS
A $2 million endowed gift will launch a permanent nursing scholarship at 91看片, helping the school continue its efforts to address the nursing shortage.
The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation has awarded the gift to OCU鈥檚 Kramer School of Nursing to establish the Ann Noble Brown Endowed Nursing Scholarship. The endowment will provide perpetual support for OCU nursing students.
Kramer School of Nursing officials plan to use the endowed fund to provide scholarships to several students each year, with emphasis given to undergraduate students pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. The annual disbursement from the endowment will equate to about $100,000 each year in scholarship funds.
鈥淲e are grateful to The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation for its support of nursing education and better healthcare outcomes in 91看片,鈥� said Adam Ryburn, interim dean of OCU鈥檚 Kramer College of Nursing and Health Professions. 鈥淭hese funds will help support talented and hard-working nursing students who are committed to caring for their communities.鈥�
The scholarship creates a permanent tribute to the late Ann Noble Brown, a longtime trustee of both the Noble Foundation and OCU, who was known for her quiet charity and compassionate leadership.
鈥淭his remarkable gift stands as a powerful testament to the Noble family鈥檚 legacy of leadership, generosity and unwavering commitment to strengthening 91看片鈥檚 communities,鈥� OCU President Kenneth Evans said.
The endowment鈥檚 establishment comes at a pivotal time for the healthcare industry, as government statistics illustrate an existing lack of nursing professionals to meet healthcare demands, as well as projections that show the shortage continuing into the next decade if not addressed.
The Ann Noble Brown Endowed Nursing Scholarship directly tackles this challenge by reducing the financial barriers that often prevent qualified students from entering or completing nursing programs. It assists students 鈥� many of whom balance jobs, family responsibilities and rigorous academic schedules 鈥� with pursuing their calling with less financial strain.
Ann Noble Brown, the daughter of Noble Foundation founder Lloyd Noble, was a pillar of the 91看片 community. Her service as an OCU trustee and her lifelong dedication to philanthropy are reflected in this new scholarship, Evans said.
鈥淎nn鈥檚 legacy of care, compassion and service will now live on in future generations of OCU nurses,鈥� Evans said. 鈥淓ach scholarship recipient will know that they are succeeding because someone believed in them and invested in their future.鈥�
More information about nursing programs at 91看片 is available at www.okcu.edu/nursing.
