Dr. Debera Thomas Second Degree BSN Endowed Scholarship

In her first semester as Dean of the Orvis School of Nursing, Debera Thomas, DNP, RN, ANP/FNP established this scholarship fund to support students in the Accelerated 2nd Degree Bachelors of Science in Nursing (BSN) which will allow people who have already graduated with a bachelor s degree in another field to apply to Orvis for a one-year intensive course of study if they meet all of the prerequisites to apply. Many of the students in this new program cannot balance work and full-time study. In a two-year program that s condensed into one, some of these students, who have families, will try to maintain their work schedules but will quickly realize the academic demands are too great while they re working towards their degree. In that spirit, this scholarship endowment is intended to financially support these unique students.