Lee University has been awarded an additional $10,000 grant from the Gertrude E. Skelly Charitable Foundation to the existing emergency fund for undergraduate students in the School of Nursing. 

The fund assists nursing students who encounter unforeseen financial challenges that affect their ability to continue pursuing their nursing degree at Lee. Since the fund was established in 2017, Lee has awarded 30 emergency grants to nursing students. The grant amounts have ranged from $200 to $1,000 and have been used for temporary financial needs. 

“The Skelly Foundation is very generous, and we are honored to receive funds that significantly affect our students’ ability to complete their nursing program,” said Dr. Campbell, dean of the School of Nursing.  

Emergency needs such as medical expenses, COVID disruptions, extra nursing-related fees, and job layoffs have been covered to date. Medical, dental, auto, and childcare expenses are also eligible for assistance from the Skelly Emergency Fund. A variety of other expenses may be eligible and are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. 

“We are deeply grateful to the Gertrude E. Skelly Charitable Foundation for this vital resource to assist nursing students,” says Vanessa Hammond, director of grants and foundation relations at Lee. “The Skelly Emergency Fund eases students over financial hurdles so they can persist to graduation and go on to offer compassionate, high-quality healthcare in our region and across the country.” 

Applications for assistance from the emergency fund are available online or in the School of Nursing. Students may apply for up to $1,000 per academic year. 

The Skelly Foundation provides “educational opportunities, mainly at colleges and universities in the field of nursing, in the form of emergency funds and needed medical care for those who are unable to afford them,” according to the mission statement of the Florida-based organization. 

The charitable foundation was established by the estate of Gertrude E. Skelly, whose desire to enable individuals to better themselves drives the foundation’s grant making. The goal of this and similar grants is to create a ripple effect, so that by helping a nursing student, he or she can impact others in the future. 

For more information about the emergency fund, visit nursing scholarships.