Joseph J. Foy, Ph.D. President | Benedictine University

The Benedictine University Department of Nursing and Health has secured a $137,918 grant from the Illinois Board of Higher Education. This funding aims to expand the RN to BSN Nursing Program at the university, addressing the shortage of registered nurses with post-secondary credentials in Illinois.

The initiative will employ evidence-based strategies to boost enrollment, retention, and graduation rates among historically marginalized groups. The project focuses on closing equity gaps in nursing education through targeted interventions such as enhanced academic support services, mentoring, and flexible course delivery models for working adults and students with diverse learning needs. Financial support will also be provided to help students overcome barriers to completing their degrees.

A diverse workforce is seen as beneficial for understanding demographic-specific nuances in care and treatment. A more varied nursing workforce can lead to a healthier environment for patients and staff by offering a range of perspectives and skills that enhance patient understanding and empathy.

Students benefiting from this grant will be selected based on efforts to close the equity gap within the RN BSN student population. The program targets disadvantaged nurses due to low-income status or those who are working adults, first-generation college students, or self-identify as Hispanic, African American, or male.

The department's goals align with institutional strategic performance measures focused on improving student success rates and increasing diversity in the nursing workforce—key factors in meeting Illinois' healthcare needs. The initiative builds on best practices and research to ensure measurable impacts on closing equity gaps while addressing workforce shortages in healthcare.

“We are grateful for this IBHE Nursing School Grant that will allow us to provide mentoring and academic support to RN BSN nursing students,” said Deborah Jezuit, Chair of BenU’s Department of Nursing and Health. “This will help us create an engaged learning process to meet program outcomes, increase student completion rates, and address health equity in our community by fostering a more diverse nursing workforce.”