October 29, 2019 Yakima Federal Savings and Loan gives $100,000 for nursing scholarships at WSU
By Addy Hatch, WSU College of Nursing
The WSU College of Nursing will offer new scholarships for undergraduate nursing students in Yakima and the Tri-Cities, thanks to a $100,000 gift from Yakima Federal Savings and Loan Association.
The WSU College of Nursing’s Yakima program is located on the campus of Yakima Valley Community College. Photo by Robert Hubner.
The scholarships will support low-to-moderate income nursing students who intend to pursue their nursing careers in Yakima and the Tri-Cities. Yakima Federal Savings and Loan is endowing two scholarship funds with $50,000 each, one intended for Yakima students and the other for students in the Tri-Cities.
The WSU College of Nursing’s Yakima program opened in 1982, and has about 100 undergraduate students working toward their Bachelor of Science in Nursing. The program is located on the campus of Yakima Valley Community College. The nursing program at WSU Tri-Cities, established in 1990, has about 75 undergraduate students; the program also offers graduate degrees.
“We’re grateful to Yakima Federal Savings and Loan for this support of our nursing programs in Central Washington,” said Mel Haberman, Interim Dean of the WSU College of Nursing. “Yakima, Benton, Franklin, and Walla Walla counties are all designated health professional shortage areas. Support for students with demonstrated financial need will help us attract and retain students who want to serve that region.”
“Yakima Federal is pleased to partner with the WSU College of Nursing in providing scholarships benefiting area nursing students, which will in turn increase the number of healthcare providers in our community for generations to come,” said Leanne Antonio, president and CEO of Yakima Federal.
The WSU College of Nursing is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. The college has five locations statewide and about 10,0000 alumni. The college was named a Center of Excellence in Nursing Education in 2017 by the National League for Nursing.
Yakima Federal Savings and Loan has been serving Central Washington since 1905 and has 10 branches throughout the region.