Children's National Receives $1 Million Gift from Bill and Joanne Conway to Establish Nursing Scholarships, Mentorship Program

WASHINGTON, March 7, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Today Children's National Health System announced a generous $1 million gift from Bill and Joanne Conway establishing the Conway Nursing Pathway Program to encourage careers in pediatric nursing. The Pathway Program aims to reduce the financial burden of higher education, address the potential for a nursing shortage and deepen career satisfaction.

The program funds three distinct elements of nursing education: a work study and mentor program for rising high-school seniors with an interest in nursing; scholarships for students who have selected nursing as their major and nursing majors in associate degree programs committed to baccalaureate education; and stipends for Children's National nurses to pursue advanced degrees.

"We're deeply grateful for the Conway family's generosity and vision to enhance pediatric nursing," says Linda Talley, MS, BSN, RN, NE-BC, vice president of nursing and chief nursing officer at Children's National. "The Conways recognize that supporting nursing students has the long-term effect of strengthening community health beginning with children. This gift will help improve care and outcomes for our patients."

Children's National is twice-recognized within the Magnet Recognition Program®, a designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Magnet® organizations demonstrate the highest standards of nursing excellence and patient care. Only seven percent of hospitals across the United States achieve this recognition. An even smaller percentage of recipients are pediatric hospitals.

"Joanne and I are grateful for the opportunity to support nursing education at Children's National," says Bill Conway, co-founder and co-executive chairman of The Carlyle Group and executor of the Bedford Falls Foundation with his wife Joanne. "We are confident that reducing the financial burden for nurses will strengthen the profession and the critical care nurses provide. The inspiration we get from the patients at Children's National compels us to support their care."

In addition to establishing the Pathway Program, the Conways donated $1 million to Children's National in 2013 to help establish the William and Joanne Conway Chair in Nursing Research, one of the nation's first academic chairs in nurse-led research.

Eligible students can be nominated to the Pathway Program now through March 22, 2019. To learn more visit: https://childrensnational.org/research-and-education/healthcare-education/nursing-education/summer-nurse-trainee-programs/conway-nursing-pathway-program.

SOURCE Children’s National Health System