Partnership aims to drive nursing, engineering enrollment
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The Indiana Economic Development Corp. and Independent Colleges of Indiana are teaming up on an effort to increase the recruitment and retention of nursing and engineering graduates. The partners on Friday announced plans to distribute $3 million in scholarships and grants to students in the state’s 29 nonprofit colleges and universities.
The effort is specifically targeting out-of-state students with the goal of keeping them in Indiana upon graduation. The IEDC cited data from the U.S. Department of Education that said more than half of students currently studying engineering at Hoosier colleges are from outside of Indiana.
“The entire health profession experienced enormous stress on their workforce during COVID, and since we have some of the best programs for both engineering and health care in the nation, we want to increase the number of graduates who choose to stay in Indiana after graduation,” Indiana Secretary of Commerce Brad Chambers said in written remarks. “This program aims to do just that by supporting these young professionals and letting them know that the state has incredible opportunities for them right here.”
The IEDC said each of the nursing programs at Indiana schools will receive a minimum of six $3,000 scholarships that may be included in aid packages for the 2023-24 academic year.
The engineering programs will be offered a minimum of two, but up to a total of 50, $7,000 grants. The exact number of grants being awarded will depend on the number of engineering students that the institution typically graduates or is expected to graduate.
The engineering grants will be awarded to students upon graduation whose permanent residence at the time of graduation is outside the state of Indiana, but have accepted employment in an engineering-related field in Indiana.
The IEDC said students interested in applying for either a nursing scholarship or engineering grant should contact the director or dean of their school’s program.
“Serving students at both public and private institutions in this important initiative will help hundreds of out-of-state students pursue meaningful careers right here in Indiana,” said Jodie Ferise, vice president and general counsel of ICI. “We want to help draw students to these communities and showcase all our state has to offer.”
You can learn more about the nursing scholarships by clicking here and the engineering grants by clicking here.