Jonathan Hoisl of Nanuet, N.Y. selected as Robert Wood Johnson Foundation New Careers in Nursing scholar

HAMDEN, CT (10/15/2012)(readMedia)-- Five Quinnipiac University School of Nursing students, including Jonathan Hoisl of Nanuet, N.Y., have been selected as Robert Wood Johnson Foundation New Careers in Nursing (NCIN) scholars.

The NCIN scholarship program is a national program of RWJF and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. The program is designed to help alleviate the national nursing shortage, increase the diversity of nursing professionals, expand capacity in baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs, and enhance the pipeline of potential nurse faculty.

"We are honored to receive a second round of scholarships from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation for five New Careers in Nursing grantees this year," said Lisa O'Connor, associate professor and director of the undergraduate nursing program at Quinnipiac. "Student recruitment, support and retention for all accelerated nursing students at Quinnipiac have expanded because of the RWJF scholarships."

Nursing leaders have long recognized the strong connection between a culturally diverse nursing workforce and the ability to provide quality patient care. The five NCIN scholars will complete Quinnipiac's accelerated nursing track in May 2013. The scholars will complete their senior year in nursing while developing leadership skills through mentoring and other leadership activities planned throughout the year.

Hoisl said, "My middle school soccer coach once said 'hard work breeds success' and the quote has always stuck with me. Being selected as a RWJF scholar is a great honor and to me is a product of my determination. As a scholar, I will be able to break down barriers for the underrepresented male population and fulfill my ultimate goal of earning my doctorate."

Cory Boyd, associate professor of nursing and coordinator of the accelerated nursing track at Quinnipiac, said these scholarships are not "free money." Grantees have additional responsibilities as preparation for becoming future leaders of the profession.

"Last year's recipients accomplished a great deal including a poster presentation of their experiences as underserved populations in nursing at the Eastern Nursing Research Society at Yale University," Boyd said. "I anticipate this year's recipients to be equally as hard working and successful as they pursue their new careers in nursing. I look forward to working with them and sharing the benefits of having received this grant with all students in the School of Nursing."

Quinnipiac is a private, coeducational, nonsectarian institution located 90 minutes north of New York City and two hours from Boston. The university enrolls 6,200 full-time undergraduate and 2,300 graduate students in 58 undergraduate and more than 20 graduate programs of study in its School of Business and Engineering, School of Communications, School of Education, School of Health Sciences, School of Law, Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine, School of Nursing and College of Arts and Sciences. Quinnipiac consistently ranks among the top regional universities in the North in U.S. News & World Report's America's Best Colleges issue. The 2013 issue of U.S. News & World Report's America's Best Colleges named Quinnipiac as the top up-and-coming school with master's programs in the Northern Region. Quinnipiac also is recognized in Princeton Review's "The Best 377 Colleges." For more information, please visit http://www.quinnipiac.edu. Connect with Quinnipiac on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/quinnipiacuniversity and follow Quinnipiac on Twitter @QuinnipiacU.