A world-class city filled with art and culture and an incredible campus that offers cutting edge resources–that’s what students receive at Penn Nursing. And that’s just the start. Penn Nursing and the wider university offer something for everyone, as well as a lifelong community.

Penn Nursing is globally known for educating dynamic nurses—because our School values evidence-based science and health equity. That’s where our expertise lies, whether in research, practice, community health, or beyond. Everything we do upholds a through-line of innovation, encouraging our exceptional students, alumni, and faculty share their knowledge and skills to reshape health care.

Penn Nursing students are bold and unafraid, ready to embrace any challenge that comes their way. Whether you are exploring a career in nursing or interested in advancing your nursing career, a Penn Nursing education will help you meet your goals and become an innovative leader, prepared to change the face of health and wellness.

Penn Nursing is the #1-ranked nursing school in the world. Its highly-ranked programs help develop highly-skilled leaders in health care who are prepared to work alongside communities to tackle issues of health equity and social justice to improve health and wellness for everyone.

Penn Nursing’s rigorous academic curricula are taught by world renowned experts, ensuring that students at every level receive an exceptional Ivy League education. From augmented reality classrooms and clinical simulations to coursework that includes experiential global travel to clinical placements in top notch facilities, a Penn Nursing education prepares our graduates to lead.

Laporte Challenge Fund Inspires Fourteen New Endowed Fellowships

With over 70 percent of our students reliant upon financial aid to afford a Penn Nursing education, fellowships are particularly critical, especially for students in our accelerated second degree and Masters programs who are often no longer eligible for certain types of aid. It was this need that inspired Andie Laporte, alumna and Chair of Penn Nursing’s Board of Advisors, to offer matching funds to anyone who would like to endow fellowships at the School. Thanks to Andie’s brilliant idea and generosity, donors established fourteen new fellowships for students in need, all designated for accelerated second degree and Masters students.

March 10, 2021
Andie Laporte, Nu'69, Chair of Penn Nursing's Board of Advisors
Andie Laporte, Nu’69, Chair of Penn Nursing’s Board of Advisors

Fourteen new fellowships means fourteen extraordinary students each year who otherwise might not be able to afford an education or continuation of their education at the #1-ranked nursing school in the world. The magnitude of this expansion of available aid for students is staggering: last year Penn Nursing had only 25 fellowships and scholarships available for graduate-level students. The fellowships that Penn Nursing donors have been able to establish thanks to Andie’s incredible matching gift are endowed—they will continue to fund education for second degree and Masters students with financial need in perpetuity. That’s countless future leaders who might serve at the bedside, make important discoveries in the research lab, help shape policy in the board room, or write legislation in government office. The impact of these fellowships on students and on their future patients is impossible to quantify.

By the numbers But the benefit to students now and long into the future is not the only way Andie’s wonderful gift has impacted Penn Nursing. Lisa Cordeiro Kricun, Penn Nursing’s Senior Major Gifts Officer, points out that the matching gift was instrumental to the School’s ability to meet Innovating for Life and Living Campaign Goals. “Our donors are always incredibly generous,” Lisa says. “Andie’s gift meant that their generosity could go much further—instead of a term fellowship that might help students with financial need for a five year or a ten year period, they could establish an endowed fellowship that lasts forever. That type of benefit certainly inspired donors to think bigger, and they were inspired by Andie’s unique commitment to our School.”

To learn more about each new fellowship, please click the links below.

Armbrister-Edwards Endowed Fellowship

Carolyn Bennett Endowed Fellowship

Christopher James Cunningham Endowed Fellowship

Cleda and Herbert Martin Griffin Endowed Fellowship at Penn Nursing

David & Eunice King Family Endowed Fellowship

Eugene and Philomena Campbell Endowed Fellowship

Gilbert F. Casellas and Ada Garcia Casellas Endowed Fellowship

JoAnn Nallinger Grant Endowed Fellowship

Kerekes Family Endowed Fellowship

Lipinski Family Endowed Fellowship

Marie Savard, M.D. Nursing Endowed Fellowship II

Natalia Martin Endowed Fellowship

Nursing Midwifery Class of 2017 Fellowship

Susan Weiss Behrend and Daniel B. Behrend Endowed Fellowship

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