Nurses Educational Funds, Inc

Nurses Educational Funds, Inc NEF is a national leader in providing scholarships to nurses to promote leadership and health equity

The 2026-2027 NEF Board of Directors was confirmed and celebrated on June 3, including the election of Edwidge J Thomas,...
06/11/2026

The 2026-2027 NEF Board of Directors was confirmed and celebrated on June 3, including the election of Edwidge J Thomas, DNP, FAAN, as President and Kelly Reilly, PhD, RN-MC, as Secretary.

Kimberly Glassman, PhD, RN, FAAN, and Annie Rohan, PhD, RN, FAANP, FAAN, have joined the board, and Jerelyn Peixoto Weiss, MS, JD, FNP, RN, has returned to it, following her retirement as Executive Director of NEF.

The combined Advisory Board and Board of Directors is now comprised of 22 leaders from the nursing, education, and business communities, donating their time and talent to the advancement of the nursing profession.

Meet the NEF Board at: n-e-f.org/about-us/board-and-staff

The Mount Sinai Hospital School of Nursing NY Alumnae Association recently donated $54,000 to NEF to support the Edith G...
06/10/2026

The Mount Sinai Hospital School of Nursing NY Alumnae Association recently donated $54,000 to NEF to support the Edith G. Ryan and Joan Herman Bilder Scholarship and to complete the Sylvia Barker Scholarship, continuing their longstanding commitment to funding their named scholarships for nursing leadership. With this donation, Mount Sinai became an NEF Champion.

NEF Champions are donors of $5,000 or more with a deep commitment to NEF and its mission to promote leadership and health equity through scholarship support for professional nurses seeking master’s and doctoral degrees. Like NEF scholarships, Champion gifts are considered “in perpetuity” and can also be applied to a scholarship of choice. Champions are listed on the NEF website and receive entry for two to be recognized at the organization's next gala reception.

To learn more, visit https://www.n-e-f.org/giving/become-an-nef-champion.html

The 2026 NEF Gala on Wednesday, June 3, was an extraordinary evening, thanks in part to the 2025-2026 NEF Scholars, who ...
06/05/2026

The 2026 NEF Gala on Wednesday, June 3, was an extraordinary evening, thanks in part to the 2025-2026 NEF Scholars, who shared updates on their progress as nurse leaders, including graduations and new appointments. Congratulations Marie Toupou, Katie Page, Sergine Delma, and Gem Inay!

Tomorrow is NEF's annual Gala reception in New York City. Our Pearl ($1,000) sponsors are supporting NEF's scholarships ...
06/02/2026

Tomorrow is NEF's annual Gala reception in New York City. Our Pearl ($1,000) sponsors are supporting NEF's scholarships for professional nurses seeking master’s and doctoral degrees:

Anonymous
Susan Bowar-Ferres, PhD, RN, NEF Board Member Emeritus
Emory Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing
Gotham Companies
Lienhard School of Nursing, College of Health
Professions at Pace University
Joan Marren, MEd, MA, RN, President of NEF
NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing
Penn Nursing
Rosanne Raso, DNP, RN, CENP, FAAN, Secretary of NEF
Philip J. Ryan, CPA, NEF Board Member
Pat Siegel, In Memory of Lawrence Siegel
Cynthia D. Sculco, EdD, RN, NEF Board Member
Edwidge Thomas, DNP, FAAN, NEF Advisory Board Member

To join these generous supporters at the event, donate here: n-e-f.org/gala

This Wednesday is NEF's annual Gala reception in New York City, and we are deeply grateful for our sponsors, whose contr...
06/01/2026

This Wednesday is NEF's annual Gala reception in New York City, and we are deeply grateful for our sponsors, whose contributions are supporting NEF's scholarships for graduate nursing students:

Sapphire ($10,000): Mount Sinai Phillips School of Nursing

Ruby ($5,000):
Mount Sinai Health System Nursing
New York City Health + Hospitals
NYU Langone Health

Topaz ($2,500):
Anonymous
Boston College William F. Connell School of Nursing
The University of Rhode Island College of Nursing
VNS Health

Join us: n-e-f.org/gala

NEF's National Student Nurses Association (NSNA) Scholarship honors Laura D. Smith, who was a clinical nurse and, after ...
05/22/2026

NEF's National Student Nurses Association (NSNA) Scholarship honors Laura D. Smith, who was a clinical nurse and, after earning her master’s degree, joined the staff of the American Journal of Nursing, ultimately becoming Senior Editor in 1959. She had a particular interest in championing the accomplishments of student nurses and was instrumental in the birth and early development of the NSNA. The award is given to an applicant enrolled in a master's in nursing education, or PhD or EdD nursing program, who was an NSNA member in their pre-licensure nursing program and has proven excellence in nursing scholarship and service.

Erin Wallace is the recipient of the 2025-2026 Laura D. Smith/NSNA Scholarship for her Master of Science in Nursing at Frontier Nursing University, where she is studying to become a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP).

For over 15 years, Erin has been working as a Registered Nurse in the Emergency Department at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Growing up in a military family instilled in her a deep respect for service members and a lasting commitment to veteran care. Her decision to pursue advanced practice in psychiatric mental health nursing was shaped by both personal and professional experiences.

Erin's long-term goal is to lead research and develop accessible, effective care models that address mental health and substance use in vulnerable populations. The PMHNP degree will allow her to design and implement evidence-based, trauma-informed treatment programs that incorporate traditional and complementary therapies.

Learn more about Erin at www.n-e-f.org/scholars/erin-wallace

Margaret Gould Tyson was an NEF Board Member and the Dean at Hunter Bellevue School of Nursing in New York City. Since h...
05/21/2026

Margaret Gould Tyson was an NEF Board Member and the Dean at Hunter Bellevue School of Nursing in New York City. Since her passing in 2008, the scholarship in her name has been given annually to a doctoral applicant studying nursing education.

Katherine (Katy) Valentine, RN, MSN, PCCN, is the recipient of the 2025-2026 Margaret Gould Tyson Scholarship for her PhD in Nursing Education at the University of Northern Colorado (UNCO).

Katy’s journey to nursing was inspired by her mother, who is a Nurse Practitioner, and her grandmother, who is a nurse. The nursing field brings together her passion for research and science and her love for people. She is a Certified Nurse Educator and a Progressive Care Certified Nurse and is currently an Assistant Professor and the Skills Lab Coordinator at California Baptist University.

Her research of nursing students with disabilities has resulted in two pilot studies as part of her program to better understand the barriers and facilitators to accommodation use among nursing students with disabilities. She plans to use the skills she gains during her PhD studies to help reduce barriers for nursing students with disabilities.

Learn more about Katy at www.n-e-f.org/scholars/katherine-valentine

Marie Toupou, BSN, RN, is the recipient of the 2025-2026 Liesel M. Hiemenz Scholarship, which is given with preference t...
05/20/2026

Marie Toupou, BSN, RN, is the recipient of the 2025-2026 Liesel M. Hiemenz Scholarship, which is given with preference to applicants interested in public health. Marie just completed her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) in the Family Nurse Practitioner program at Columbia University School of Nursing.

Originally from Guinea, West Africa, Marie’s passion for nursing was inspired by directly witnessing the health disparities in her community growing up, particularly the impact of limited access to basic and preventative healthcare services. This early exposure shaped her desire to serve populations that are too often overlooked and underserved. She is especially driven to improve health outcomes in communities where a lack of knowledge, resources, and preventative care sites continues to create barriers to health and wellness.

Looking forward, she plans to work at a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), where she can provide primary care to underserved and diverse populations. She also hopes to contribute to nursing education, whether in the classroom or through clinical preceptorship and mentorship.

Learn more about Marie at www.n-e-f.org/scholars/marie-toupou

The Joanne V. Pontier Scholarship was established in 2022 by Mary Insall to honor her cherished sister, a nurse who work...
05/19/2026

The Joanne V. Pontier Scholarship was established in 2022 by Mary Insall to honor her cherished sister, a nurse who worked in the emergency department. The scholarship is devoted to graduate students studying emergency nursing care, research, and education.

Savanna Suydam, BSN, RN, CEN, SANE-A, PA-SANE, is the recipient of the 2025-2026 Joanne V. Pontier Scholarship for her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree, with an emergency specialty, at Loyola University, Chicago.

Savanna is the Trauma and Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) Coordinator at Loyola Medicine MacNeal Hospital. She created and continues to oversee a large SANE on-call program that covers all hospitals in the Loyola Medicine system. As an Emergency Nurses Association Trauma Nurse Core Course-certified instructor, Savanna helps to provide nurses with a foundation in trauma nursing and the ability to perform expert care for trauma patients.

Looking forward, she will continue with research, providing specialized education for healthcare professionals, and creating evidence-based documentation tools and protocols to enhance clinical outcomes and the availability of care. A doctorate degree in nursing practice with an emergency specialty will not only prepare her to care for patients with an expansive knowledge base, but will also provide her with foundations in research, leadership, and administrative skills to make lasting systemic changes.

Learn more about Savanna at www.n-e-f.org/scholars/savanna-suydam

The Barbara Tate Scholarship was initiated in 2011 by Henry Spencer, past Treasurer of NEF and a colleague of Barbara Ta...
05/18/2026

The Barbara Tate Scholarship was initiated in 2011 by Henry Spencer, past Treasurer of NEF and a colleague of Barbara Tate. Dr. Tate dedicated her long career to the advancement of nursing and nursing education. She was the Director of Research at the National League for Nursing and editor of the journal Nursing Research.

Jennifer Spezza, RN, BSN, CWOCN, is the 2025-2026 recipient of the Barabara L. Tate Scholarship. Currently serving with Providence Home Health in Portland, Oregon, she is also pursuing her Master of Science in Nursing at Georgetown University in the Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) program.

Jennifer is a dedicated Wound, Ostomy, and Continence (WOC) nurse with over 15 years of specialized experience providing care across hospital, clinic, and home health settings. A committed educator and mentor, Jennifer has provided ongoing training to nursing staff and colleagues on best practices in WOC care.

Looking ahead, Jennifer aims to integrate her WOC expertise with her future role as a Family Nurse Practitioner to serve vulnerable and underserved populations more comprehensively. Her long-term goal is to develop sustainable, accessible care models that reach patients in their homes and communities, especially those who have historically struggled to access specialized or consistent healthcare.

Learn more about Jennifer at www.n-e-f.org/scholars/jennifer-spezza

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