UWF partners with McDonald’s for nursing scholarship endowment

Aug. 28, 2015

The University of West Florida announced the establishment of the McDonald’s of Northwest Florida Nursing Scholarship Endowment on Thursday, Aug. 20. The Department of Nursing will award the scholarship to select upper division nursing students thanks to an initial $35,000 donation by McDonald’s.

The donations from McDonald’s of Northwest Florida came from franchise owners William Barnes, David Costa, Mike Dorso, John O’Connor and Susan O’Connor.

“The UWF Department of Nursing is grateful for this type of student scholarship as it not only allows students to use the scholarship dollars for tuition, but also for additional expenses such as nurse uniforms, books, skill packs, software and more,” said Dr. Ermalynn Kiehl, dean of the College of Health. “A scholarship like this can make the difference in a student being able to continue in the program. We are very appreciative of McDonald’s for this endowment.”

As the only nationally accredited Bachelor of Science in Nursing program in the Pensacola area, UWF enjoys uniquely strong relationships with community partners. Requests from such partners for more BSN graduates led to the development of a second nursing cohort for Spring 2016.

“At McDonald’s, we recognize how scholarships make a difference in the lives of students, allowing them to focus on their education and pursue career opportunities,” said John O’Connor, president of McDonald’s Mobile Pen Coop and local McDonald’s owner. “We are very proud to support UWF and this scholarship endowment for nursing students. We look forward to seeing these graduates as future healthcare professionals making our communities a healthier place.”

Students eligible for the scholarship will be upper division nursing majors with a minimum GPA of 3.0. The Department of Nursing will select the recipients.

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About the University of West Florida: Founded in 1963, the University of West Florida is a vibrant, distinctive institution of higher learning with undergraduate, graduate and targeted research programs. With multiple locations in Northwest Florida, the University serves a student population of more than 12,000. Dedicated to helping students realize their full potential, UWF favors small class sizes with quality teacher-scholars who deliver personalized, innovative, hands-on learning and leadership opportunities.