Plank2bank Scholarship by Dr. J: Empowering Nurses Through Physical and Academic Excellence

A Collaborator Inspired Scholarship

Fund Purpose: The Plank 2 Bank Scholarship focuses on uplifting nurses by recognizing their physical and academic potential. The purpose is to support their journey through financial assistance, promoting overall health and excellence in the nursing profession. Inspired by Dr. J’s own experience as a higher education learner, knows exactly how it feels to stress over finances instead of focusing on exams. As a DPT, he also knows how it feels to treat nurses who have chronic back injuries by just doing their job. That’s why this scholarship exists: to give learners a financial boost while also sparking a mindset shift toward long-term physical endurance and wellness. It’s not just about paying for school - it’s about setting nurses up for success in their careers, and in their bodies, for years to come.

Fund Scope: Physical fitness is crucial for nurses to meet the demanding nature of their work. Nurses often perform tasks that involve heavy lifting, prolonged standing, and patient transfers. Maintaining physical health enhances strength and endurance. Greater strength and endurance help nurses to avoid work-related injuries. 

Prioritizing fitness contributes to overall job performance and patient care. Core strength prevents injuries, especially lower back issues, and physical endurance enhances stamina during long shifts. The demands of the nursing profession necessitate robust physical fitness to prevent fatigue and injury on the job. Regular physical fitness significantly contributes to injury prevention by strengthening muscles and improving body mechanics. Enhanced stamina reduces stress and fatigue, allowing nurses to perform optimally during long shifts. 

Fund Eligibility: Active, matriculated learners in any undergraduate program are eligible to apply and be awarded this scholarship. Foundational learners during Fall 2025 semester are not eligible. MSN program learners are not eligible. 

Fund Process: Please note that this scholarship fund has a unique process, described below.

1. Applicants complete the application form offered via Submittable by October 31, 2025. 
2. The top 5 scoring applicants will be invited to a live planking challenge, to take place on a Teams Meeting during the first week of December (date/time TBD). The longest held live plank will be awarded the scholarship funds for the Fall 2025 cycle. 

Award Details: One scholarship in the amount of $1,000 will be awarded to the top applicant from Round 2, the Planking Challenge. 

Fund Restrictions

• Awarded funding may be used toward tuition and fees. 

The Learner Disaster Relief Fund is offered to current Nightingale College Learners who are experiencing or have been affected by a current disaster and need financial assistance to be able to continue their respective nursing program at Nightingale College. When disaster strikes, Nightingale College learners may not have access to their everyday support systems, resources, and basic needs. Yet, even in the face of adversity, many learners want to continue their education and give back to their communities as future nurses.

Fund Donor(s): Various Nightingale Education Group Collaborators

Fund Eligibility: To be considered for the Learner Disaster Relief Fund from the Nightingale Foundation, applicants must meet all of the following eligibility criteria. 

• Be currently enrolled as a learner at Nightingale College
• Be currently experiencing a disaster*. 
• Have a financial need for support due to the effects of aforementioned disaster. Examples of financial needs include tuition (due to in ability to pay for basic resources), basic resources (shelter/housing, utilities, food, supplies, sanitation, transportation, first aid, hospital fees (due to accidents or issues incurred during disaster), emergency blankets and clothing, and other essentials. 

*Disaster is defined as one or any of the following: A serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a society at any scale. An unforeseen event that overwhelms local capacity, necessitating external assistance. It results in significant damage, destruction, and human suffering. An event where a community faces severe danger and incurs significant losses to persons or property, taxing available resources. An event that results in great harm, damage, or death. 

Examples of disasters may include (but are not limited to): 

• Hurricanes
• Tornados
• Earthquakes
• Floods
• Fires (house or wild)
• Other Natural Disasters

Fund Budget: Varies

• This fund will remain open and available for applications at any time. Funding to be disbursed as funds are available and at the discretion of Nightingale Foundation. 

Fund Restrictions

• Funds are only available to learners attending Nightingale College that are experiencing a disaster. 
• Nightingale Foundation has the right to refuse an application if eligibility conditions are not met. 

All scholarship awardees will be required to sign an Award Agreement and provide Nightingale Foundation with impact stories post award. 

The Shneyder & Kirk Reaching the Impossible Scholarship Fund is designed to support learners currently in their foundational courses (Math and English 90) and are at risk of not matriculating into a nursing program due to lack of financial resources. Becoming a successful nurse requires tenacity, drive, passion, and resiliency. This fund aims to support learners who embody these qualities and need support to continue their educational journey at Nightingale College post foundational courses. 

Fund Awards: 3 learners for Fall 2025 in the amount of $2,000 each.

Fund Eligibility: To be considered for Shneyder & Kirk Reaching the Impossible Scholarship from the Nightingale Foundation, applicants must meet all of the following eligibility criteria. 

• Be currently enrolled in English 90 and/or Math 90 during Fall Semester 2025. Learners must successfully complete their foundational courses in order to be awarded the scholarship but must apply while in the semester they are enrolled in English 90 and/or Math 90.  
• Demonstrate financial need; and
• Exemplify tenacity, grit, and resiliency. 

Fund Restrictions

• Scholarship funds will only be awarded to learners who have successfully completed the foundational courses in their first academic year. 
• Scholarship funds are not paid out until foundation courses are complete. 
• Eligible learners must apply for the scholarship while still enrolled in their foundational courses. Awarded funds will be applied to the following two semesters and disbursed after the expiration of the add/drop period in each of the semesters in $1,000 installments. 
• Learners are not eligible to apply once past their foundation courses, no reapplying is permitted.
• Funding will be disbursed to learners in two installments, one per semester. If a learner withdraws from the program, funds will be reallocated accordingly. Scholarship funds may only be applied to tuition and fees and will not be distributed to the learner after withdrawal. If upon withdrawal, the available financial aid creates a negative ledger balance, the excess funds will be returned to the Foundation. 

Application Timeline: 

• Applications accepted from 9/5/2025 - 11/9/2025 at 11:59PM MST. No late applications will be accepted. 
• Applications are reviewed and scored by the committee during Week 12 - Week 14 each semester. 
• Scholarship award announcement will happen no later than Friday of Week 15 each semester (subject to change).  

All scholarship awardees will be required to sign an Award Agreement and provide Nightingale Foundation with impact stories post award.