TWIN FALLS, Idaho — The College of Southern Idaho recently received a grant to support its Registered Nursing program.
CSI announced that The John William Jackson Philanthropic Fund in the Idaho Community Foundation gave a $10,000 grant to the program to help students continue to study nursing.
“It kindles hope in your heart that there are great people out there that are raising money and doing things selflessly just to help other people,” said Jayson Llyod, Dean of Health Sciences and Health Services.
“Just having the community behind our back feels really good, like somebody's just picking you up from your shoulders out of the water and be like 'breathe, you got this,'” said Stefani Zimmerman, CSI nursing student.
The grant looks to help more students join the nursing program. Idaho, along with many states, is struggling with a staffing shortage in many hospitals. Nursing is one of the most available jobs in the country.
“In the Magic Valley we have that same issue with finding qualified nurses to care for our people and to keep us healthy,” said Llyod.
Zimmerman says she joined the CSI program over other nursing opportunities because of the support she receives through community grants and scholarships.
“The scholarships I received for childcare, it was an immense blessing in my life. I probably wouldn't have still been here in my first semester if I didn't have that because nursing school is a full-time job,” said Zimmerman.
