St. John’s College of Nursing and the University of Illinois Chicago will receive grants from the Illinois Board of Higher Education.   They are among 12 institutions receiving part of $1.4 million to help increase the number of registered professional nurses.

“These funds will help nursing programs prepare students for a successful career and meet the demands of the healthcare industry at a time when the health professional shortage and the critical work nurses perform have become more evident than ever,” said IBHE Executive Director Ginger Ostro. “We are pleased to partner with institutions to help prepare the nurses of tomorrow and meet the goals of the higher education strategic plan to close equity gaps.”

St. John’s College of Nursing in Springfield plans to use $70,000 in grant money for the Pathway 2 Success program to help increase NCLEX (nationwide licensing exam) pass rates, investment in a Peer Tutoring/Mentors Center and HURST NCLEX-RN review and Elevate Program Boot Camp.

UIC will receive close to $150,000 for the Launch PREPARE (Pre-Licensure Readiness Education Program for Aspiring Registered NursEs) program in the summer of 2024 aimed at improving TEAS (Test of Essential Academic Skills) test, an exam that is required for many nursing schools.  The Launch PREPARE program will be available at the Chicago, Champaign and Springfield campuses.