Published on November 26, 2024 by Megan Winkler  
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Orlando Health has donated $25,000 to the Baptist Health Foundation's New Generation Nurses Fund, with matching contributions from the Baptist Health Foundation and Baptist Health System, bringing the total donation to $75,000. The funds will support students at Moffett & Sanders School of Nursing.

"Matching Orlando Health's contribution to the New Generation Nurses Fund helps support nurses who play a crucial role in enhancing patient health and well-being. As healthcare providers, there is no higher mission," said Amy Allen, president and CEO of Baptist Health System.

Each year, a scholarship will be awarded to a nursing student with financial need at Moffett & Sanders School of Nursing. The scholarship aims to reduce cost-related challenges, allowing students to focus more on their studies while earning their degree.

"We are deeply grateful to Orlando Health for their generous support through the New Generation of Nurses Scholarship," said Melondie Carter, dean of Moffett & Sanders School of Nursing. "It helps aspiring nurses achieve their dreams of serving others and making a meaningful impact in their communities."

With a shortage of qualified nurses, programs at Moffett & Sanders School of Nursing and scholarships like the New Generation Nurses Scholarship are crucial to ensuring the region has a steady pipeline of skilled healthcare professionals.

"At its core, nursing is a calling, and financial support like this empowers students to fulfill that mission and make a difference," Carter said.

This initiative is part of a broader partnership that began on Oct. 1, 2024, when Brookwood Baptist Health joined Orlando Health, a regional healthcare provider with a strong presence across the southeastern U.S. and Puerto Rico. The collaboration is expected to benefit both the community and students in the Birmingham area.

"Nurses are the heartbeat of healthcare," said Kelly Edmondson, vice president of nursing and patient care at Orlando Health. "This scholarship will help grow the nursing profession in Central Alabama by making nursing education more accessible and reducing financial barriers."

Moffett & Sanders School of Nursing provides students with a comprehensive education, combining academic rigor, hands-on clinical experience and service opportunities both locally and internationally. Graduates leave the program with the skills and confidence to provide high-quality care to individuals and communities.

"These generous scholarship resources—and Samford's deepening partnership with Baptist Health System—are vital to the university's mission of cultivating top-flight nurses who are skilled, attentive and compassionate," said Samford President Beck. A Taylor. "Graced by these new funds, future nursing students will be equipped to pay forward the blessings to the countless patients they treat."

 
Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Samford enrolls 6,101 students from 45 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks 6th nationally for its Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.