News
Cheryl Borgman Nursing Student Assistance Fund Enables Nursing Students to Graduate
November 30, 2021
By Shannon Dale
Grand Valley State University nursing students are resilient and work hard to juggle challenging coursework, support their families, and take on jobs to make ends meet. However, sometimes emergencies arise and our nursing students need a helping hand to keep them on track for graduation.
The Cheryl Borgman Nursing Student Assistance Fund provides non-tuition emergency funding for GVSU Kirkhof College of Nursing (KCON) students facing unexpected financial challenges, enabling them to continue their nursing education.
The true impact of this emergency funding is best told from recent student recipients, who were able to successfully graduate in the face of significant challenges:
For Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) student, Laura,* as graduation neared, her family struggled to make ends meet. Even with Laura and her husband both working, bills and fees piled up. She had just given birth to her second daughter one week before the start of her final semester and some days they didn’t know where their next meal would come from. Already nervous about passing her NCLEX, she didn’t know how she would find the funding to take the Kaplan review course or even pay for the exam itself.
“My amazing clinical group members, who had become true friends throughout school, were aware of my situation, and unbeknownst to me, they spoke to a faculty member. She reached out to me and let me know about the Cheryl Borgman fund,” explains Laura.
“I truly can't put into words how appreciative I am of this fund and how much it changed my life. The fund alleviated that stressor in my life at the time and it helped me to feel prepared to take the NCLEX by being able to take the Kaplan review course. I passed with flying colors and then transitioned to a successful, rewarding career.”
Being able to start her career as an RN, paired with a lot of hard work and dedication, enabled her to turn around her financial situation.
“I will forever be beyond thankful for the generosity of others who helped to make my dream of becoming an RN come true! I have been blessed to be an RN for 5 years now and have truly the best career imaginable. I am able to help others and be there to support them during the stressful times in their lives which is honestly so rewarding. I might not be where I am today if it weren't for all of the selfless people who donated to this fund!”
Cheryl Borgman worked in the KCON Dean's Office from 2004-2015, where she acted as KCON's "front door ambassador," serving as the academic department coordinator. She was known for being the smiling, caring, gracious first person that many people met in KCON's front office. Cheryl passed away in 2016 following a brave battle with cancer. In her memory, the emergency nursing student assistance fund was renamed the Cheryl Borgman Nursing Student Assistance Fund.
For BSN student, Avery,* when unexpected financial burdens came about, she was normally able to pick up extra shifts at Spectrum Blodgett where she worked as a nurse technician. However, between nursing school, working part-time, and having kids, extra shifts were no longer an option. When her car unexpectedly broke down, she suddenly lost the ability to get her kids or herself to school.
“The funding enabled me to continue my studies by allowing me to have transportation to school and clinical,” explains Avery. “Receiving this support came at just the right time. We were trying to figure out how to pay for the car repair and make it to all the places we needed to be. It was such a relief!”
“I would like to say a huge thank you to all the people who donate to this fund. Being a student, mom and employee is a lot right now, and getting a bit of help to get through this program successfully was a huge blessing,” says Avery.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Cheryl Borgman Nursing Student Assistance fund was more vital than ever, helping students with financial emergencies when their part-time jobs were cut during the lockdown.
Jerry, an international student in the BSN program, would need to take some semesters off of school to earn enough money to afford tuition the following semester. This fragmented process added extra years to his educational journey and constant financial stress.
In the summer of 2020, he learned that he had hit the maximum amount of financial aid he was able to use with a significant portion of tuition left to pay for his final semester. At the same time, the pandemic took away his side jobs including driving for Lyft, stranding him without a way to make ends meet.
With his family back in Ghana, he had no one to help him take out a private loan and he didn’t know where to turn. Luckily, Jerry opened up to his academic advisor, who helped him explore more financial aid opportunities at GVSU, including the Cheryl Borgman Nursing Student Assistance fund.
“I was scared I would have to quit nursing school if I was not able to raise this money,” explains Jerry. “This financial support helped me in the most unimaginable ways possible. Not only was my tuition paid, but I was also able to focus mentally on finishing school without the distraction of worrying about where to find money to pay my balance.”
Through this added support, Jerry was able to graduate and is now a working nurse.
“A very big thank you to the donors. Your help has impacted and changed so many lives. Today, because of your support, I am able to become the nurse I always wanted to become. I am able to also extend help to my family and people who need help in Ghana - West Africa and I am now a frontline nurse working to save lives.”
This #GivingTuesday, join the KCON family in support of nursing students who need a helping hand on their journey to graduation. Gifts of all sizes to the Cheryl Borgman Nursing Student Assistance fund add up to make a meaningful impact.
Make your gift today: gvsu.edu/giving/borgman
*Student names have been changed to protect their privacy.