Background
The Northwestern State University College of Nursing has a proud history of educating nurses. Over the past six decades, more than seven thousand students have received degrees in Nursing from NSU, making it the oldest state supported nursing program in Louisiana.

Currently the College offers four degree programs including the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) and Bachelor of Science in Radiologic Sciences. Over 1000 students attend classes in the Nursing Education Center located in Shreveport, Louisiana. However, students may take nursing courses on the main NSU campus in Natchitoches, as well as, in Alexandria, Leesville, Ferriday Louisiana.

The College of Nursing also maintains clinical affiliations with all of the major health care facilities located in the cities listed above.

The number of students in the nursing program, over two thousand, makes up one fifth of NSU’s total enrollment. Many of these individuals choose to work in Louisiana after graduation.

Our undergraduates continue to excel on the licensure exams and our master’s students rank in the top percentile on national certification examinations. Furthermore, NSU Nursing Alumni exert their leadership influence through their positions in professional nursing associations, on state boards, as nursing administrators and as nursing educators.

Why are our College of Nursing alumni outstanding? The answer is our outstanding College of Nursing faculty! Our faculty work everyday to uphold the mission of the College of Nursing and Northwestern State University. They strive “to improve the health of people in Louisiana and advance the mission of NSU through excellence in accessible undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education programs designed to assist individuals in achieving their professional goals as responsible and contributing members of a chosen profession and of society.”

As a public institution, the College of Nursing receives funding from the State of Louisiana. That support ensures survival but not excellence. The College of Nursing must raise private support for faculty and students to stay abreast of advances in health care and higher education.

It is no secret that Louisiana along with the rest of the United States faces a critical nursing shortage. As the number of students graduating with nursing degrees declines, so does the number of nurses who are qualified and willing to teach.

The challenges ahead make it imperative that the NSU College of Nursing provide the highest possible quality of education to attract and retain the best and the brightest students and faculty.
Private gifts will help us rise to the meet the challenges of the future and guarantee the continued excellence and greatness of the NSU College of Nursing. Excellence is not expensive, it is priceless.


Many Ways to Give to the College of Nursing

Your support of the NSU College of Nursing is vital to the College of Nursing. There are a number of ways to give your personal support, each of which provide significant tax advantages.

Endowed Chair for Excellence in Nursing
An endowed Chair for Excellence in Nursing would allow the NSU College of Nursing to conduct a national search for a professor with a reputation as an eminent scholar within his or her academic discipline. The individual must have a prominent leadership record, an outstanding publication record, an external research record or recognition for innovation in teaching and development of grants and awards and an acclaimed performance and creative portfolio.
Modeled after the Louisiana Endowment Trust Fund for Eminent Scholars the board of Regents Support Fund Endowed Chairs for Eminent Scholars Program first awarded chairs under the aegis of the Support Fund in 1987. All chairs are endowed for $1 million: $600,000 in private funds, with a $400,000 match from the Support Fund. Interest from the $1 million donation is awarded to the deserving candidate, found through a national search, for use in his or her teaching profession. The funds may be used for salary supplements, equipment, clerical assistance, travel to professional conferences and more.

The donor may name the Endowed Chair in honor or memory of whomever they so choose. The gift of an Endowed Chair for Excellence in Nursing will provide the College of Nursing with the permanent funding needed to move the college toward its quest for continued excellence and national prominence.

Endowed Professorship for the College of Nursing
The State of Louisiana has a very special program regarding Endowed Professorships. When a donor makes a gift of $60,000, the state will match that gift with funds of $40,000 creating an endowed professorship totaling $100,000. Interest from the $100,000 endowment is then awarded to a deserving College of Nursing professor for use in his/her teaching profession. The funds may be used for salary supplements, equipment, clerical assistance, travel to professional conferences and more. This is one way the NSU College of Nursing can award outstanding professors.

An Endowed Professorship may be named in memory or in honor of someone special to the donor. Endowed Professorships enable NSU to recruit and retain its best faculty.

Endowed Scholarship for the College of Nursing
An Endowed Scholarship in Nursing is the ideal way to honor or pay tribute to a family member, friend or someone special in the donor’s life. An Endowed Scholarship usually begins with an initial investment of $10,000. A gift of $100,000 would fund a full Nursing scholarship to Northwestern State University. The endowed portion of the scholarship will always remain intact and the interest earned on the initial investment will be used for the actual scholarship.

The donor may name the scholarship and set up the guidelines for the recipient. This is an excellent way for a donor to make an outstanding investment securing the future of nursing education.

The Nursing Support and Scholarship Fund
This program enhancement fund allows the College of Nursing to acquire supplementary resources essential to student learning and faculty instruction. These resources include, but are not limited to, faculty development, research, equipment, and travel to scholarly conferences. The Nursing Support and Scholarship Fund also allows the College to host meetings for the Nursing Advisory Board. This board provides critical information to the College of Nursing about the strengths and weaknesses of our students. Finally, students have received emergency assistance through the Nursing Support and Scholarship Fund. Students with extenuating circumstances may receive a loan from the fund and pay it back without interest.

Honor Gifts
Honor gifts to the NSU College of Nursing provide lasting recognition for a fellow graduate, relative or friend. Gifts are often given:

• In memory of a loved one or friend
• To honor the birthday, anniversary or other significant occasion
• To commemorate a milestone or special event

Contributions help to provide scholarships and advance the educational programs in the College of Nursing. Honor gifts may be made at any time you wish, for the purpose of your choice. A letter will be sent to the person or family, informing them of your gift.

•Donor Tree Gifts - Beautiful donor tree located in the lobby of the NSU Nursing Education Center in Shreveport Campus.  Foundations stones, leaves, and honor benches available.  Click here for more information.

•Gifts of Cash - most gifts to the College of Nursing are in the form of cash, usually by check.

•Estate Gifts - The most frequent from of an estate gift is a bequest by will, which qualifies for an estate tax deduction.

•Life Insurance - Giving a life insurance policy to the College of Nursing can provide meaningful tax savings to the donor.

•Gifts of Securities - Gifts of appreciated stocks may offer tax advantages, including forgiveness of capital gains tax and an income tax charitable deduction.

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For more information on ways to
support the College of Nursing contact


Director of Development
College of Nursing
1800 Line Avenue
Shreveport, Louisiana 71101
(318) 677-3100
(318) 677-3127 FAX