College of Nursing Doctoral Student Wins $5,000 Scholarship

A USF College of Nursing doctoral student has been given a $5,000 scholarship from a national organization that promotes quality standards for nursing schools.

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), which celebrates its 50^th anniversary this year, announced it will award the Geraldine “Polly” Bednash Scholarship to USF Bull nurse Alyssa King.

Two academic grants of $5,000 each are distributed by AACN to top nursing school applicants four times a year.

King, who is set to graduate with a Doctor of Nursing Practice and a post-master’s certificate in nursing education in December, welcomed the news. She said the scholarship came at the perfect time, because it will pay for her final semester at USF.

She said she is grateful for the money, but almost didn’t believe it when AACN organizers emailed her about being named a scholar.

“I was taken aback. But I was really excited. I’ve applied for so many scholarships over the last 10 years that I considered it a part-time job,” she said.

“To me, it’s worth it to apply for every single scholarship that you see. It’s worth taking the chance and putting the work into it,” said King, who serves as president of the Doctoral Nursing Student Organization in the College of Nursing.

For King, that tenacity has paid off. She has won more than $72,000 in scholarships that have paid for her undergraduate and graduate education at USF.

Story by Elizabeth Lee Brown, USF College of Nursing