Three MSN students have been awarded the ANEW Psychiatric - Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Scholarship for Serving Vulnerable Populations.

Debra Bates, Daniel Moldwin and Janine Panker are enrolled in the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) program.

This scholarship stems from a partnership the School of Nursing formed in July 2019 with the Cohen Veterans Network, a national, not-for-profit, philanthropic network of mental health clinics for post-9/11 veterans and their families.

Each student has received $22,000 towards their tuition. Funding comes from the $428,705 HRSA Advanced Nursing Education Workforce (ANEW) grant awarded to Sean P. Convoy, DNP, PMHNP-BC, assistant professor and PMHNP lead faculty.

Convoy is also the project director for the HRSA ANEW Program. Consistent with the HRSA 19-003 ANEW Program, the purpose of this project is to prepare PMHNP students to practice in underserved areas across the nation.

Bates, Moldwin and Panker were chosen for the ANEW Psychiatric Scholarship in part because of their desire to provide care for vulnerable populations in underserved rural settings.

“I have spent much of my career as a registered nurse working with the vulnerable and underserved populations,” Bates said. “It is an amazing feeling to know that I was validated for my hard work and commitment to serve those in need by being awarded this scholarship. The opportunity to help veterans and their families as well as disadvantaged individuals that are at greater risk in our society was appealing to me as a future provider of mental health services.”

The students will be doing their clinical at their preferred Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic site.

“I had never considered the extent to which the veteran population was underserved until completing my first clinical rotation at the Northport VA Medical Center in New York,” Moldwin said. “Throughout the United States, there are many veterans in need of mental health care and not enough clinicians available. Along with this scholarship comes the opportunity to be part of the solution.”