Funded by Liaison International, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s (AACN’s) partner in NursingCAS, this scholarship and leadership development program was created in honor of AACN’s President and CEO Dr. Deborah Trautman. 

Overview

This $3,500 scholarship is designed to recognize graduate nursing students who aspire to leadership positions in academic nursing. In addition to $2,000 to cover educational expenses which is sent directly to the student, scholarship recipients will participate in a one-on-one leadership development experience with Dr. Trautman at AACN’s headquarters in Washington, DC. Up to $1,500 of the scholarship award will be used to cover travel expenses for the three-day leadership development program.

Eligibility Criteria

With two awards available each year, this scholarship is open to students in master’s or doctoral nursing programs offered at AACN member schools affiliated with NursingCAS, the nation’s only centralized application service for nursing programs. Students must illustrate high academic achievement and list past experiences that show a commitment to academic nursing. Applicants must be currently enrolled and in good standing at their school of nursing. They must also be members of AACN’s Graduate Nursing Student Academy (membership is free).

Application Process

All applicants must submit:

• A scholarship application (view the details here), including biographical information and contact information for a faculty advisor

• A concise essay (no more than 500 words) outlining career achievements, desire to aspire to a future leadership position in academia, and your vision for academic nursing
• A CV or resume that includes key milestones related to your leadership and career development (i.e. conference attendance, poster presentations, publications, etc.)
• Goals (3-4 bullets) for what you hope to achieve during the leadership development experience with Dr. Trautman
• Two letters of recommendation, including one from the nursing school dean or director
• A signed commitment statement agreeing to complete the 3-day leadership development component of this program. Failure to complete this requirement will forfeit your scholarship funding.