photo by: Derek Redd

WVU Medicine Wheeling Hospital Chief Nursing Officer Jennifer Riley welcomes the latest cohort of students to the hospital’s Aspiring Nurses Program.

WHEELING — WVU Medicine reinforced its commitment to supporting local nursing students Thursday, signing its latest cohort of its Aspiring Nurses Program.

Eighteen nursing students — 14 from Belmont College and four from West Liberty University — and their families took part in the signing day celebration at the auditorium WVU Medicine Wheeling Hospital. Three other WLU students will join the cohort, but were unable to attend Thursday.

The program — funded exclusively by the Wheeling-Charleston Diocese, according to Douglass Harrison, CEO of WVU Medicine Wheeling and Reynolds Memorial hospitals — offers financial and other support to qualifying nursing students. The program was born from nursing student feedback, as many have said the financial burdens of school had not allowed them to finish. Many of those are nontraditional students or students with families.

The Aspiring Nurses Program gives cohort members $5,000 per semester for their last four semesters of school, plus another $5,000 upon completion, for a total of up to $25,000.

Following graduation, the nurses will become bedside nurses at WVU Medicine hospitals for three years.

But that’s not all, said WVU Medicine Wheeling Hospital Chief Nursing Officer Jennifer Riley.

“I think it’s twofold,” she said. “I think financially it does take some weight off their shoulders. But we also have a relationship with them throughout their schooling, where we touch base with them once a month. Also, all of the nursing leadership meets with them at the end of each semester.

“We really want them to feel like a part of our family from the beginning of when they’re in school,” Riley added, “so that their transition is less scary.”

The money can be used at the students’ discretion for any purpose. That could mean books or other school materials. That could mean child care or taking care of a car repair.

Kate Withrow, who was part of the inaugural cohort last year, was at WVU Medicine Wheeling Hospital on Thursday to watch this year’s cohort sign. She said that the support those students will receive is priceless, and she knows from experience.

Withrow said that, in this economy, she likely wouldn’t be able to attend nursing school without this help.

“It takes a lot of weight off of you, and I’m a parent of three,” she said. “So I don’t have to worry so much about tires or if the car was to suddenly break down and I’m not going to get here or if I need a babysitter. It really does help.”

Tiffany Waldrum is a Wheeling native and one of the Belmont College nursing students to sign Thursday. She said the support offered by the Aspiring Nurses Program relieves the pressure by “millions … and then some.” She said that the guarantee of a job out of nursing school is just as valuable.

“(The program) helps me provide extra for my family,” she said. “And it gives me a great opportunity to work for WVU Medicine after I graduate, so I’m guaranteed to prove more. So, all around, it’s excellent.”

Belmont College students in this year’s cohort are Stephanie Carroll, Leah Dawkins, Jessica Greenwood, Mackenzie Keene, Kenadee Kleeh, Paige Koshenko, Brittany Marchetti, Brenna McElwain, Morgan Mulhy, Hannah Porter, Allana Seppala, Josie Stephens, Rachel Talbott and Tiffany Waldrum. WLU students in this year’s cohort are Ubab Mamina-Ahmed, McKenna Calahan, Holly Lynn Suarez, Victoria Yost, Oliva Charlton, Colton Thomas and Lauren Wright.

A separate signing will be held next week for more students at WVU Medicine Reynolds Memorial Hospital.