Family Revitalizes Scholarship in Mother's Honor

As he applied to the SIUE School of Nursing, a plaque hanging in the hallway caught the eye of Joseph Strohmeyer. Upon further inspection, the freshman student realized the plaque announced a scholarship that had been named in honor of his grandmother, Shirley Strohmeyer, in 1996.

During her tenure as an advisor in the School, Shirley Strohmeyer was endearingly referred to as “mother hen.” Her family always knew she was a committed staff member who was devoted to helping students. However, they had never heard of the School’s almost 20-year-old scholarship paying tribute to their mother and grandmother: the Shirley Strohmeyer Memorial Nursing Scholarship. Read more about the revitalized scholarship.

School of Nursing Collaborates on Asthma Initiatives

It’s an old problem that has gripped a vulnerable group of people for years, but the SIUE Schools of Nursing and Pharmacy hope to breathe new energy into helping children manage asthma. The Schools are part of a coalition working to help East St. Louis children and their families understand asthma and its symptoms, learn how to manage their environment and medication, and know how to monitor their asthma.

“St. Clair County has the highest asthma hospitalization rate in the entire state of Illinois, with East St. Louis residents being especially impacted,” said Dr. Rhonda Comrie, School of Nursing associate dean and founder of the Southwestern Illinois Asthma Coalition. Read more about the asthma initiatives.

Grant Addresses Need for Diversity in Nursing

The SIUE School of Nursing received grant renewal for the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Nursing Workforce Diversity Program. This $332,939 grant, which is the second award of the three-year grant, supports the School’s Student Nurse Achievement Program (SNAP).

SNAP is a successful, ongoing initiative that addresses the critical need to increase the numbers of diverse professional nurses in the workforce by recruiting and retaining students from racially, ethnically and culturally diverse backgrounds. Read more about the SNAP program.

"Honoring the Past - Empowering the Future" Gala Planned

In these challenging economic times, need-based scholarships make all the difference for students undergoing financial hardship, and merit-based scholarships make a significant difference in the ability to attract outstanding nursing students and future leaders to the nursing profession and the SIUE School of Nursing.

Alumni and friends of the School are building an endowed scholarship fund that will be there in perpetuity to support the next generation of SIUE nursing students and leaders. The goal for "Honoring the Past - Empowering the Future" is to raise $100,000 over 18 months in support of endowed scholarships for talented and deserving undergraduate and graduate nursing students. Read more about the endowed scholarships and upcoming gala.

Additional Space Enhances Learning

Formerly a lounge where students went to relax, study, or access printers and computers, the space across from the SIUE School of Nursing's simulation lab has been transformed into a lab annex.

"With as many students as we have, we definitely needed space where students who are learning new techniques could practice in a simulated environment," said Dr. Roberta Harrison, assistant dean for undergraduate programs. "That's where the idea of a lab annex took shape." Read more about the new lab annex.

$25,000 in Scholarships Awarded

The SIUE School of Nursing awarded $25,000 in scholarships to students on Thursday, April 30, at its 8th Annual Scholarship Luncheon in the Morris University Center. Nearly 60 scholarship donors, recipients and faculty members were in attendance as 32 students were recognized for their achievements. Read more about the scholarship awards.