News

Last month, our Executive Chief Nursing Officer Kelly Hancock, DNP, RN, NE-BC, officially kicked off the first session of the ASPIRE Nurse Scholars Program at the Stanley Shalom Zielony Nursing Institute at main campus.

ASPIRE is the brainchild of Nick Howley, Chairman and CEO, TransDigm Group, Inc., and his wife, Lorie. Mr. Howley is also a member of the Board of Trustees for Cleveland Clinic.

“The Howleys wanted to start a program for underrepresented high school juniors interested in pursuing a career in nursing,” says Dr. Hancock, who also holds the Stanley Shalom Zielony Endowed Chair for Nursing Advancement. “ASPIRE focuses on sharing career information and critical skill sets that are necessary for success in becoming a nurse.”

ASPIRE is sponsored by the Howley Family Foundation and Cleveland Clinic in collaboration with Cuyahoga Community College. The program’s 12 consecutive Saturday sessions will be held in the Health Space Building at main campus from 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. through April 29.

Nearly 80 high school students applied to participate in ASPIRE last year. Most heard about the program during presentations at local high schools by Daria Sheafe, MSN, RN, Program Coordinator, Nursing Institute. After a rigorous selection and interview process with 40 candidates, 25 program scholars were selected last December, representing nine Greater Cleveland schools.

The program’s course of study is ambitious and designed to support the students to be successful in a nursing career. The focus includes career paths, patient care nursing assistant skills, simulation healthcare, and personal brand/professionalism.

“ASPIRE helps us develop a pipeline of nurses from within the community, caregivers who mirror the population they serve and who have been mentored by their Cleveland Clinic colleagues,“ says Sheafe.

Each ASPIRE scholar who successfully completes the program will receive a $500 stipend, and some scholars will be invited to return for a second year as mentors to the next cohort of ASPIRE scholars.

The returning seniors will also have the opportunity to become Cleveland Clinic Patient Care Nursing Assistants after high school graduation and earn a full scholarship at Cuyahoga Community College to complete their RN degrees.