The Springfield News-Leader reports that the Missouri Hospital Association Center for Education is now accepting applications for financial assistance through its Graduate Nursing Faculty Financial Assistance Program.

The program offers grant funds to registered nurses seeking faculty positions at Missouri nursing schools, which they can use to offset living expenses and some academic costs associated with a graduate degree.

Marc D. Smith, MHA president said…

Faculty shortages at Missouri’s nursing schools have created a significant bottleneck for nursing students [and] funds from the financial assistance program are designed to ease the burden of pursuing a master’s degree, which is needed to teach at Missouri’s nursing schools.

It’s worth noting that the grants can be used for all education-related expenses including textbooks, lab fees, uniforms, tuition costs that are not covered by other scholarships or outside funds, plus some living expenses, such as utilities, car payments and child care.

You can apply online at mhanet.com, and the deadline for submitting an application is May 23rd 2007. For more information call Linda Shields at (573) 893-3700, ext. 1375, or send e-mail to lshields@mail.mhanet.com.