Nursing Scholars and Honors Programs

Nursing Scholars Program

The Nursing Scholars Program (NSP) is an intensive and integrated learning community that supports selected students transition to college and through the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.

To apply for the NSP, you must meet the following criteria:

• first to attend college in your family (parents do not have bachelor’s degrees)

Students must demonstrate an investigated passion for the nursing profession, leadership, and a strong work ethic. NSP students who meet all advanced academic and participation requirements have admission into the professional nursing major. Students in good standing are a part of NSP during their entire undergraduate degree and participate in some of the following opportunities:

• Cohorted classes and “NSP Connects” meetings
• Academic skills workshops
• Visits to resource areas and required tutoring
• Grade monitoring and professor meetings
• Mentoring and leadership experiences
• Campus and professional involvement

Incoming students who may be eligible for NSP are invited to apply following their admission to UWM as a pre-nursing freshman. Selection is based on their NSP application and interview process. NSP students are recognized by faculty and staff for their leadership, professional behaviors and excellent academic habits which position them for college and campus recognitions and awards.

Honors College

Pre-nursing students that are invited to join the Honors College are also invited to apply to the Nursing Honors Cohort. This group is comprised of outstanding and determined students who are committed and passionate about becoming leaders in the nursing profession. Acceptance into the cohort includes admission into the professional major provided they meet all NHC and Honors College requirements.

• Focus, achieve, succeed, live and work with other high-achieving students while completing the pre-nursing coursework.
• Small discussion-oriented seminars
• Priority registration
• Less note-taking, more critical writing
• Less lecturing, more interacting
• Less memorizing, more thinking
• Collaboration with faculty
• Scholarship opportunities
• Graduate with an Honors Degree

Health Professions Living Learning Community (HPLLC)

The HPLLC creates an opportunity for students to build a smaller community within the larger community of Sandburg residence hall. Students who live in the learning community get the opportunity to live, study, and learn with students who are majoring in nursing and other health care professions.

Since students have the same or similar majors, all students will have one or more of the same classes with a number of their HPLLC peers. This gives students a chance to form study groups, attend classes, and prepare for exams with the same people they live with on their HPLLC floor.

HPLLC students get the opportunity participate in special programming created and tailored especially for health professions and nursing students. This programming is geared towards helping the students be academically successful, be immersed into UWM and Milwaukee communities, and to build a supportive network of their peers. HPLLC students will also be get the opportunity to tour health care organizations in the area and meet local health care professionals.

Incoming freshman nursing students are invited to select the HPLLC as their housing preference when completing their housing contract. Selection for the HPLLC is by lottery.

Past HPLLC participants have said:

“Living in the LLC gave me such a great experience as a first-year student here on campus. Being able to live in the same area as students with the same interests as me was very beneficial. Having the first-year class with Ebony was fun because we got to do a lot of hands-on activities as a class and it was very discussion-based instead of lectures. Also, having my peer mentor in my class really encouraged me to reach out to her more and we have now become very close. I would encourage every first-year student to try and apply for an LLC.”

– Kaitlin Valenziano, Class of 2020

Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Grant Scholars

UWM has applied for federal funding to support nursing students who are first-generation college students (neither parent has completed a bachelor’s degree) and Pell Grant eligible (as determined by FAFSA). We expect to learn whether funding has been awarded in early September 2026. At this time, no funding has been approved, but we are working to recruit qualified students. 

If funded, the program would support 25 nursing students through a four-year experience designed to reduce financial barriers and promote academic success. 

While completing their pre-nursing coursework (first 4 semesters), students in the program would receive the following benefits: 

• $12,000 annual stipend, paid biweekly 

• Laptop computer 

• Funding for textbooks, required course materials, and on-campus parking 

• Academic coaching, mentoring, supplemental instruction, and study sessions 

While completing clinical coursework (final 4 semesters), students in the program would receive the following benefits:  

• $12,000 annual scholarship 

• Coverage of selected clinical education expenses 

• Continued academic and professional support 

In exchange for the stipend and scholarship, students would agree not to work outside of UWM during the academic year(s) while they are completing pre-nursing coursework, and would participate in approximately 20 hours per week of academic success activities. Benefits would continue through graduation as long as funding remains available and program requirements are met. 

There is no obligation or risk in expressing interest. If funding is awarded, additional information about eligibility requirements and program expectations will be provided. If more students are interested than spaces available, participants will be randomly selected.