Nursing students receive scholarships at KMMBNA awards dinner

Two students from the Bronson School of Nursing at Western Michigan University received scholarships at the 2016 Kalamazoo-Muskegon Michigan Black Nurses Association (KMMBNA) awards banquet. The event is held each May to commemorate "National Nurses Week." The location is the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Yonica Dupree received the Khan Nedd, MD Scholarship and Sruda Xedagbui received the Presidential Scholarship. Each year, three to five $1,000 scholarships are awarded at the event.

The Kent County KMMBNA awards nursing tuition scholarships as part of the chapter mission to serve the "unserved and the underserved." There is a general shortage of nurses across the United States, and a shortage of nurses from underrepresented populations in numerous areas, including the Grand Rapids area.  KMMBNA programs encourage students from underrepresented populations to pursue nursing careers.

To date, the KMMBNA has awarded more than $55,000 in nursing tuition scholarships. Out of those recipients, more than 50 have graduated nursing school and are working RNs or LPNs.