Nursing Student Awarded Two-Year Scholarship

AVON PARK, Fla. – Oct. 12, 2022 – Attending college after having been out of school for several years can be intimidating. And beginning a new career with the understanding that more education is required can be daunting. But the lives of two people who faced such challenges intersected with positive results that will last a lifetime for each of them.

In the second term of her two-year Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program at South Florida State College (SFSC), Jennifer Allen was surprised to learn that she had been awarded a scholarship through the SFSC Foundation to cover her tuition and other college expenses for the entire two years. However, Allen may never have the chance to personally thank the woman who established the scholarship with the Foundation. The scholarship donor, who also became a nurse later in life, asked to remain anonymous.

At age 39, Allen is embarking on her second career as a registered nurse. She has been a practicing, licensed clinical social worker for the last 15 years, after earning her bachelor’s degree in Social Work from St. Leo University and a master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Central Florida.

“I’ve always had a servant’s heart,” Allen said. “I’ve done everything you can possibly imagine in the field of social work. I’ve worked with children, adults, corrections, telehealth, in-home—you name it, I’ve done it. I reached a point where that wasn’t fulfilling for me anymore. I worked in a hospital setting five years ago as a social worker. That’s when the feeling, the itch, or the whisper said, ‘Maybe going into nursing would be a great transition.’”

Allen and her husband, Scott, have an 8-year-old son. “So, I have responsibilities at home to manage and juggle,” Allen said. “But I have a really wonderful, supportive husband who is a saint.”

In her endeavor to make the transition to nursing, Allen didn’t qualify for a federal Pell Grant because she had already earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Allen works from home as a licensed clinical social worker and her husband is a teacher. “We don’t make a ton of money, but our income combined exceeds the parameters of obtaining any type of assistance,” she said. “So, it is life-transforming to not have the financial challenge of paying for college. This scholarship covers tuition and what money is left goes toward books, study materials, and transportation. Because I live in Lakeland, it takes me an hour to get to the College and an hour to get home.”

The anonymous donor had applied and was accepted to SFSC’s Practical Nursing (PN) program at age 43, and became a licensed practical nurse. Early in life, she left high school, married, raised children, and worked in her family’s business. At age 39, she decided to take the General Educational Development (GED©) exams to earn her high school diploma. She passed the exams, received her diploma, and went on to take accounting courses. When the family moved to Florida, she worked in admissions in a hospital emergency room. Because of her intense interest in their work, nurses and doctors urged her to apply to a nursing program. When she was accepted to SFSC’s PN program, she worked 40-hour weekends so that she could attend classes. She was then awarded $1,000 and $200 scholarships.

“I knew that someday, I wanted to pay that forward,” the anonymous donor said. “I feel that everyone, especially women, have a need to feel self-worth and fulfillment. Education is important in helping us to reach that goal. I would not trade my family life for anything. I enjoyed being a mother and wife, but when your children are grown, it is time to take care of your own needs.”

Allen graduates from the ADN program in December 2023 and has left her career plans open for the time being. “I think I would thrive in an emergency room environment,” she said. “I like fast pace. Even in the social work realm, I’m a solution-focused, short-term therapist. Possibly, in future, I’ll get a master’s degree in Nursing. That would be ideal, but we’ll see. That’s way down the road.”

Allen said that she’d love the opportunity to meet the anonymous donor. “If I did,” she said, “I would wrap my arms around this individual and just sob. There are no words of gratitude to express how grateful I am that a perfect stranger would want to invest in me.”

Allen has expressed her desire to share stories about nursing school and the profession with the donor. “I feel like we’re kindred spirits. It’s like she’s a part of my life and my journey and I’m a part of hers on some level because she was generous to give this gift to me. Our lives are forever intertwined. Sometimes, one person can come into your life and change the trajectory of it. And this is that moment for me.”

To apply for scholarships made available through the SFSC Foundation, visit AwardSpring at: southflorida.awardspring.com. For more information about the SFSC Foundation or to make a donation, call 863-453-3133 or email foundation@southflorida.edu.