NewsRelease

Evergreens Senior Healthcare System Endows
Scholarship For UNCG School of Nursing

GREENSBORO – The Evergreens Senior Healthcare System, one of the region’s largest not-for-profit providers of long-term healthcare for the elderly, has made a $50,000 gift to endow a scholarship fund in The University of North Carolina at Greensboro's School of Nursing.

The gift is the largest donation that the Evergreens has made to a college or university. It establishes the Evergreens Senior Healthcare System Scholarship in Nursing, in honor of John E. Peterson Jr., who has served as a member, chairman and advisor to the Evergreens board of trustees for 28 years. Funds from the endowment will provide one or more scholarships annually to the students in the school’s undergraduate and master’s programs, and to the post-baccalaureate certificate program in gerontological nursing.

"This scholarship endowment is very important to the School of Nursing, and especially meaningful, coming from one of the region’s leading not-for-profit providers of healthcare for the elderly," said Dr. Lynne Pearcey, dean of the school. "At a time when the nation’s economy faces continuing problems, Evergreens is looking to the future to provide opportunities for our students through this scholarship fund.

“National statistics show us that the number of elderly citizens in America is growing, and we know that educated nurses will be in short supply to provide care for this aging segment of our population. We are grateful for this fund in the School of Nursing because it will ultimately help to enhance the care of the elderly in the state and region."

The Evergreens is one of the state’s largest not-for-profit companies, and it has been providing long-term care in Greensboro, High Point and Guilford County since 1963. Evergreens provides assisted living, in addition to skilled and intermediate long-term care for nearly 500 residents and it has approximately 450 employees. It is guided by a volunteer board of directors who are from the area.

“All long-term care facilities recognize that the challenge of the future will be in recruiting nurses,” said John Sims, executive director of the Evergreens. “We feel that UNCG is the premier educational institution in the state for providing nurses trained in geriatric medicine. There is a long and positive history between this organization and UNCG, and many School of Nursing graduates have worked here and provided leadership. The school’s founding dean, Dr. Eloise ‘Pattie’ Lewis, served on our board for many years.

“Part of Evergreens strategic plan, which we developed last year, is to give back to the community in areas that have helped us carry out our mission of caring for the elderly. This scholarship fund is a very positive way for us to do that, and to assure that nurses will be educated for the community and for this industry. It also allows us to honor John Peterson, a gentleman who has given many years to the board, both as a member of the board and as its chairman.”

Retired Greensboro physician Dr. Ernest Spangler, chairman of the Evergreens board, said, “Evergreens has enjoyed a close and rewarding relationship with the UNCG School of Nursing and its graduates for several years, and we are happy to be able to create a scholarship fund for nursing students. In our business, we have seen a growing need for nurses as the population grows older, and this shortage will only become more pronounced as larger numbers of the baby-boomer generation moves into retirement years. The School of Nursing is such an asset to this area and to the state, and we hope that this scholarship fund will help the school to prepare students to meet this critical shortage.”

Data on the coming nursing shortage has been documented at both the national and state levels. A report in July 2002 by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services stated that through 2020, the shortage of nurses to fill existing positions will reach 29 percent. Through 2020, demand for nurses will increase by 40 percent compared to a projected six percent growth in supply. In nursing homes the demand for registered nurses is projected to increase from 8 percent of total demand in 2000 to 10 percent in 2020. In North Carolina, the projected demand for registered nurses shows a 19.4 percent shortage in 2020, with demand expected to be 92,320 and supply estimated at 74,396.

Another report by the N.C. Center for Nursing in June 2001 estimated that the number of citizens aged 65 or older will double in size to 1.7 million by 2020, while the number of citizens most likely to need long-term care services, age 85 and older, is expected to triple to 199,000.

Founded in 1966, the School of Nursing has approximately 270 graduate students and 750 undergraduate students enrolled, and a faculty of 50. As one of UNCG's six professional schools, the school is dedicated to teaching, research and service that contribute to the maintenance and improvement of health for individuals, families and communities. In 1976, the MSN program was initiated. The school offers both undergraduate and graduate programs with over 4,000 alumni. Students have the opportunity for clinical experiences in over 400 agencies across the state. The school's degree programs are accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission. The generic undergraduate program is approved by the N.C. Board of Nursing and the graduate program for nurse anesthesia is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists.

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