SOMERS — The Nurses Foundation of Racine is helping prospective nurses access education by lowering the cost barrier, and the students receiving that support say it's making a real difference.
The organization, which was founded by area nurses in 1983, has been providing scholarships for decades. In 2025 alone, the foundation distributed $25,000 in scholarships to 14 students across southeastern Wisconsin.
Zoe Stauber, a scholarship recipient studying at Gateway Technical College, said the award covered a significant portion of her costs.
"My scholarship from them was $2,500. That pays for a semester and a little bit more," Stauber said.
Fellow recipients Liliana Kading and Karis Bridleman are studying at UW-Parkside.
For Bridleman, the financial support came at a critical time.
"I was paying for school myself, paying out of my own pocket, so I was in nursing school, working a lot," Bridleman said.
Kading echoed the sentiment.
"The money that they give you helps a lot," Kading said.
As someone who pays for her own educaiton, Stauber said the scholarship has allowed her to focus on her studies.
Watch: Racine foundation helps local students pursue careers in nursing
"I don't have to worry about that financial burden of having to take out loans," she said. "I can ease up on the shifts and focus a little bit more on studies, which has definitely paid off in the end."
The scholarships are one drop in the bucket of a projected nursing shortage. The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development estimates the state could be short more than 10,000 nurses by 2030.
"We want well-qualified nurses taking care of our communities," said Mary Callahan of the Nurses Foundation of Racine.
She said the organization's mission is straightforward.
"What we can do is help: help them meet their goals," Callahan said. "Get in, get started, keep going."
For the students receiving support, the motivation goes beyond a paycheck.
Kading said she's always wanted to be in a career helping others, and now she'll be able to do that for patients.
"Advocating for them is just something that's really important to me," Kading said.
Bridleman said the reward of the work is already clear.
"Knowing that I'll be that extra nurse anywhere in that unit ... it's just really rewarding," Bridleman said.
And all three plan to put their degrees to work close to home. Stauber said she plans on staying "pretty local," while Kading said she plans to stay in the Racine and Kenosha area.
"The money that we invest in our students, the majority of it stays right here," Callahan said.
According to Callahan, the Nurses Foundation of Racine has distributed more than $500,000 in scholarship funds and supported more than 450 students.
"That's pretty wild considering it started out with bakesale money," Callahan said.
The foundation uses an objective review to consider application materials as well as things like student need and anticipated costs.
In 2026, the foundation intends to distribute $15,000 to fifteen students.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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