Contact: Kevin Tate
MERIDIAN, Miss.—A recent, increased commitment from The Riley Foundation to Mississippi State University-Meridian’s accelerated Master of Science in Nursing program is continuing to help address a statewide nursing shortage, promote healthcare in Meridian and Lauderdale County and bolster the foundation’s core mission.
In 2024, The Riley Foundation committed scholarship support for students in the Master of Science in Nursing program at MSU-Meridian. The foundation now is renewing and increasing that commitment for the coming year as part of the foundation’s overall commitment to the campus’ healthcare programs.
“The Master of Science in Nursing program is a very rigorous course of study, so much so that its students often don’t have time to work,” said Becky Farley, director and board liaison to Mississippi State University for The Riley Foundation. “Therefore, financial support is essential to helping these students succeed.”
Students in the program can earn a master’s degree in 12 months through a focused set of studies that include practical applications of the knowledge.
“I was able to speak with some recent graduates,” Farley said. “They felt prepared and were ready to go out into the workforce. This program is doing a phenomenal job of preparing students.”
The Riley Foundation’s mission is to improve the quality of life in Meridian and Lauderdale County, and it traces its earliest roots to the healthcare field. In 1930, Dr. Franklin Gail Riley opened a 12-bed children’s and maternity hospital in Meridian. That hospital eventually grew into Meridian’s Riley Memorial Hospital. When it was sold in January 1998, The Riley Foundation was formed with a mission to serve as a catalyst for growth and development in Meridian and Lauderdale County. The foundation represents the modern evolution of Dr. Riley’s original vision of 1930.
“The School of Nursing wouldn’t exist without The Riley Foundation’s vision and commitment,” said MSU Dean of Nursing Mary Stewart. “Their board invests in what matters. They’re making dreams come true, and reshaping the culture of nursing and healthcare, one Riley Scholar at a time.”
“We know we’re making a difference in healthcare, in Meridian and throughout the state,” Farley said. “The national shortage of nurses has significantly increased after COVID-19. Further, we also have an aging population who are going to need more healthcare.”
The Riley Foundation’s broad commitment to healthcare programs at MSU-Meridian also includes support of the Physician Assistant Studies program, Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Senior Nurse Fellowship programs, as well as the upcoming Doctor of Physical Therapy program, all preparing new generations of healthcare professionals for the field.
Mississippi State University is taking care of what matters.