We’re dreaming of a White Christmas! As nurses traditionally have worn white throughout the history of the profession, maybe we should be dreaming of a Nurse Christmas. Welcome to the holiday season as we progress into the new year ahead. Celebrating and making resolutions go together with the holiday season. For nurses, the celebrations can be graduating from a nursing program in December or being accepted into a nursing program. The resolutions can range from passing the NCLEX and starting your career as a nurse, to changing your career trajectory to provide care for others as you begin a nursing degree. With many nurses and student nurses completing journeys and starting their quests to earn degrees and join the workforce or begin advanced practice roles, the future is bright for the profession. Now, more than ever, they need your support to achieve their goals. SCNF will be engaging in multiple ways to award and provide scholarships to individuals seeking support to achieve their dreams.
The Palmetto Gold nominations have concluded. Students in graduate and undergraduate programs will soon know if they have received a Palmetto Gold scholarship. At the same time, one hundred nurses will be joining the ranks of Palmetto Gold in the year ahead. The 2026 Palmetto Gold Gala will be held on Saturday, April 11, 2026 to honor these individuals. SCNF will begin making preparations for the coming year’s Nurses Care Scholarships, with the nomination window opening in the months to come. The South Carolina Nurses Association (SCNA) and SCNF will start preparing for the next Nurses 5K, set for May 30, 2026 in Columbia. More information on the Nurses 5K will be coming soon, and those proceeds from the race will support the mission of SCNF, including providing scholarships for nurses and student nurses. Midlands Gives Day will be approaching in May, so look for more information to come on when and where you can give to support SCNF’s mission. Speaking of giving, Give Day this December came and went and we thank anyone who donated on this day. But you can still keep giving all throughout the year. To learn more about the mission of SCNF visit the links associated with the foundation.
Caring for others requires learning more, and learning more requires caring more. If we strive to help individuals realize their dreams and ambitions of becoming nurses or advanced practice nurses, we can give to a common need that supports us all. We can help them overcome obstacles, be bold in our endeavors, and allow compassionate people who gracefully serve others every day to achieve their goals. Our humanity is what drives us to care for others more than we care for ourselves.
South Carolina (SC) needs more nurses. Nurses need scholarships. Earning a nursing degree at various levels has multiple commitments of years of education: RN and BSN can take 2-4 years; Advanced practice degrees add 2-3 years; Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (Ph.D.) degrees add another 1-6 years of education. With more highly educated nurses, patients receive better healthcare. SCNF’s mission is to provide scholarships and ease the burden of the cost of an education. Now is the time to consider giving to the SCNF. You can donate in various ways. Use this link to see all the relevant foundation websites. The license plate initiative shows everyone you are a nurse, with proceeds from the license plates supporting Nurses Care Scholarships. Bequeathments from estates and “Friends of the Foundation” donations help offset the cost of running SCNF. The Board of Trustees for SCNF are volunteers. We understand how hard nurses work. SCNF is working hard to help nurses, but this cannot be done without you! We want to help people pursue their dreams. Please donate today!
