The University of Arkansas at Little Rock is partnering with CHI St. Vincent and Saline Memorial Hospital to help hospital employees fulfill their educational goals.

“The partnership with CHI St. Vincent and Saline Memorial is a natural extension of UA Little Rock’s commitment to Central Arkansas,” said Dr. Cody Decker, vice chancellor for student affairs and chief data officer at UA Little Rock. “UA Little Rock is excited to further its partnership with these organizations, streamline the admissions and enrollment process to UA Little Rock, and ultimately offer an accessible, quality pathway to a college degree.”

Full-time employees at Saline Memorial and CHI St. Vincent may receive 10 percent off tuition and fees at UA Little Rock. The discount is meant to help the hard-working members of the healthcare industry start and finish their college career while keeping their full-time jobs.

“We are fortunate to have a committed partner like the University of Arkansas at Little Rock that works consistently to support our nurses and help them find new ways to grow in their careers and healing ministry for our community,” CHI St. Vincent CEO Chad Aduddell said. “This kind of support helps strengthen our entire community with the healthcare professionals trained to face whatever tomorrow holds.”

The scholarship is open to up to 50 hospital employees who are pursuing a bachelor’s degree at UA Little Rock. There is no minimum credit hour requirement to receive the scholarship. Students must start classes during the fall semester and remain a full-time employee during the school semester.

Katie Lea, chief nursing officer for Saline Health System, said that the partnership helps foster a culture of growth and development for hospital employees.

“The addition of this discount for our team at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock not only encourages that continued growth, it also makes higher education more attainable for our team members,” Lea said. “Discounts like these, combined with Saline Memorial’s internal benefits like tuition reimbursement options, are helping us to reach our community’s need for nurses. They also result in further development of our existing staff, which ultimately means an improved quality of life for our friends, neighbors, and co-workers. We are grateful to UA Little Rock for their continued partnership and the leadership and development role they play in our communities.”

While hospital employees may select any major at UA Little Rock, Dr. Sloan Davidson, director of the School of Nursing at UA Little Rock, hopes this new partnership will encourage employees who are interested in becoming nurses to pursue their dreams. Those who already have an LPN, Paramedic, or RN license have options to complete the BSN program.

“We hope this discount will help those ready to complete a bachelor’s degree get started towards the BSN in a more cost-effective way for working nurses and paramedics. The School of Nursing is so glad to have UA Little Rock support this request,” Davidson said.

“A career in healthcare means constantly learning and growing so that our nurses have the skills and support they need to thrive in this environment,” CHI St. Vincent Chief Nurse Executive Angie Longing added. “It truly is a blessing to have that kind of support and educational opportunities so close to home.”

When they apply for admission at UA Little Rock, Saline Memorial and CHI St. Vincent employees should check the box to identify themselves as a hospital employee and use the code TROJAN2022 to waive the application fee. No additional application is needed for the tuition and fee discount.

Hospital employees who are interested in the scholarship may visit ualr.edu/admissions/partnership for more information.