Mount Saint Mary College is proud to announce it has received a one-year, $300,000 grant from The Mother Cabrini Health Foundation to fund “Project RN,” a comprehensive retention and support program for undergraduate nursing students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
This award is part of the Cabrini foundation’s latest round of statewide grants, totaling more than $142 million and aimed at strengthening essential systems of care while addressing the immediate needs of vulnerable New Yorkers.
Project RN is designed to increase nursing education opportunities by serving 20 full-time undergraduate Mount Nursing students annually. These students, all New York State residents, hail from economically or educationally disadvantaged backgrounds. The grant will provide critical funding for tuition and fees, while also supporting holistic programming to dismantle barriers to academic success.
Using a cohort-based model, the program will offer targeted tutoring, specialized review sessions, and dedicated faculty advisors; monthly workshops covering time management, study skills, stress management, and goal-setting strategies; and opportunities for service-learning and research alongside experienced mentors.
“Project RN represents the very heart of the Mount’s mission,” said Ann Marie Brooks, Interim Dean of the School of Nursing at the Mount. “With the generous support of the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation, we are not just providing an education; we are building a supportive community that ensures our future nurses have the tools, the compassion, and the resources they need to serve our region’s most vulnerable populations.”
Msgr. Gregory Mustaciuolo, Chief Executive Officer of the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation, noted the foundation’s commitment to bolstering the New York healthcare workforce during a period of significant challenge.
“Our grantee partners are navigating an incredibly challenging landscape, and yet their commitment to serving their communities continues to deepen,” he said. “These grants demonstrate our resolve to stand with them by addressing urgent needs today, while strengthening the systems and workforce that will support New Yorkers’ health for years to come.”
This is the sixth grant the Mount has received from the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation in as many years to help the college serve its students and the local community.