Governors State University

Igniting the Heroes of Tomorrow

Governors State University

Amount Awarded: $2,500,000 | Projected Completion Fall 2026

The Will County HEROES Teaching & Nursing Scholarship is igniting a new generation of heroes by providing $10 million in funding for teaching and nursing students who live in Will County and expect to work at Will County education or health care institutions after graduation.

Utilizing American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding, Will County provided $2.5 Million to each higher education partner for the scholarship program: Governors State University, University of St. Francis, Lewis University, and Joliet Junior College.

Thanks to ARPA funding, Governors State University (GovState) has awarded 45 Will County Heroes Teaching and Nursing (Heroes) grants to students pursuing Elementary and Secondary Education degrees, as well as those in the RN to BSN program

Heroes grant monies provide a financial bridge for students seeking degrees in the two disciplines that form a critical foundation of our society – education and nursing. In becoming teachers and nurses, GovState graduates will shore up two areas disproportionately impacted across the Southland and throughout Illinois.

The Heroes grant is helping Collin Lippe pursue his Secondary Education degree and defray the cost of tuition, freeing him to excel at cross county/track and maintain a 4.0 GPA. “It has taken the stress of trying to pay for college off my shoulders and has allowed me to really focus in on my schooling,’’ said Collin, a rising senior who wants to be a social studies teacher and is part of the College of Arts and Sciences.

Shannon Dermer, GovState’s Dean of the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) said more people like Collin are needed in our society. She quoted a recent Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents Survey, which found 90% of schools in Illinois reported a serious or very serious teacher shortage. She reported that CEHD has awarded approximately $60,000 since fall 2023 for students studying for Education degrees, including Early Education.

GovState’s Family Development Center provides learning experiences for the children of Chicago’s Southland communities and accessible support for their families. The center also offers practical teacher preparation experience to Early Education majors.

Like teachers, nurses are also in high demand. A 2024 survey found that over half of the Illinois registered nurses are over age 55, contributing to a projection of an RN shortage of 15,000 by 2025. Further, the survey found that 34% of existing RNs say they plan to leave the profession in the next twelve months. GovState College of Health and Human Services Dean Catherine Balthazar said GovState is doing its part to bridge the gap by awarding grants to 18 GovState RN-to-BSN-candidates.