Lewis University – HEROES Scholarship
Teaching Heroes
Lewis University
Amount Awarded: $2,500,000 | Project Status: Completed Summer 2024
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.
During the 2023-204 academic year, more than $250,000 of the Will County’s Heroes Teaching & Nursing Scholarship helped over 50 Lewis University students prepare for careers in teaching and nursing. Students living in Will County were eligible for up to $5,000 each academic year.
Will County HEROES aims to address shortages in the teaching and nursing profession, which were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Eligible students include those pursuing teacher certification for elementary education, special education, and secondary education, along with students interested in becoming a Registered Nurse, either through a Bachelor of Science in Nursing or an Associates Degree in Nursing.
Jessica Erzinger | Nursing Student
Ashlynne Mills | Education Student
Hear from Our Students
“Every dollar counts when you’re working and attending school while supporting a family,” Jessica Erzinger, Lewis University nursing student and mother of three small children, commented. “This scholarship has allowed me to focus more on my studies and my family without as much financial stress.”
After finishing her bachelor’s degree, Erzinger hopes to be hired in a hospital’s labor and delivery unit. The Will County student plans to work for two to three years before pursuing a Doctorate of Nurse Practice in women’s health and midwifery.
Ashlynne Mills, a Lewis University May 2024 graduate in early childhood and special education, was just hired by Herscher School District as a Special Education resource teacher for students in grades pre-k, kindergarten and first grade.
“The Will County’s Heroes Teaching & Nursing Scholarship made a difference in my life by helping me with some financial support to get through my schooling. It also helped me because I knew that it was something that was going to get me one step closer to my career and graduation,” Mills commented.
A Word From Our Leadership
“Will County has made a bold and innovative investment in the future of the county through the Teaching and Nursing Grant program. The shortage of nurses and teachers in the region is a genuine challenge to our county and our state.”
Dr. David Livingston | President, Lewis University