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Curtright Scholarship Fund Will Attract New Talent to Nursing
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Edessa Diaz
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The daughter of a Mexican immigrant mother and Peruvian father, Edessa Diaz was the first member of her family to attend college. During her senior year at Cornell University, she traveled to Nicaragua's Mosquito Coast, volunteering there in the aftermath of Hurricane Mitch. While translating for clinicians and treating hurricane victims' minor injuries, Diaz discovered her true passion: primary care.
Diaz didn't immediately follow that passion. After graduating from Cornell in 1999, she moved to Santa Barbara to manage a perinatal care program serving uninsured mothers and mothers-to-be. Diaz enjoyed bringing much-needed medical services to the city's low-income community, but she longed to return to the primary-care setting. Finally, in 2003, she decided to pursue a nursing career.
Enrolling in an undergraduate nursing program seemed like a step backwards, so Diaz looked for other options. She discovered UCSF's Masters Entry Program in Nursing (MEPN), a three-year curriculum designed for those with an undergraduate degree in a field other than nursing. Before beginning masters-level classes, MEPN students spend a year preparing for the National Council Licensure Examination, which qualifies them to become registered nurses.
"The first year can be grueling," Diaz admits, remembering the long hours she spent in classroom and clinical training and the financial strain of paying $24,000 in tuition. "But after learning that I had passed the examination and earned a 4.0 GPA over the year, I realized it had all been worth it."
A new scholarship fund will lend support to talented students like Diaz. Marie Schwoerer Curtright, 1943 UCSF School of Nursing alumna, has generously given $50,000 to establish the Curtright Endowed Scholarship Fund.
"Students eat, drink, and sleep nursing during those first 12 months. They shouldn't have to worry about finances, too," says Scott Ziehm, RN, ND, assistant dean for MEPN. "Mrs. Curtright's gift will enable some of UCSF's brightest students to focus on their studies instead of worrying about living expenses."
To support the Masters Entry Program in Nursing, contact Mark Boone at 415/502-8310 or mboone@support.ucsf.edu.
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