Arizona College of Nursing Partners with Scholars Network to Address Nursing Shortage
News related to:Arizona College of Nursing · 2 min read
NEW YORK, Oct. 6, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- At 12 years old, Icencia Noël found herself in a hospital bed with a 104-degree fever, struggling to breathe and terrified. It was during this hospital stay that she met her nurse, Debbie, who made a lasting impression. Debbie explained every procedure, answered every question patiently, and ensured Icencia felt safe, seen, and cared for. Fourteen years later, Icencia is a nursing student at Arizona College of Nursing's Hartford campus, and thanks to a new partnership between Scholars Network and Arizona College of Nursing, she already knows where her career will begin.
In April 2026, Arizona College of Nursing and Scholars Network launched a partnership to address the nation's nursing workforce shortage. The initiative aims to connect graduates directly to employment opportunities and employer-sponsored loan repayment programs. Through this collaboration, Arizona College of Nursing graduates gain access to a growing network of healthcare employers offering structured career pathways, including guaranteed employment opportunities and employer-sponsored student loan repayment. The program is designed to reduce early-career turnover, ease financial stressors for new nurses, and strengthen long-term workforce stability.
Arizona College of Nursing's purpose is to provide people the opportunity to enhance their lives through education. The college offers a three-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. The BSN program is offered at 24 campuses across 15 states and is designed to prepare students for a career as a Registered Nurse (RN). Arizona College of Nursing campuses are institutionally accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES), a U.S. Department of Education-recognized national accrediting agency.
Scholars Network partners with health systems and academic institutions to build sustainable talent pipelines, enabling employers to engage and recruit nursing students earlier in their education and transition them more seamlessly into the workforce. The initiative supports students across Arizona College of Nursing campuses in Cincinnati and Cleveland, Ohio; Falls Church, Virginia; and Hartford, Connecticut. The partnership is designed to benefit both workers and patients by addressing the generational healthcare shortage facing the nation.
Dr. Sam Maron, Senior Vice President at Noodle, which leads the Scholars Network initiative, expressed pride in the partnership.
Jason E. Anderson, Chief Executive Officer of Arizona College of Nursing, emphasized the importance of creating educational opportunities for future nurses.
UNC Health Wayne, a rural health system, is one of the beneficiaries of this partnership. Dr. Jessie Tucker, President & CEO of UNC Health Wayne, highlighted the immediate value of the program.
For Icencia, the partnership means more than just a job offer. She plans to become an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse specializing in neonatal intensive care.
Arizona College of Nursing's CEO, Jason E. Anderson, emphasized the importance of the partnership.
The program also offers financial support to graduates. After graduation, Icencia will join UNC Health Wayne in North Carolina, where the health system will provide $40,000 in education loan repayment assistance. This support is part of the broader effort to address the national gap in the nursing workforce and ensure a sustainable pipeline of well-prepared nurses.