Sentara nurse is first recipient of Sentara-Norfolk State University nursing scholarship

Corasha Dent, RN, earned her associate degree in nursing from Norfolk State University (NS) in 2014 and was hired as a nursing care partner at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital in 2017. 

Dent now has a trauma nursing certification, serves as an infection prevention champion on the Burn/Trauma unit and a trainer for new nurses.    

She is also a full-time student at NSU again, pursuing her bachelor’s degree in nursing. “I want to push myself and take advantage of the opportunity to grow,” she says.

Helping her with that career choice is an extra $5,000. Dent is the first recipient of the Sentara/NSU Nursing Scholarship. Sentara established the $30,000 scholarship fund to support an organizational goal of 80 percent of bachelor-prepared nurses (BSN) in its 12 hospitals.

“Research shows improved patient outcomes in hospitals with a higher percentage of BSN nurses,” says Genemarie McGee, corporate vice president and chief nursing officer for Sentara Healthcare. “I am proud that Sentara is raising the bar on nurse education in response to evidence-based practice.”

There are still five $5,000 scholarships available for Sentara nurses seeking to attain their bachelor’s degrees. One scholarship per semester will be awarded over the next two years.

Corasha Dent’s story will be featured in the upcoming issue of the NSU magazine BEHOLD.