CSU-Pueblo Foundation Gains Two Scholarship Funds Benefitting Southern Colorado Students

PUEBLO –The Colorado State University-Pueblo Foundation recently received funds to establish two scholarship funds to benefit students attending the university from southern Colorado. The Jennie & Albert Gersick Foundation will fund four full-tuition and fee scholarships for students of Pueblo County. The Foundation also received a scholarship from the family of James J. Vigil, which established an endowed scholarship for nursing students from southern Colorado.

“Both of these scholarship gifts will impact the lives of our students and our greater community,” said CSU-Pueblo Foundation President/CEO Todd Kelly. “Scholarship opportunities such as these allow the CSU-Pueblo Foundation to award students who have the drive and dedication to complete their degree programs and then to better our communities as they enter the workforce,” said Kelly.

Jennie and Albert Gersick Foundation Scholarship

The Jennie and Albert Gersick Foundation Scholarship provides scholarships to Pueblo County residents majoring in fields deemed critical to workforce needs; eligible majors include business, nursing, chemistry, biology, engineering, and civil engineering. This scholarship will be awarded to incoming freshmen or returning members of the military. Through the Jennie and Albert Gersick Foundation Scholarship, four students per year will receive a scholarship covering full-tuition and mandatory course fees. Selection will be based on financial need, grade point average, quality of scholarship application, and a personal interview.

Scholarship recipients may reapply to have the scholarship renewed in subsequent years. The scholarship can be awarded to a qualifying student for a maximum of four academic years or eight semesters. The Gersick Foundation is a private, family foundation consisting of trustees Elaine Nicoll, Rita Gersick, and Joseph Gersick.

James J. Vigil Memorial Nursing Scholarship

The James J. Vigil Memorial Nursing Scholarship is a newly-formed memorial endowment through the CSU-Pueblo Foundation. Students eligible to receive this scholarship must be from southern Colorado, and be of junior, senior, or graduate standing within the CSU-Pueblo Nursing Department. The James J. Vigil Memorial Nursing Scholarship was established as an endowment, allowing one nursing scholarship to be awarded every year for perpetuity.

This scholarship was created as a way to commemorate the life of James J. Vigil. He was a graduate of the University of Southern Colorado (now Colorado State University – Pueblo). Immediately after graduating and receiving his registered nurse license, he worked as an R.N. at the Colorado State Hospital and in 1983 was promoted to Lead Nurse in Geriatrics Treatment.

In 1989, he became the director of nursing at Colorado State Veterans Nursing Home in Florence, CO, where he eventually retired. Vigil received many awards and commendations, including a nomination for the prestigious Florence Nightingale Award. In keeping with his personal wishes, his family, through his estate, established this scholarship to help deserving nursing students achieve their educational goals.

Each of these scholarships will be available for award in the 2017/2018 academic year. For more information on these scholarships or the CSU-Pueblo Foundation Scholarship program, call 719.549.2380 or email foundation@csupueblo.edu. 

Colorado State University - Pueblo is a regional, comprehensive university emphasizing professional, career-oriented, and applied programs. Displaying excellence in teaching, celebrating diversity, and engaging in service and outreach, CSU-Pueblo is distinguished by access, opportunity, and the overall quality of services provided to its students.

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