GovState Expands Greer Scholars with New Nursing Cohort for Fall 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(University Park, Illinois) — Governors State University and the Greer Scholars Program launches a new specialized nursing cohort that provides a renewable scholarship of up to $5000 to eligible first-year nursing students.
The Greer Scholars Program is a scholarship and student success initiative that supports incoming full-time freshmen pursuing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) majors. The program, established through the generosity of Dr. Carl Greer, Ph.D., Psy.D. and his late wife, Dr. Patricia Greer, M.A., Ph.D., provides financial assistance, academic support, professional development opportunities, mentorship, and a peer network designed to help students succeed in college and persist in STEM fields. Dr. Carl Greer, a retired clinical psychologist and Jungian analyst, a businessman, shamanic practitioner, author, and a philanthropist.
Funding over 60 charities and more than 2,000 past and current Greer Scholars, the mission of the Greer Foundation is to support programs that address the root causes of violence, poverty and social injustice, protect the ecology of the earth, promote effective healthcare including psychological health and alternative medicine, and preserve indigenous spiritual and healing practices.
The expansion of Greer Scholars Program, administered through the university’s Latinx Resource Center (LRC), builds upon the proven success of the original STEM-focused initiative. The new healthcare pipeline is launched in partnership with the College of Health and Human Services to ease financial barriers and provide comprehensive academic mentorship for future nursing professionals. Eligible incoming full-time freshmen will receive renewable scholarships of up to $5,000 per year for up to four years based on financial need, alongside tailored professional development, peer networks, and structured academic support.
"In just two years, the Greer Scholars Program has shown the impact that targeted scholarships and student success programming can have on student confidence and achievement," said Emmanuel Lopez, director of the Latinx Resource Center. "We are grateful to the Greer Foundation for their continued partnership and excited to see that impact expand with the launch of a new Greer Scholars Program for nursing students in Fall 2026."
The expansion stems from strong student outcomes since the program's initial launch in fall 2024. Among current scholars, 39% have achieved a GPA above 3.5, and 100% of surveyed participants report increased confidence in their academic majors.
Led by College of Health and Human Services Dean Catherine Balthazar, the new nursing initiative will mirror the holistic support model used by the existing STEM cohorts, which includes periodic success planning, career readiness workshops, and intensive advising.
“What makes the Greer Scholars Program special is that students don't have to do it alone,” said Karina Hernandez Cazarez, Assistant Director of the LRC. “STEM can be challenging, but having the financial support of the scholarship and a community that's invested in their success helps students stay focused on their goals and build confidence.”
Current scholars emphasize that the program’s value extends far beyond financial assistance.
"The scholarship has impacted me in more ways than one. Because of it, I am able to worry less about my financial needs for me to go to college," said Nayeli Urquizo, a Communication Disorders major. "I am also grateful for my mentors who are constantly reassuring the members of this scholarship that they care about our successes and failures throughout our college experience and are more than happy to help us along the way."
Halie Jernigan, a Community Health major, credited the LRC staff with keeping her "ahead of the game" regarding her future career endeavors. "They are extremely supportive of what I want to do and also give great advice and ideas as to how I can continue to succeed," Jernigan said.
Applications are currently open for both the incoming STEM and new nursing cohorts for the fall 2026 academic term. For more information, interested students should contact Emmanuel Lopez, Director of Latinx Center by phone: 708-235-8528 or email: elopez6@govst.edu.
About Governors State University
Governors State University (GovState), recently voted the Best in the Southland, is a 4-year, comprehensive institution of higher education located in Chicago’s Southland. GovState serves nearly 4,500 students in four academic colleges: Arts and Sciences, Health and Human Services, Business, and Education and Human Development. Home to 2025-26 Men’s Basketball CCAC champions, GovState hosts 16 athletic teams.