GSU partners with Will County Heroes Grant Program
University Park, IL – Governors State University (GSU) nursing and education students are eligible for up to $2.5 million in grants and scholarships as part of the $10 million Will County Heroes Teaching and Nursing Grant Program. Through the grant, both current and potential GSU Nursing and Teaching students, willing to enter their fields and take on the challenges of these noble professions, are eligible to apply for up to $2,500 a semester or $5,000 per academic year beginning with students enrolled in Fall 2023.
The grant will also provide a pathway for employment after graduation, connecting students with local partners who can support their continued education and ensure a working environment that will foster positive career development.
Intended to ignite a new generation of heroes in the region, the grant is for graduating high schoolers, adults seeking career transition, and paraprofessionals or healthcare workers seeking advancement in continuing education. It is an incentive to address shortages in critical sectors which were exacerbated by the pandemic, resulting in unemployed or underemployed workers seeking job training, subsidized employment, or employment incentives.
GSU is one of four higher education partners awarded Will County Heroes Teaching and Nursing Grant Program funding. Will County will disburse $2.5 million to each institution to execute the program through Fall 2026.
“Governors State University is excited to join Lewis University, University of St. Francis, and Joliet Junior College in the partnership that has been created to increase the workforce supply of teachers and nurses that will serve the Will County residential and business community,” said Dr. Cheryl Green, President of Governors State University. “This innovative collaboration serves as a model for institutions seeking to enhance the diverse needs of the local economy. We are grateful to Will County for their investment in the future of our students and the emerging workforce.”
For more information and to apply for the grant, please visit: https://willcountyillinois.org/heroes/
Governors State University contacts:
Departments: Nursing & College of Education
Nursing Contact: llewis8@govst.edu
Elementary Education: pperdue@govst.edu
Secondary Education: ncoleman3@govst.edu
Contact: Zion Banks
email: zbanks@govst.edu
phone: 630-842-6427