Gwynedd Mercy University Expands Nursing Partnership Network

Gwynedd Mercy University is expanding its Nursing Scholars Program to include Temple Health, Penn Highlands Healthcare and WellSpan Health. These new partnerships, which provide eligible nursing students with significant loan repayment opportunities and direct career pathways with leading healthcare organizations, build on the university’s existing collaboration with Geisinger.

Through the Nursing Scholars Program, eligible GMercyU nursing students can receive up to $40,000 in loan repayment funds when they launch their careers with one of the university’s partner health systems. These programs offer financial relief for students while helping regional organizations address the ongoing nursing workforce shortage with well-trained, compassionate caregivers.

“Our healthcare system continues to face critical staffing challenges, and GMercyU nurses, known for their skills and compassion, are essential to meeting the growing demand for high-quality patient care,” said Jane H. Tang, PhD, RN, NE-BC, Dean of GMercyU’s Frances M. Maguire College of Nursing & Health Professions. “By expanding our network of partners, we’re creating rewarding, debt-reducing career opportunities for our students while simultaneously helping health systems build a pipeline of skilled, values-driven nurses.”

The expanded program includes:

• Temple Nursing Scholars Program: GMercyU nursing students who apply and are selected for this program can receive up to $40,000 in student loan payments. After passing the NCLEX exam, graduates who begin their careers at Temple Health will receive monthly loan repayments for up to three years of full-time employment.
• Penn Highlands Nursing Scholars Program: Similar to the Temple Health program, this initiative provides up to $40,000 in loan repayments for GMercyU nursing graduates who are selected and work full-time at Penn Highlands Healthcare. Payments are made monthly over three years of employment.
• WellSpan Nursing Scholars Program: Eligible GMercyU nursing students who launch their careers with WellSpan Health can receive up to $37,500 in loan repayment funds. Payments are made monthly over a two- or three-year employment period.

These new programs join the existing Geisinger Nursing Scholars Gateway Program, which offers up to $40,000 in loan repayment funds for eligible GMercyU nursing graduates who begin their careers with Geisinger.

For more than 60 years, GMercyU has been recognized for preparing nurses who combine exceptional clinical skills with Mercy values, positioning them as compassionate caregivers, patient advocates and healthcare leaders. In 2025, the university will open the Frances M. Maguire ’55 Healthcare Innovation Center, a 63,000-square-foot facility designed to support cutting-edge healthcare education and interprofessional collaboration.

About Scholars Network

Scholars Network, operated by Noodle, partners with health systems, combining clinical and higher education expertise to solve some of healthcare’s biggest challenges: recruitment, retention, and upskilling of talent. Noodle’s dedicated team is there throughout, helping to support each student through recruitment, enrollment, education, and employment. www.nursingscholars.com