Mount Saint Mary's University Receives $2 Million Grant From Riordan Foundation

LOS ANGELES, May 21, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Mount Saint Mary's University, which pioneered the first Bachelor of Science nursing program in California in 1948, has been awarded a $2 million grant from the Riordan Foundation to fund the future of nursing education.

Created by former Los Angeles mayor and civic and business leader Richard Riordan, the Riordan Fund for the Future of Nursing Education will provide significant financial support for MSMU's efforts to advance nursing education and help modernize the healthcare industry, in part through innovative health and wellness programs.

"The university's dedication to increasing the number of culturally competent and highly skilled nurses is truly remarkable and perfectly aligned with the mission of the Riordan Foundation," said Richard J. Riordan, founder and president of the foundation. "We believe that this partnership will have a significant impact on the lives of students and on the community for many years to come."

Ann McElaney-Johnson, PhD, president of Mount Saint Mary's, said: "We are honored that the Riordan Foundation, which has long championed college success and workforce education, has awarded MSMU with this grant. It will allow our students to more fully embrace health and wellness in their personal, academic and professional lives."

The Riordan Fund for the Future of Nursing Education will provide financial support for: 

• Student scholarships for up to 48 students distributed over the next three years;
• Developing and implementing a high-quality, fully online Registered Nurse and Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs;
• Expanding opportunities for undergraduate students to conduct research and provide clinical services to disadvantaged communities, including international service trips for students.
• Extending the Healthy Healthcare Provider pilot and expanding the nursing wellness initiative.

MSMU's Healthy Healthcare Provider program, the first and only of its kind in Southern California, trains nursing and healthcare students to become experts in stress management, nutrition, physical activity and healthy sleeping habits in their personal, academic and professional lives.

Founded in 1925, Mount Saint Mary's is the only women's university in Los Angeles and has long been a leader in nursing and healthcare education. The University prepares nearly 1,000 women each year to enter the field of nursing, which continues to see a shortage of qualified applicants. More than 80 percent of MSMU's more than 3,000 students are women of color, more than 50 percent are the first in their families to attend college, and 98 percent receive some sort of financial aid.

About Mount Saint Mary's University
Mount Saint Mary's is the only women's university in Los Angeles and one of the most diverse in the nation. The University is known nationally for its research on gender equality, its innovative health and science programs, and its commitment to community service. As a leading liberal arts institution, Mount Saint Mary's provides year-round, flexible and online programs at the undergraduate and graduate level. Weekend, evening and graduate programs are offered to both women and men. Mount alums are engaged, active global citizens who use their knowledge and skills to better themselves, their communities and the world.

About the Riordan Foundation
The Riordan Foundation's mission is to enable individuals in the communities we serve access to the resources that will prepare them to compete successfully in the 21st Century. The Riordan Foundation is interested in programs which focus on the following three areas: Pre-K-12 Education, College Success & Workforce Development.

SOURCE Mount Saint Mary's University