A. As used in this section: “Graduate nursing program” means a program at a school of nursing that leads to a master’s degree or doctorate in nursing or a field relating to nursing activities. “Undergraduate nursing program” means a program at a school of nursing that leads to an associate degree, diploma, or baccalaureate degree in nursing.
B. Annual nursing scholarships are established for part-time and full-time Virginia students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate nursing programs or first-year Virginia students at the beginning of their first academic year who present to the advisory committee established pursuant to subsection D a notice of intention to pursue an undergraduate nursing program.
C. Undergraduate nursing scholarships shall not exceed $2,000 annually. Graduate nursing scholarships shall not exceed $4,000 annually. No scholarship shall be less than $150 annually. Scholarship funds shall be paid directly to the recipient.
D. Each nursing scholarship shall be made by an advisory committee appointed by the State Board of Health that consists of eight members, four of whom shall be deans or directors of schools of nursing or their designees, two of whom shall be past recipients of nursing scholarships awarded pursuant to this section, two of whom shall have experience in the administration of student financial aid programs, and at least two of whom shall not have served as members of the advisory committee during the previous two years. Appointments shall be for two-year terms. No member of the advisory committee is eligible to serve more than two consecutive two-year terms immediately succeeding any unexpired term for which such member was appointed.
E. Awards shall be made upon such basis, competitive or otherwise, as determined by the advisory committee, with due regard for scholastic attainments, character, need, and adaptability of the applicant for the service contemplated in such award. No award shall be made if the applicant fails to possess the requisite qualifications. With due consideration of the number of applications and the qualifications of all such applicants, the advisory committee shall, to the extent that it is practicable, award an equal number of scholarships among the various congressional districts within the Commonwealth.
F. Before any such scholarship is awarded, the applicant shall agree in a signed written contract to complete a nursing program and, upon completion, to promptly begin and continuously engage in nursing work in the Commonwealth in a region with a critical shortage of nurses for one month for each $100 of scholarship awarded. The requirement for continuous engagement in nursing work may be waived by the advisory committee if the scholarship recipient requests leave to pursue an undergraduate or graduate degree in nursing or relating to nursing activities. The contract shall contain such other provisions as the State Board of Health determines to be necessary to accomplish the purposes of the scholarship.
G. Each scholarship shall be awarded for a single award year and may be renewed annually for up to four additional award years upon a showing of satisfactory progress toward completion of the relevant nursing program.