CCF Grant Creates ‘Once-in-a-Lifetime’ Opportunity for Working Nurses to Become RNs

JENNA JACKSON. 2026 RN GRADUATE EMPLOYED AT THE ARLINGTON

The need for registered nurses (RNs) in Florida is ever growing. By 2037, the state is expected to face a shortage of nearly 24,000 RNs, according to a recent study from the Florida Center for Nursing. One barrier, among many, is how difficult it has become for current healthcare professionals to advance their education and, ultimately, their careers while continuing to remain employed. The Collier Community Foundation (CCF) and Lorenzo Walker Technical College are working to try to ease that burden in the local area.

In early 2025, the CCF awarded Lorenzo Walker Technical College with a $180,000 grant to fully cover the tuition and fees of its first cohort of students for its new nursing bridge program, which enables employed Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) to transition to RNs — all without needing to quit their jobs or take out student loans. All 23 nurses who were enrolled in the program graduated on July 23.

“That outcome is a direct reflection of what’s possible when a community invests in its workforce, and we’re deeply grateful to CCF for believing in this program from day one,” said John Monda, director of Lorenzo Walker Technical College.

LPNs, which provide basic medical care, are typically required only to complete a 12-month certificate program. RNs, on the other hand, can provide complex medical care and often supervise LPNs. Registered nurses are required to earn a bachelor’s or associate’s degree in nursing, or complete a bridge program like the one designed by Lorenzo Walker Technical College.

‘BEYOND ANYTHING I COULD HAVE IMAGINED’

Recent graduate Marie Fabienne Auguste, currently employed at HCA Florida Blake Hospital, said, “The grant provided a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.” She recently accepted an RN position with the hospital, pending her successfully passing the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN).

“The program has been an absolute blessing,” added Jenna Jackson, an LPN at The Arlington, a Naples-based retirement home. As a mother of four, Jackson said she wouldn’t have been able to afford the cost of the RN program at this point in her life. “Having it fully covered was beyond anything I could have imagined,” she said.

Like Auguste, Jackson has already accepted a promotion with her current employer but hopes to work in a more acute setting, like an ICU, at some point down the road.

Nursing professor Tashoya Burgess believes the “small and intimate” nature of the LPN-to-RN bridge program is what sets it apart from other, costlier options. The inaugural class grew into more of a community that provided support and even helped build some lifelong friendships among nurses.

As a working mother, Auguste said she required the support and flexibility that the nursing program provided. “I could go to the facility and make up work off schedule and never felt alone,” she said. “I felt personally cared-for — and I don’t think I would have found that in any other programs.” The grant “was a once in a lifetime opportunity” that she couldn’t pass up.

Students attend classes in-person and receive hands-on clinical training once per week, respectively. The school holds clinical partnerships with Physician’s Regional, NCH and Arlington, among other healthcare facilities in the area.

The rest of the coursework is online. The flexibility provided is “an absolute game changer,” Auguste said.

‘ONE OF OUR GREATEST JOYS’

In addition to the CCF grant, private donors John Svirsky and Jeanne Livingston recently gifted an additional $26,575 to the nursing program through their donor-advised fund (DAF) held at CCF, increasing the total funding for Lorenzo Walker Technical College to $206,575. The Livingston Svirsky Empowerment Fund allocated the funds to fully cover the cost of the college’s nursing bootcamps, which help prospective RNs and LPNs prepare for the NCLEX exam.

“One of [our] greatest joys is to see recipients of previous scholarships go on to be teachers or guides to others,” John Svirsky said. “We have seen the ripple effect —not only for the beneficiary, but also for all the people whose lives are positively impacted by the degree holder.”

The bootcamp tutorials are designed to build students’ confidence, reinforce challenging concepts and better prepare them for clinical practice and licensing. The Livingston Svirsky Empowerment Fund will cover the full cost of the bootcamp tutorials – either $175 or $325, depending on each student’s previous experience in the industry. The funding is expected to provide financial assistance to more than 120 nursing students who are enrolled at Lorenzo Walker Technical College.

“For many, it’s the difference between struggling silently and having a real path forward — a chance to catch up, master foundational skills, and stay on track toward graduation,” Monda said.

By investing in working healthcare professionals, the Collier Community Foundation is helping strengthen Southwest Florida’s nursing workforce while expanding access to quality healthcare for local residents.