Health sciences students secure job, financial security

Pennsylvania College of Technology nursing and health sciences students are professionally and financially benefiting from a collaboration between the school and tech-enabled services platform Noodle.

Partnered with Penn College since February 2024, the Scholars Network – a department within Noodle – has helped 20 Penn College nursing and radiography students secure guaranteed employment and employer-sponsored loan repayment. The total commitment has reached more than $752,000, and that number is expected to grow as more students express interest in the program.

The higher education partner aims to help institutions increase enrollment, expand access and improve learner outcomes through aligned technology and services.

“For students, the program provides financial support via loan repayment, career clarity and a direct pathway into employment,” said Madeline Correll, director of partnerships & public affairs at Scholars Network. “For employers, it helps address workforce shortages by building a reliable talent pipeline, improving retention and reducing recruitment costs. It’s a mutually beneficial model that aligns education with employment outcomes.”

Penn College is able to leverage its partnership with Scholars Network as a key enrollment differentiator. Students interested in pursuing nursing or medical imaging at the college know that, if they are accepted by one of the employers in the network – currently Guthrie Clinic, Penn Highlands Healthcare, Penn Medicine, Temple Health, WellSpan Health, UNC Health Wayne, Women & Infants, and Southcoast Health – a significant portion of their student loans may be repaid through their employer-sponsored loan repayment.

Students are encouraged to learn about the program early on, but applications are typically submitted after at least one semester of clinicals appears on their transcript. After signing the scholar agreement, which includes a commitment to remain with the employer for a specified period of time after graduation – typically two or three years – the student is guaranteed a job and loan repayment is lined up for them once they graduate and pass the appropriate credentialing exam.

“Upon graduation and licensure, the student transitions directly into a full-time role and fulfills their work commitment – and hopefully stays at the employer well beyond the commitment – while the employer gains a well-prepared and committed new hire,” Correll said.

Tanae A. Traister, assistant dean of nursing & health sciences, said it was the positive feedback the college received from the first partnership institution, as well as the results that they were able to demonstrate, that prompted Penn College to collaborate with Noodle.

As a result, Traister has seen many students connecting with the healthcare organizations of their choice to financially support their education. Some are expected to receive up to $65,000 in loan repayment.

“If a student knows where they want to work, it’s an opportunity for a guaranteed full-time nursing position at that organization, along with significant financial support for their nursing education,” she added.

Christine L. Eckenrod, director of radiography, said four first-year students in her program have been selected for employer-sponsored loan repayment through Scholars Network.

“This has been the first year that radiography has participated in this partnership,” she said. “Knowing you have a job lined up after graduation and will have help paying off college debt relieves a great burden for students, allowing them to focus on learning and success in their programs.”

Requirements can vary slightly by program or employer, but generally Penn College students must be enrolled in an accredited radiography or pre-licensure registered nursing program; be in good academic standing with a GPA of at least 2.3; meet program-specific criteria; express interest in working with a participating employer partner; and be a United States citizen, permanent resident or have residency under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or Temporary Protected Status programs. Students are encouraged to apply after they have some clinical coursework on their transcript.

For information about Penn College degree and certificate opportunities offered by the School of Nursing & Health Sciences call 570-327-4761.  
  
For information about Penn College, a national leader in applied technology education, email the Admissions Office or call toll-free 800-367-9222.