Seminole State nursing program awarded $2 million from state to match funds

Seminole State College of Florida’s nursing education program has been awarded $2 million from the State of Florida in recognition of the College’s high-performing nursing education program. This marks the fourth year of Seminole State receiving funds through the Linking Industry to Nursing Education (LINE) grant. The College also received $1,673,695 through the Prepping Institutions, Programs, Employers, and Learners through Incentives for Nursing Education (PIPELINE) program. Over the past four years the College has received $2.75 million to match generous donations from our healthcare partners, AdventHealth and Orlando Health. 

The funds from the state are primarily used for equipment purchases, faculty training, student scholarships, NCLEX prep and new loaner laptops for students in the nursing program. These funds help the College in providing the most up-to-date nursing training so our students can hit the ground running in their career.

This year, the Governor awarded more than $20 million to postsecondary nursing programs across the state. The funding provides matching funds for scholarship awards.
"Florida is investing at scale to expand nursing programs and strengthen the healthcare workforce," said Governor Ron DeSantis. "Since launching the LINE and PIPELINE programs in 2022, Florida has invested more than $485 million in nursing education.”

"The governor and the Florida Legislature have shown their commitment to nursing education," said Seminole State President Dr. Georgia L. Lorenz. "These funds, along with the partnership and funds provided by AdventHealth and Orlando Health, help us increase the number of highly qualified nurses entering the workforce. This creates economic mobility for our students and better care for our community.”

Seminole State offers both an Associate in Science (A.S.), Nursing (RN) degree and an RN-to-BSN Online program (Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing) which answers the health care industry’s call for nurses with advanced training and provides graduates with high-growth, high-paying jobs.

Nursing Student Spotlight: Nina Nguyen

A nurse helps care for their community, which is something Nina Nguyen has been doing her whole life. As a first-generation college student from a Vietnamese family, Nguyen has seen how crucial it is to have healthcare providers who understand you.

"Language barriers have always been a part of our lives," Nguyen said. "I often had to step in as the translator and advocate during doctor visits, helping my parents understand their health conditions and making sure they were treated with dignity." These experiences inspired her and pushed her to pursue her degree in nursing.

While balancing her studies with part-time work, Nguyen applied for the Community College Baccalaureate Association (CCBA) student scholarship and was recognized at the 2026 National Conference in Long Beach, California. In her application, she shared that the scholarship would allow her to devote more time to her studies, clinicals and community involvement.

Her goal is to become a nurse and build “a life rooted in service, leadership and advocacy,” demonstrating the ripple effect that educating one nurse can have on an entire community.