Expanded Nurse Scholars Initiative Sees Returns

With 14 of its graduates now working as registered nurses at Cleveland Clinic, the Howley ASPIRE Nurse Scholar Program has come full circle. Founded in 2017, the 12-week enrichment course empowers economically challenged high school students in Northeastern Ohio to explore careers in nursing.

Designed for high school juniors, the initiative provides participants with an insider’s view of professional nursing while familiarizing them with the critical skills needed to pursue a career in healthcare. Howley ASPIRE students may also return to serve as program mentors during their senior year and continue to build on what they have already learned.

“The final years of high school are all about exploration, so we’ve worked to create a safe space that encourages that natural curiosity,” says Lisa Baszynski, DNP, RN, NE-BC, Executive Director/Associate Chief Nursing Officer at Cleveland Clinic. “Although many of our students do indeed decide to pursue nursing careers, others don’t. Either way, they walk away from the program with invaluable life skills and a new appreciation for the importance of teamwork.”

Unlike similar initiatives around the country, the Howley ASPIRE Nurse Scholar Program nurtures and supports its students all the way through college, says Baszynski. Because the course was developed in collaboration with Ursuline College’s Breen School of Nursing and Health Professions, its students also have the ability to earn a scholarship to Ursuline, where they can complete a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree.

“Our ultimate goal is to give graduates the opportunity to return to Cleveland Clinic and work as registered nurses, so we’ve developed a sustainment plan that encourages a lifelong relationship between our organization and our Howley ASPIRE Program alums,” she says. In the past two years, our 14 graduates have returned to Cleveland Clinic to launch their careers.

Growth and outreach

This past spring, support from the Howley Foundation made it possible for the program to double its cohort from 25 students to 50. Baszynski says this is a “particularly exciting development” in light of the growing number of applicants the program receives each year. “We’d absolutely welcome every applicant into the program if we could,” she adds.

Now in its eighth year, the Howley ASPIRE Nurse Scholar Program has 155 active students, including high school juniors and seniors, college students, and new graduates. Achieving this level of success has involved a “strategic, targeted recruitment process that relies on the expertise of our entire team,” says Pamela Combs, DNP, BC-NP, Director of the Howley ASPIRE Nurse Scholar Program.

She explains that the team’s diverse recruitment strategies include nursing “field trips” to area high schools, where program representatives can connect directly with students; social media campaigns; flyers distributed at student hot spots; and good old-fashioned word of mouth.

LaShariah Williams, BSN, RN, first heard about the program at an informational presentation given at her high school. “I’d been interested in nursing for a long time, but I didn’t know what the profession actually entailed,” Williams explains. “The information I heard that day really inspired me and sparked a curiosity that has continued to grow.”

Williams was accepted into the Howley ASPIRE Nurse Scholar Program in 2017 as part of the initiative’s inaugural class and soon accepted a job at Cleveland Clinic as a patient care nursing assistant (PCNA), a position she held throughout college. Shortly after earning a BSN from Ursuline College in 2024, Williams officially launched her nursing career in the cardiovascular ICU at Cleveland Clinic Main Campus.

A holistic approach

Linda Gardner, DNP, RN, Senior Director of Nursing Education at Cleveland Clinic, says the success of the Howley ASPIRE Nurse Scholar Program relies on the support of multiple caregivers within the organization, including healthcare educators, mentors and volunteers. “We definitely depend on a team of teams to make it all happen,” she says.

Rather than focusing solely on grades when evaluating applicants for the program, the admissions team also considers factors outside the classroom, including letters of recommendation, interviews, essays and involvement in extracurricular activities.

“One thing we quickly learned is that many of these students have personal demands that conflict with the academic demands of high school — expectations like making dinner every night, taking care of their siblings or working a full-time job,” explains Gardner.

“Those are the kind of life experiences that can tell you a lot about someone’s character and grit — who they are as a whole person. We fully understand that your grade point average does not define who you are.”

One of the program’s chief goals is to prepare participants for the rigors of nursing school, particularly its focus on math and science. “It is important for participants to learn how to think critically and innovatively,” she adds. “We continue to emphasize these skills when speaking with our students so they can be mindful of them when choosing their classes and preparing for the challenges ahead.”

To promote success, the program stresses immersion in nursing early and often. This approach includes hiring Howley ASPIRE nurse scholars to work as PCNAs at Cleveland Clinic throughout college — a strategy that has given Williams an additional edge. “Being in the field and learning from other nurses while you’re still in school quickly helps you connect those pieces,” she says.

Baszynski explains that her team’s commitment to following every student through their college careers has been one important key to the program’s success. “After all, they’re still Howley ASPIRE nurse scholars when they go off to college — they are a part of us,” she says.

Combs adds, “There’s a very strong sense of belonging that gives participants an important educational advantage.” She adds that the program’s comprehensive, long-term structure enables its leaders to foster professionalism, job readiness and life skills in its participants.

Williams, for one, can personally attest to absorbing these qualities. “I’ve learned to delegate, speak up for what is right, communicate effectively and take full advantage of my professional development skills like problem-solving and networking,” she says.

Williams believes confidence is one of the most important characteristics the Howley ASPIRE Nurse Scholar Program instilled in her. Not only was she invited to return as a program ambassador and mentor during her senior year of high school, but she was also invited to speak at Cleveland Clinic’s 2018 Nursing Leadership Summit and discuss the program on local television.

Shaping the future

Gardner says the program’s infrastructure and vision were designed to be expanded over time to reach an increasing number of students. “We take what we learn and adjust the curriculum every year to meet the evolving needs of our students — and the healthcare system in general,” she says.

In the near future, the Howley ASPIRE team plans to build on its success by creating an Alumni Association and a new Nurse Scholar Leadership Academy.

Williams has nothing but praise for her experience. “It’s rare for high school students to have access to career enrichment programs of this caliber — especially those that provide resources like financial assistance, counseling services and mentorship,” she says. “The Howley ASPIRE Nurse Scholar Program has created a space for nurses to become successful in their careers while minimizing obstacles and barriers along the way.”

As a third-generation nurse herself, Combs understands the effect this program can have on the future of families. “What really moves me is knowing that people we’ll never meet or see will be affected by the work we’re doing,” she says. “It’s incredibly gratifying to be a part of something that can help shape generations of future caregivers.”