Lowcountry IMPACT Grant

Lowcountry IMPACT Grant Supports Nursing Students

The University of South Carolina Beaufort (USCB) is proud to announce Lowcountry IMPACT, an initiative proposed under the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Nurse Education, Practice, Quality and Retention – Workforce Expansion Program (NEPQR-WEP). This program aims to strengthen the nursing workforce in acute and long-term care settings, with a special focus on serving rural and medically underserved communities across South Carolina.

Grant Participant Information

Tier 1: (Current freshman and sophomore USCB students with the following requirements)

• Full-time student
• Major of Public Health, pre-nursing interest
• South Carolina resident

Tier 2: (Current USCB nursing students, sophomore or junior level)

• Full-time student
• Major of Nursing
• South Carolina resident

Purpose

Lowcountry IMPACT is designed to prepare nursing students to meet the complex healthcare needs of patients in the Lowcountry region. Its goals are to:

• Increase the number of nursing students enrolled, retained, and successfully graduated from the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program.

• Provide specialized training in acute and long-term care settings, emphasizing social determinants of health and cultural competency.

• Expand clinical experiences and academic-practice partnerships that lead to sustainable employment for graduates in local healthcare facilities.

• Recruit and develop preceptors and clinical faculty to ensure high-quality instruction and mentorship.

Goals

Through this initiative, USCB will:

1. Grow the BSN program’s capacity to admit students twice yearly, expanding access to nursing education.

2. Support students from educationally and economically disadvantaged backgrounds in rural and underserved areas.

3. Enhance student support systems to address barriers to education such as financial, social, and cultural challenges.

4. Offer new didactic and clinical training opportunities focused on acute and long-term care practice.

5. Build a strong pipeline of qualified nursing faculty and clinical preceptors to sustain program growth.

6. Strengthen academic-practice partnerships with healthcare organizations to recruit and retain nurses in the region.

We're Hiring Tutors

Using Lowcountry IMPACT grant funds, USCB’s Nursing department will hire the following positions:

• Peer tutors to serve pre-nursing students in STEM courses.
  Apply to be a peer tutor (coming soon).
• Nurse tutors for upper division nursing students. USCB alumni and other nurses with a BSN degree are encouraged to apply.
  Apply to be a nurse tutor (coming soon).
• Peer mentors working with Public Health/nursing intent students and nursing major students. Requirements are junior standing in the nursing program with a NURS GPA > 3.0   
  Apply to be a student nurse mentor (coming soon).

Community and Practice Partners

Lowcountry IMPACT will be implemented through close collaboration with community and clinical partners who share USCB’s commitment to advancing rural health:

• Beaufort Memorial Hospital

• Novant Health System

• Friends of Caroline Hospice

Grant Impact

The Lowcountry IMPACT project will have a lasting effect on healthcare access and quality throughout the region. By expanding nursing education and creating new workforce pathways, USCB aims to:

• Address the ongoing nursing shortage in acute and long-term care.

• Promote equitable healthcare delivery in underserved areas.

• Prepare a new generation of skilled, compassionate nurses ready to serve where they are most needed.

This initiative underscores USCB’s mission to enhance community health and expand opportunity across the Lowcountry—creating lasting impact well beyond 2028.