Wayne State University

College officials welcomed the NCIN grant because it helped offset scholar expenses and break down some of the barriers that make it difficult for second-degree and/ or second-career students to succeed. Prior to admission, school staff interviewed applicants to its accelerated program to assess their knowledge of the nursing profession and to determine if they were ready to transition to nursing careers. All NCIN scholars in the program were assigned individual mentors—senior-level students at the college—who were available to help them better understand material and further develop their skills. When the NCIN scholars had progressed in their education, they in turn were expected to demonstrate leadership by becoming mentors to other nursing students.