Inaugural Hub City Healthcare Alliance Nursing Cohort Begins with Full-Tuition Scholarships
The University of Memphis Loewenberg College of Nursing (LCON) proudly welcomed the inaugural Hub City Healthcare Alliance (HCHA) nursing cohort this fall, with nearly 40 students beginning their BSN program at the Lambuth campus. Through the Hub City enrollment management initiative, each student in the cohort is receiving full tuition coverage, allowing them to focus entirely on their education and success.
The Hub City Healthcare Alliance is a collaborative effort uniting LCON, community healthcare organizations, higher education institutions, and secondary school districts to address critical healthcare challenges in Madison County and rural West Tennessee. The alliance was created to strengthen the nursing pipeline by improving preparedness, recruitment, and retention while ensuring access to quality care in the region.
“Our goal is to remove barriers for students who want to pursue nursing, while building a stronger, healthier future for West Tennessee. Equally exciting is the continued expansion of the Hub City Healthcare Alliance to include partnering institutions, strengthening enrollment pipelines, increasing early access/mentorship, and amplifying our collective community impact within traditionally marginalized areas of healthcare access,” said Dr. Jeremy Whittaker, Associate Dean for Student Success. “By covering tuition and providing support systems, the Hub City Healthcare Alliance ensures that financial constraints will not hold back talented, dedicated students from entering the profession.”
The HCHA model is designed around six core pillars to support student success and community well-being:
- Holistic Preparation – equipping students with the academic, sociocultural, and professional skills needed for nursing practice in diverse healthcare settings.
- Building Support – offering peer mentoring, wraparound advising, and academic resources to help students thrive.
- Breaking Barriers – eliminating financial, environmental, and experiential obstacles to student success.
- Enhancing Insight – providing students with a deep understanding of the healthcare dynamics of Jackson/Madison County and rural West Tennessee.
- Local Advocates – nurturing future healthcare professionals committed to equity and community well-being.
- Integrated Services – embedding readiness, recruitment, and retention strategies within hands-on nursing education.
With tuition fully covered, these first Hub City scholars represent a transformative step in healthcare education for West Tennessee. The initiative not only creates opportunities for individual students but also strengthens the local healthcare workforce by training nurses who understand and are committed to the unique needs of their communities.
“Having my tuition fully covered through the Hub City program has taken so much pressure off me. I can focus entirely on learning and growing as a nurse, knowing that the community believes in my success," stated one nursing student.
“We cover the cost. You chase your dream.” That’s the promise of the Hub City Healthcare Alliance—removing barriers so students can focus on becoming the next generation of nurse leaders.
For more information about the Hub City Healthcare Alliance and full-tuition scholarship opportunities at the Lambuth Campus, visit Hub City HealthCare Alliance.
