Now accepting scholarship applications for the 2024-2025 academic year.

The Lois Price Spratlen Foundation invites graduate students in psychiatric mental health nursing to apply for the Lois Price Spratlen Scholarship. The Foundation will award scholarships of $2,500 in the Fall of 2024.

The deadline to apply was July 15, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific.

The purpose of the scholarship program is to support graduate students pursuing a career in advanced practice psychiatric nursing. Scholarships are funded by donations from our colleagues in the nursing and mental health community, Association of Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses (AAPPN) members, and community members interested in improving psychiatric mental health nursing in our state.

Applicants must be enrolled in or accepted into a psychiatric mental health nursing graduate program in Washington State. Applicants enrolled in programs at distance-learning institutions must be a Washington resident and the program must have DOH-approved clinical site placements for out-of-state nursing programs.

Scholarships Available

Up to three $2,500 scholarships will be awarded in the Fall of 2024.

Recipients will also receive:

  • Free one-year Student Membership in the Association of Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses (AAPPN)

  • Free registration for the AAPPN 2024 Annual Conference, to be held October 5, 2024, at the Hilton Airport Convention Center.

The Foundation reserves the right to alter distribution of scholarships depending on applications received.

Eligibility Requirements

Be enrolled in a psychiatric mental health nursing graduate program during the 2024-25 academic year (Fall-Summer) either:

  • In Washington State, or

  • In a distance-learning institution which has DOH-approved clinical site placements for out-of-state nursing programs.

You do not have to be enrolled for the entire year.

You do not have to be a Washington resident unless you are enrolled in a distance-learning institution.

Applicants do not need to have completed their first clinical practicum rotation in their PMHNP specialty courses.

Award Criteria

Scholarships will be awarded on the basis of:

  • Personal Statement

  • Leadership Experiences

  • Community/Volunteer/School Activities

  • Commitment to improving equitable mental health care access for under-resourced populations

Additional Information

  • The Foundation will select scholarship recipients.

  • All information will be held in strict confidence.

  • This scholarship is a one-time award.

  • New recipients will be selected annually.

  • Scholarship money will be distributed no later than November 30, 2024.

  • Scholarship recipients will be notified by email.

Application materials

Completed applications must include the following:

  • Completed Foundation Scholarship Application

  • Personal Statement (details below)

  • Current Résumé

  • Letter of Recommendation (details below)

Incomplete applications will not be considered. Materials submitted beyond those listed below will not be taken into consideration.

Personal Statement

Please attach a PDF personal statement (up to 750 words, 12-pt. font, double-spaced). Statements that exceed the word limit will not be considered.

Using a writing style that best expresses who you are, please address the following: 

  • How do your career goals align with the Lois Price Spratlen Foundation values of community, research, education, and leadership in the mental health advanced practice nursing community?

  • Describe your commitment to contribute to improved mental health service access for under-resourced populations and more equitable mental health care.

  • Describe your formal and/or informal leadership experiences.

 Letter of Recommendation

  • If you have completed some program coursework, your letter should be from a faculty member in your program.

  • If you have not begun a program, your letter may be from a current or past employer or past faculty member outside your program. The letter-writer must have worked with you within the past six months.

If you have any questions about this program, please contact the Foundation office at 360-734-3166 or email Kirk Roberts at office@theLois.org.