UHC Hosts Formal Aspiring Nurse Signing Ceremony
By Connect-Bridgeport Staff on February 01, 2026
WVU Medicine United Hospital Center (UHC) held a formal signing ceremony on Friday, January 23, for nursing students accepted into the WVU Medicine Aspiring Nurse Program. Because tuition support generally exists for nursing students in the form of student loans, grants, and scholarships, the Aspiring Nurse Program provides each student with funds to support their real needs: everyday expenses. A total of twenty-five students were accepted into the winter 2026 cohort.
“UHC is known for excellence in providing healthcare. This commitment to excellence extends to our workplace, where we are dedicated to maintaining the best place to work in healthcare,” said David F. Hess, MD, regional president of the Central Region for WVU Health System and CEO of WVU Medicine United Hospital Center. “The Aspiring Nurse Program is a reflection of our health system’s investment in our nursing staff and works to provide a foundation for a long and successful career.”
Each student accepted into the program will receive up to $25,000 over four semesters in exchange for a three-year work commitment following graduation. Students accepted to the program will also receive support from academic success coaches and complete clinical rotations at UHC to ensure they receive high-quality, hands-on clinical immersion experiences to assist them as they transition to professional nursing practice.
Davis and Elkins College, Fairmont State University, West Virginia University, and West Virginia Junior College were selected among local colleges to participate in the program. The partnership between UHC and nursing programs at these educational institutions demonstrates a commitment to collaborative education and workforce development.
“This initiative is innovative in that it aims to address financial challenges faced by nursing students while simultaneously creating a pipeline for them to excel in their career after school,” said Stephanie Smart, MSN, RN, vice president of Nursing/Chief Nursing Officer.
For more information on the WVU Medicine Aspiring Nurse Program, visit WVUMedicine.org/Aspiring-Nurse-Program.
Below are the names and colleges of the recipients pictured.
Davis & Elkins University
- Lindsey Hathaway
Fairmont State University
- Ashley Poling
- Cheyenne Batton
West Virginia Junior College
- Adam Hamrick
- Adam Swiger
- Alura Parsons
- Audrey Poling
- Bailey Chisholm
- Chelsea Lanham
- Emily McCombs
- Hailey Lunceford
- Jailyn Pauley
- Jessica Swisher
- Kaitlyn Layman
- Kalya Pitzer
- Lauren Heidecker
- Lindsey Hathaway
- Madison Ritz
- Madison Williams
- Roxanne Greynolds
- Taylor Smith
- Victoria Mays
- Zaley Colebank
