Nightingale Awards Rewards Senior Nursing Student at LVHN’s Joseph F. McCloskey School of Nursing

At a time when health facilities, clinics and physician practices from all across the country are seeking registered nurses (RN) and other health practitioners, the administration and faculty at the Joseph F. McCloskey School of Nursing at Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) celebrated one of their own.

Amy Miller, Pine Grove, a senior at the Pottsville-based school, was among eight students recently chosen out of nearly 200 applicants statewide to receive a scholarship award from the Nightingale Awards of Pennsylvania. The scholarship is used toward Miller’s tuition.

This past summer during semester break, Miller worked as a professional student nurse extern, a new program offered at Lehigh Valley Hospital (LVH)–Schuylkill, which provides additional hands-on nursing experience, patient contact and mentoring from senior colleagues. 

“I am very thankful to my husband, my children and our parents for their support and encouragement throughout my studies to become an RN,” says Miller. “This has been a very beneficial experience. I am excited to begin my nursing career.” Miller plans to work at LVH–Schuylkill upon graduation. She and her husband Joel have three daughters.

“Amy’s enthusiasm and passion for the profession of nursing is contagious,” says Jennifer Jones-Lapp, Director of Strategic Development for the School. “She is going to be an excellent addition to the profession, someone who embodies LVHN’s continuous pursuit of excellence. The leadership and faculty at the Joseph F. McCloskey School of Nursing at LVHN are all very proud of Amy and are excited to see her continue her career at LVHN.”

The Nightingale Awards of Pennsylvania is a non-profit organization sponsoring a scholarship program dedicated to supporting Pennsylvania residents who are pursuing a program of a basic degree in nursing (LPN, etc.), or an advanced degree in nursing (masters, doctoral), and PhD education in a Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing-approved program. The awards are based on merit, involvement in the community and leadership potential.

The Joseph F. McCloskey School of Nursing at LVHN is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). It was established in 1895 as The Pottsville Hospital School of Nursing and later became Schuylkill Health School of Nursing. It has more than 2,500 graduates since its inception.

In collaboration with Alvernia University, the school offers a Dual-Enrollment Program leading to an RN diploma as well as an Associate’s Degree in Applied Science (AS). Dual enrollment is structured to provide a seamless career mobility pathway to the BSN, while providing graduates with the credentials to sit for the professional nursing licensure exam, NCLEX, upon successful completion.

The school is named in honor, now memory, of Judge Joseph F. McCloskey, former President Judge of Schuylkill County Court of Common Pleas and Senior Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court judge. He was a dedicated Chairman of the former Pottsville Hospital and Schuylkill Health and a longtime board member who advocated for the School of Nursing during his time on the Board.