The nursing program at Salish Kootenai College received an unexpected windfall when the federal Health Resources and Service Administration gave it a million-dollar grant late last week.

The grant will go toward 14 scholarships and 10 stipends for economically and educationally disadvantaged students.

Heather Paulsen, a nurse who is an instructor for the college’s nursing program, was elated at the increased number of students the program could help.

“This is just a completely awesome experience,” she said. “We are very excited to offer additional support to students in need.”

To qualify for the money, students must fall below the federal income level designating “economic need” or come from a high school serving more than 30 percent free or reduced lunches.

If students are the first members of their families to attend college, they also qualify.

The scholarships are $5,000 a year and the stipends are $500 a month for nine months, intended to help the typically nontraditional students at Salish Kootenai College. Most of them work full time as well as attend school full time, so any bit of extra money will help, Paulsen said.

Paulsen, a graduate of the college, knows firsthand the troubles students can have balancing families and jobs while trying to better their lives.

“This grant will buy them time,” Paulsen said. “Perhaps they can cut back on work hours and focus more on school. It’ll maybe be able to provide something that’s hard to get otherwise.”

A good portion of the grant money will go toward hiring one full-time and two part-time nursing coaches. Paulsen said the coaches will spend half their time as life coaches — helping balance the many facets of working while going to school — and the other half as tutors.

“Students need emotional support,” she said. “It is one of the things we are most excited about.”

The nursing program, which boasts on its website it “leads the nation in graduating Native American Registered Nurses,” was established at the Pablo campus in 1988.

Reporter Ryan Murray may be reached at 758-4436 or by email at rmurray@dailyinterlake.com.