$500 Student Nurse Advocacy Scholarship

Student nurses in an undergraduate program who attend the 2026 Nurse Advocacy Day at the Missouri State Capitol on February 25, 2026, and complete qualifying activities are eligible to apply for a $500 scholarship that would be awarded in April/May 2026.

WHAT ARE THE QUALIFYING ACTIVITIES?

  • Identify and learn about one of Missouri Nurses Association’s (MONA) healthcare advocacy priorities (download PDF)
  • Identify your Missouri State Representative and Senator. Legislator Lookup https://www.senate.mo.gov/legislookup/default
  • Call his/her offices 1-2 weeks or as far as possible prior to the event to inquire if he/she will be present at Nurse Advocacy Day on February 25, 2026. Make an appointment, if possible, to talk about the healthcare advocacy topic you selected

  • Complete the required individual or team-based scavenger hunt activities at the capitol using the Goosechase app.
  • Activities on site include:
    • Talk to one representative, senator, or his/her authorized representative (office staff) about the healthcare advocacy topic you selected and advocate for them to vote for the issue.
    • Have your picture taken with the representative, senator, or his/her office staff with whom you advocated to (individual or small group).
    • Have your picture taken in front of the capitol.

Following your experience at Nurse Advocacy Day, write an essay (1000 words or less) on why health policy is important and describe your experience and learning in talking with a legislator or their authorized representative on the topic of choice.

  • Why health care advocacy is important.
  • Your topic, advocacy position, and what you learned from your experience talking with a Missouri State Representative or Senator, or their authorized representative (office staff) at Nurse Advocacy Day.

*Essay Format: American Psychological Association (APA) 7th Edition; double-spaced with 1-inch margins on 8.5 in x 11 in paper using 12-point Times New Roman or 11-point Calibri font. No Artificial Intelligence (AI) generated essays will be accepted.

Submission Deadline: March 20, 2026