Esther M. Schmitt Grant to Help Make Nursing Education More Accessible at Grand View University

September 9, 2026

A generous gift to Grand View University will help make a nursing education more accessible for students who face financial barriers to completing their degree.

The new Esther M. Schmitt Grant for Nursing Students will provide housing assistance to nursing students with demonstrated financial need, helping alleviate one of the significant costs associated with earning a college degree.

The fund was established in honor of Esther M. Schmitt, whose career as a nurse shaped her desire to help others enter the profession. Schmitt understood firsthand the importance of nursing and the difference compassionate, well-educated nurses make in the lives of patients, families and communities.

“Earning a nursing degree requires commitment. The coursework is demanding, the clinical hours are long, and for some students at Grand View, the cost of housing is the quiet obstacle that makes finishing feel impossible. This will change that,” said LB Lyons ’08, Vice President for Advancement. “We are deeply grateful for this gift and for the confidence it demonstrates in Grand View’s nursing students and the difference they will make in the lives of their future patients.”

The Esther M. Schmitt Grant for Nursing Students will help ensure deserving students have access to the resources they need to persist, graduate and enter the healthcare workforce prepared to make a difference.

By helping remove a financial barrier to completing a nursing degree, the grant represents an investment in the next generation of nurses and in the patients, families and communities they will one day serve. Schmitt’s legacy will continue through students who have the opportunity to pursue their calling to care for others.