By Pareasa Rahimi
University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing Practice Lab Coordinator Nicole Stoddard, BSN, RN, CPN, is the recipient of an Alabama League for Nursing MSN Scholarship. The $1,000 scholarship will support her master’s education and was presented at the ALN Annual Conference in February. In addition to this award, the Alabama Nurses Foundation matched Stoddard’s scholarship, bringing the total amount to $2,000.
ALN offers scholarships for MSN and DNP students, as well as educators seeking the CNE credential. Recipients are required to present a poster or podium presentation the following year.
“Receiving this scholarship is an incredible honor, as it allows me to continue my MSN‑Ed journey and strengthen my ability to inspire the next generation of nurses,” Stoddard said. “Nursing has been my passion for more than 27 years, and this support enables me to further develop the knowledge, skills and evidence‑based teaching strategies needed to help students grow in confidence, clinical judgment and compassion. I am deeply grateful for this opportunity to invest in my development so I can better invest in theirs.”
Stoddard has 28 years of pediatric nursing experience. She worked at Children’s of Alabama from 2005-2023 and began working in education as a Career Technical Education Instructor at the high school level in 2017. In 2023, she joined the School as a Skills Lab Educator and Pediatric Clinical Instructor.