Arizona Nursing Students Get Debt Relief & Jobs

A new partnership between Scholars Network and Arizona College of Nursing (AZCN) offers graduates direct employment and significant student loan repayment assistance. Launched in April 2026, the collaboration aims to address the national nursing workforce shortage by creating a direct path from education to employment, easing financial burdens for new nurses.

Icencia Noël, an AZCN nursing student at the Hartford campus, will join UNC Health Wayne in North Carolina after graduation. The health system will provide $40,000 in education loan repayment assistance, an initiative designed to reduce early-career turnover and financial stressors.

Scholars Network connects health systems and academic institutions to build talent pipelines, allowing employers to recruit nursing students early. The program currently supports students at AZCN campuses in Cincinnati and Cleveland, Ohio; Falls Church, Virginia; and Hartford, Connecticut.

"The generational healthcare shortage facing the nation is exacerbated by unsustainable early-career turnover and student debt," said Dr. Sam Maron, Senior Vice President at Noodle, which leads the Scholars Network. Jason E. Anderson, Chief Executive Officer of Arizona College of Nursing, added, "Through partnerships like this, we are delivering value to our students beyond graduation and helping them launch successful careers while meeting communities’ critical healthcare needs."

Dr. Jessie Tucker, President & CEO of UNC Health Wayne, noted the program's value for rural health systems. "This program will grow North Carolina’s nursing workforce while reducing the high costs of turnover, contract labor, and onboarding," Tucker said. "Creating a reliable pipeline of well-prepared nurses strengthens patient care and ensures the long-term health of rural hospitals."