Bedford Falls Foundation commits $1.5 million for UNMC nursing scholarships
The gift will support 100 College of Nursing students per year.
The Bedford Falls Foundation-DAF has committed $1.5 million to establish scholarships for 100 students each year in the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Nursing.
The Joanne and William Conway Nursing Scholarship will be awarded to Nebraska residents pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing at UNMC who are in good academic standing and demonstrate financial need. Students may be enrolled in any College of Nursing division — Omaha, Lincoln, Scottsbluff, Kearney and Norfolk. The scholarship will be awarded for the next three years, beginning in fall 2026.
Scholarship recipients will be known as Conway Scholars and receive an average award of $5,000 per year.
“There is a clear need for more nurses,” said Bill Conway, Jr. “We are pleased to partner with the University of Nebraska Medical Center to help grow Nebraska’s nursing workforce and support a healthier future for Nebraskans.”
Nebraska faces a shortage of nearly 6,700 nurses. In addition, nine counties report having no nurses working in their counties, according to the Nebraska Center for Nursing report published in 2025.
“The UNMC College of Nursing is deeply grateful to Bedford Falls for its generous gift, which opens doors for aspiring nurses to pursue their education,” said Lepaine Sharp-McHenry, DNP, dean of the UNMC College of Nursing. “Scholarships like this not only ease financial burdens but also empower students to focus on developing the competencies and compassion needed to care for our communities. Bedford Falls’ support is helping to shape the future of nursing, one student at a time.”
The Bedford Falls Foundation and its related donor advised fund were established by Bill Conway, Jr., co-founder and co-chairman of the global investment firm the Carlyle Group, and his late wife, Joanne Barkett Conway. The foundation takes its name from the fictional town in the movie It’s a Wonderful Life and is a nod to the good luck the Conways experienced in their own lives. Since 1997, the Conways, directly and through the foundation and the donor advised fund that it advises, have distributed and committed over $380 million to nursing programs across the country.
The gift was made through the University of Nebraska Foundation. Scholarships are a top priority of Only in Nebraska: A Campaign for Our University’s Future, a historic effort to raise $3 billion from 150,000 unique benefactors to support the University of Nebraska.
To learn about opportunities to support the UNMC College of Nursing, contact Camtrice Botos, director of development with the University of Nebraska Foundation, at [email protected].
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About UNMC
As Nebraska’s only public academic health science center, the University of Nebraska Medical Center enrolls more than 4,800 students across six colleges, two institutes and a graduate studies program. Its mission is to create a healthier future for Nebraskans through premier education, research and clinical care, but its impact –rooted in a culture of collaboration, big ideas and public-private partnerships – goes far beyond, in areas that include infectious diseases, rural health, cancer research and treatments, global health security, and simulation and experiential learning technologies.
About the University of Nebraska Foundation
The University of Nebraska Foundation grows relationships and resources that enable the University of Nebraska to change lives and save lives. During fiscal year 2025, a record $416.6 million was committed to aid UNK, UNL, UNO, NCTA and UNMC and its clinical partner, Nebraska Medicine. In addition, a record 60,602 donors supported the University of Nebraska. Alumni engagement and fundraising are efficient, with the University of Nebraska receiving more than $7 in gifts for every $1 spent. Only in Nebraska: A Campaign for Our University’s Future is the current campaign with a goal to raise $3 billion from 150,000 unique benefactors to support the University of Nebraska. More information is at OnlyinNebraska.org.