Helping nursing students reduce their debt load is the top priority of the Julia Hereford Society. With an average debt load for $68,000 for 2010 VUSN graduates, the group wants to provide scholarships to reduce the burden of Vanderbilt University School of Nursing students.
Named for former VUSN Dean Julia Hereford, the society members include donors who give $1,000 or more annually to the School of Nursing. Ninety-two percent of VUSN students receive financial assistance of some sort.
JHS membership includes community and business leaders, VUSN faculty, staff and graduates. Membership has grown 15 percent over the past year. Much of that growth is due to a match program, where Michael Briley personally gave an additional $1,000 for each of the first 25 new donors.