New Nursing Scholarship Supports Western Piedmont Community College – Lenoir-Rhyne University Degree Pathway
A new gift honors longtime Grace Hospital nurse and helps expand access to a nursing bachelor’s degree
A new scholarship will provide financial support to nursing students pursuing a four-year degree through the RIBN (Regionally Increasing Baccalaureate Nurses) program—a collaborative pathway between Western Piedmont Community College and Lenoir-Rhyne University.
The Mabel S. Franklin RN Nursing Scholarship was established through the Western Piedmont Foundation by Dr. Thomas Franklin Jr. and his sister, Nancy Sue Franklin, in memory of their mother, the late Mabel S. Franklin, RN. The scholarship will assist students pursuing an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) at WPCC while dually enrolled in the RIBN program at Lenoir-Rhyne, which allows students to complete both their ADN and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing within four years.
“Our partnership with Lenoir-Rhyne through the RIBN program allows WPCC students to pursue a four-year nursing degree while remaining grounded in our local community,” said Mackenzie Bostian Adams, executive director of the Western Piedmont Foundation. “This scholarship strengthens that pathway and helps remove financial barriers for students who are committed to entering the nursing profession and serving others.”
Leah Beth Hubbard, assistant vice president for admission at Lenoir-Rhyne, praised the new scholarship opportunity.
“At Lenoir-Rhyne, we’re committed to preparing compassionate, skilled nurses who are ready to lead in an ever-evolving health care landscape,” Hubbard said. “This scholarship honors the enduring legacy of Mabel S. Franklin and will empower students in our RIBN program to advance their education and make a meaningful impact in their communities through nursing.”
Mabel Franklin’s journey into nursing began in the 1930s when she left her coal-mining hometown of Nora, Virginia, and came to Morganton to attend Grace Hospital School of Nursing. She graduated in 1936 and worked at Grace Hospital for many years in supervisory roles before joining Broughton Hospital, where she managed the men’s unit until retiring in the late 1960s due to breast cancer. She passed away in 2003.
Born in 1914, Mabel Franklin was inspired by her mother, who worked as a hospital cook, and by the outreach of Grace Episcopal Church, which founded the hospital and its nursing school. Her dedication to the nursing profession influenced others in her family and community to follow in her footsteps.
Dr. Franklin and Nancy Sue Franklin both grew up in Morganton. He graduated from Morganton High School in 1959, and she in 1962. Together, they created the scholarship to support the next generation of health care professionals in Burke County.
“Our health care system is in dire need of dedicated nurses to serve in various capacities,” said Dr. Franklin. “My sister and I want to encourage and help finance the training of Burke County students to become nurses to address the shortage and provide them with career opportunities they might not otherwise have.”
The first scholarship will be awarded this fall.
“This scholarship will open doors for students and help ease the financial burden as they pursue their academic and professional goals,” Adams said. “We are honored to be entrusted with this opportunity and grateful for the impact the Franklin family is making on the future of health care in our region.”
To explore scholarship opportunities and resources for WPCC students, visit https://wpcc.awardspring.com. Additional information about the Western Piedmont Foundation is available at https://wpcc.edu/foundation. Details about the RIBN program and the Bachelor of Science in Nursing pathway at Lenoir-Rhyne University can be found at https://www.lr.edu/nursing.