May 11, 2026 – Millikin University and Decatur Memorial Hospital announced a new partnership Monday aimed at strengthening the nursing workforce in Central Illinois while expanding educational and career opportunities for nursing students.
Leaders from Millikin and Decatur Memorial Hospital, part of Memorial Health, unveiled the new Decatur Memorial Foundation/Millikin University Nursing Scholars Program, which officials say is designed to support future nurses through scholarships, hands-on clinical experience, and direct career pathways into the regional healthcare system.
Under the program, eligible Millikin nursing students may receive up to $50,000 in scholarship and tuition assistance funded through the Decatur Memorial Foundation.
Students selected for the program will also complete more than 200 hours of paid clinical experience at Decatur Memorial Hospital while enrolled in school.
In return, participating students will commit to three years of full-time employment at the hospital following graduation and licensure.
Hospital and university leaders say the partnership is intended to address the growing demand for skilled nurses across Central Illinois while helping expand long-term access to healthcare services in the region.
Tanya Andricks, President and CEO of Decatur Memorial says nurses are in high demand, so training nurses locally and keeping them in our community is vital. “This partnership not only supports the student through their educational journey, which can be a challenge financially for many students, but it also commits them to our organization. And my hope is that once a student fulfills a 3 year commitment here at Decatur Memorial Hospital, they will be in love with our hospital, our culture, and our community, and stay for the duration of their career.”
Officials also say the program builds on Millikin’s Performance Learning model by connecting classroom instruction with real-world clinical experience inside a working healthcare environment.
Millikin President Dean Pribbenow says the program leans into what Millikin professes, which is that they are Decatur’s University. “It’s really tangible when we think about ways to keep our graduates in this community serving the community and making it better.”
The Nursing Scholars Program is supported through donations to the Decatur Memorial Foundation and is expected to create a direct pipeline connecting Millikin nursing students with careers at Decatur Memorial Hospital.
