2026
NEF Gala Sponsors

The 2026-2027 NEF Board of Directors was confirmed and celebrated on June 3, including the election of Edwidge Thomas, DNP, FAAN, as President and Kelly Reilly, PhD, RN-MC, as Secretary. Kimberly S. Glassman, PhD, RN, FAAN, and Annie J. Rohan, PhD, RN, FAANP, FAAN, have joined the board, and Jerelyn Peixoto Weiss, MS, JD, FNP, RN, has returned to it, following her retirement as Executive Director of NEF.

The combined Advisory Board and Board of Directors is now comprised of 22 leaders from the nursing, education, and business communities, donating their time and talent to the advancement of the nursing profession.

The Mount Sinai Hospital School of Nursing NY Alumnae Association recently donated $54,000 to NEF to support the Edith G. Ryan and Joan Herman Bilder Scholarship and to complete the Sylvia Barker Scholarship, continuing their longstanding commitment to funding their named scholarships for nursing leadership.

NEF is extremely grateful for their generosity and ongoing support!

The Department of Education has released its final rule on graduate student loans, limiting nursing students' eligibility to $20,500 annually and $100,000 lifetime for federal loans, while other "professional degree" programs have higher caps. This is expected to have a significant negative impact on graduate nursing school enrollment, which would put increased strain on our nursing education and healthcare systems, already in need of more nurse leaders.

NEF recommends signing up for RN Action alerts from the American Nurses Association for future opportunities to weigh in on this issue.

This year’s NEF Gala Reception will take place on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Columbus Citizens Foundation Townhouse located at 8 East 69th Street, New York City. We will be celebrating multiple new scholarships, honoring former Executive Director Jerelyn Weiss, and remembering Bea Goodwin.

The entry donation is $150 and helps to fund scholarships for graduate (master's and doctoral) nursing education. Benefactors ($500) and Patrons ($250) will receive recognition at the event. Higher sponsorship levels with additional benefits are also available, or RSVP via the button below.

NEF Board Member and Scholar Annmarie Muñana, DNP, MSN, MJ, RN, CNE, has been appointed to the COVID-19 Monument Commission, which is planning and fundraising for the only national monument to honor and remember those affected by COVID-19: patients, caregivers, health care professionals/clinicians, first responders, and others. The Monument will be a park and sculpture located in Chicago, Illinois, and its unveiling is expected in Fall 2026.

Dr. Muñana was the recipient of the Nurses Educational Funds, Inc. (NEF) Philip D. Raso Scholarship for 2021-2022. Since that time, she has remained committed to the NEF mission by contributing to the scholarship funds and participating in the scholarship review process, ultimately joining the NEF Board in 2024.

Robert V. Piemonte, EdD, RN, CAE, FAAN, championed the nursing profession as the Executive Director of the National Student Nurses’ Association and other leading nursing organizations. As an advocate of shared governance, he transformed hundreds of nursing school student nurse “clubs” into pre-professional nursing associations. In preparation for professional nursing careers, students participated in decision-making and policy development at school chapters, state associations, and nationally in NSNA.

Countless colleagues credit Dr. Piemonte with advancing their careers and enhancing their professional development. Through this scholarship fund, initially funded by Diane J. Mancino, EdD, RN, CAE, FAAN, his legacy of extraordinary leadership will continue to advance his beloved profession by supporting graduate studies for RNs to become nurse educators.

Once a graduate nursing student is awarded a scholarship from Nurses Educational Funds, they are forever a member of NEF’s Circle of Scholars. Scholarship recipients are nurse leaders from across the U.S., and as they advance in their careers, the connection made between NEF Scholars can last a lifetime.

NEF Scholars are invited to submit a request to join our networking group on LinkedIn to meet other scholarship recipients, share their professional news, and learn about ways to get involved with NEF.

For over 100 years, NEF has funded scholarships for master's and doctoral nursing degrees, thanks to the generosity of our donors.

Learn about the many ways to give to NEF and join our community of supporters by donating today. NEF is a 501(c)3 organization; your contribution is tax-deductible.

NEF's mission is to promote leadership and health equity through scholarship support for professional nurses seeking master’s and doctoral degrees in nursing education, practice and research.

NEF's vision is to be a national leader in providing scholarships to nurses that benefit nursing, health care and the global community.