Breakthrough to Nursing

​ Committee

Innovating for Tomorrow: Empowering the Next Generation of Nurses

Courtney McClure Uche
​BTN Director
Georgia Gwinnett College
Lawrenceville, GA
Memos
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What is the Role of the
Breakthrough to Nursing Committee?

Breakthrough to Nursing® (BTN) is NSNA’s® project to increase the number and diversity of students choosing nursing as a career. The project was established because of NSNA’s® concern over the inadequacy of health care delivery to minority group members and the lack of minority group health care providers. The objectives of the project are to promote career opportunities in nursing, with a focus on substantially increasing the number of students from groups who traditionally have been underrepresented in nursing. The project has been supported by NSNA since 1965. Its effectiveness seems due, in part, to the peer relationship that can be established between nursing students and minority group elementary, middle and high school students. In addition, through the Foundation of the NSNA, scholarship support is available for diverse nursing students to increase the number of registered nurses from ethnic minorities in the profession. 

BTN also teaches nursing students to be culturally competent in their care of all patients.  Resolutions passed by the NSNA House of Delegates has expanded the Project to include the recruitment of students from all underrepresented populations. 
We’re excited to kick off the fall semester, and the NSNA Breakthrough to Nursing® (BTN) Committee looks forward to working with all of you. Be sure to join us in person at the NSNA 43rd MidYear Conference, happening November 6–8, 2025 in Columbus, OH. I can’t wait to meet you there!

The BTN Committee has made the Breakthrough to Nursing Toolkit easily accessible for both current and future members. We also use our BTN GroupMe to share important updates, deadlines, and opportunities. Our committee is committed to helping chapters develop and implement their projects by offering resources, examples, and support. GroupMe is a great space to exchange ideas and collaborate with one another.

Read full memo here.

BTN Bi-Monthly Winner


​November/December 2025
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC

The UNC Association of Nursing Students (ANS) submits this initiative to highlight its annual Nursing Application Workshop, a program designed to empower aspiring nursing students through mentorship, curriculum transparency, and accessible peer-guided support. Aligned with the theme “Empowering Future Nurses: A Journey of Breakthroughs in Nursing,” this workshop provides pre-nursing students with critical thinking skills, admissions knowledge, and practical tools that help them navigate the BSN application process with confidence. The workshop includes a comprehensive presentation detailing prerequisites, application requirements, essay formatting, and common challenges, ensuring students receive clear, accurate information about entering the UNC School of Nursing. It also integrates structured mentorship, enabling current nursing students to review essays, answer questions, and model professionalism while supporting future applicants.

This workshop strengthens the nursing community by offering accessible guidance to all students who are preparing to apply. Through clear explanations, essay support, and one on one mentorship, the program helps students feel more confident about their applications and less alone in the process. It also encourages early connection between current nursing students and future applicants, creating a supportive environment that many students rely on during this transition. More than one hundred students attend each year, and the workshop continues to help build a pathway where every future nurse has the resources they need to succeed. For more about this project, BTN Project Monthly Winners 

BTN Resources
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