INDIANAPOLIS, March 26, 2026 – In partnership with Arizona College of Nursing (ACZN), American College of Education® (ACE) has awarded full tuition scholarships to three nursing professionals across ACZN’s campuses, including two graduates and a faculty member. The scholarships stem from ACE and ACZN’s recent collaboration, launched in late 2025, with a shared mission to provide accessible pathways to advanced nursing education and leadership opportunities.
Brooke Fickett, a graduate of AZCN’s Southfield campus, and Kelsie Hercules, a graduate of the Fort Lauderdale campus, were each selected to receive a scholarship for the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program at ACE. Both aspire to fill nurse leadership roles, expanding their influence on patient care.
“My long-term goal is to become a nurse educator, and pursuing an MSN at ACE will provide the foundation I need to formally teach, mentor and prepare future nurses for safe and competent practice,” Fickett said.
“This scholarship is more than financial assistance to me,” Hercules added. “It represents belief in my potential, my purpose and the future nurse leader I want to become.”
Taitum Godfrey, a faculty member at AZCN’s Cincinnati campus, was awarded a doctoral degree scholarship at ACE and remarked, “This scholarship enables me to pursue an advanced leadership role within AZCN and participate in shaping national conversations about the future of nursing education.”
Through ACE and AZCN’s partnership, AZCN graduates can seamlessly transfer Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) credits toward ACE’s MSN. Additionally, all AZCN employees and graduates get reduced tuition on any ACE program.
“We are proud to create opportunities that support our graduates and team as part of advancing our mission to meet the evolving healthcare needs of the communities they serve,” AZCN CEO Jason E. Anderson said.
“Addressing national nurse shortages is a task both ACE and AZCN are willing to tackle by providing more opportunities for nurses to continue their education and fill critical needs,” ACE President and CEO Geordie Hyland added. “We are proud to support current and aspiring leaders in nursing like Brooke, Kelsie and Taitum, who are hardworking, dedicated and ready to continue contributing to the future of nursing.”
About American College of Education
American College of Education (ACE) is an accredited, fully online private college specializing in high-quality, affordable programs in education, business, healthcare and nursing. Headquartered in Indianapolis, ACE offers more than 60 innovative and engaging programs for adult students to pursue a doctorate, specialist, master’s or bachelor’s degree, along with graduate-level certificate programs. In addition to being a leader in online education, ACE is committed to social responsibility as an Impact Institution, where operations are guided by purpose and designed to create real-world impact.
About Arizona College of Nursing
Arizona College of Nursing’s purpose is to provide people the opportunity to enhance their lives through education. Arizona College of Nursing offers a three-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. The BSN program is offered at 24 campuses across 15 states and is designed to prepare students for a career as a Registered Nurse (RN). Arizona College of Nursing campuses are institutionally accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES), a U.S. Department of Education-recognized national accrediting agency. For more information, please visit arizonacollege.edu.
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