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A class of nursing students sit around a table listening to a clinical lecture in the nursing simulation lab at Colby Sawyer.

The Niblack Nursing Scholarship

Colby-Sawyer will award 16 aspiring nurses a free education. 

The college will present four-year, full-ride scholarships to 16 talented first-year Bachelor of Science in nursing students — eight in fall 2026 and eight in fall 2027. 

The John and Heidi Grey Niblack ’68 Nursing Scholarship will cover tuition, room and board, and mandatory fees, and will connect recipients with a dedicated team of advisors and mentors. 

Niblack Scholars will learn and train in the next-generation Janet Udall Schaefer ’52 Center for Health Sciences. And, thanks to Colby-Sawyer's decades-long partnership with Dartmouth Health, scholars will receive an outstanding clinical education at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, New Hampshire’s only academic medical center and Level I trauma center.  

Details at a Glance

Award 
Four-year, full-ride scholarship for Bachelor of Science in nursing students 

Recipients 
Eight students per cohort 

Enrollment 
Students entering fall 2026 and fall 2027 

Eligibility 
Students must be accepted into the Bachelor of Science in nursing program

Application Deadline  
March 1, 2026  

Scholarship Notification 
Applicants will be updated on their status by April 1, 2026 
 

Apply Now

Colby Sawyer nursing students gain clinical practice in the Schaefer Center’s simulation center.

Heidi Grey Niblack ’68 and John Niblack

“John and Heidi are helping students gain education and training that will allow them to be leaders in healthcare for decades to come. Their investment in Colby-Sawyer and the next generation of nurses will build stronger, healthier communities.” 

— President Dean McCurdy

Meet the Niblacks

97%

2025 NCLEX
pass rate

No. 1

Best Undergraduate Teaching in 2024

U.S. News & World Report

No. 3

Nursing School in NH in 2024

Nursing Schools Almanac

100%

Graduates employed in their field within 6 months of graduation

Learn and train in the next-generation Janet Udall Schaefer ’52 Center for Health Sciences

The image depicts a modern, well-lit office space with a reception area in the foreground, where two people are engaged in conversation. The background shows a long hallway with additional rooms and people walking through.
Coffee Before Class

Victor’s Corner Café, which serves Starbucks food and beverages, is a popular gathering spot.

A modern, open-concept office space with desks, chairs, and people working at computers in a well-lit, industrial-style environment.
Transformative Training

One outstanding feature in the anatomy and physiology lab is the Anatomage Table — a 3D anatomy and medical education system. Students virtually explore the human body using high-resolution medical imaging of cadavers.

A nursing student is greeted at the front desk of the Gail Graham Lee Nursing Simulation Center at Colby Sawyer’s Schaefer Center.
Welcome to Schaefer

A hospital-style nurses’ station is located just outside the Gail Graham Lee ’62 Nursing Simulation Center.

Nursing students sit around a table discussing patient care in Colby-Sawyer’s Schaefer Center for Health Sciences.
Prepare for Healthcare

Two skill labs hold a total of 12 beds with patient-monitoring devices and manikins that simulate various health conditions. Here, students review a lesson with their professor.

A class of nursing students sit around a table listening to a clinical lecture in the nursing simulation lab at Colby Sawyer.
Thoughtful Design

Sliding glass doors accommodate concurrent instruction.

A nursing student practices listening to the heartbeat of a patient in a clinical simulation at Colby Sawyer’s Schaefer Center for Health Sciences.
Real-life Scenarios

Manikins, which mimic human anatomy and physiology, present a variety of medical symptoms.

The image shows a medical examination room with a patient sitting on an examination table and a healthcare professional standing next to them, engaged in conversation.
Comfort and Privacy

A nursing student does a clinical assessment in one of the three medical exam rooms.

Accelerated BSN students practice clinical skills under the observation of Colby-Sawyer faculty
Feedback and Support

In the control room, instructors observe and talk with students, as well as adjust patient variables in real time and record sessions for subsequent debriefs.  

A classroom setting with students and a teacher engaged in a discussion, with a whiteboard and various learning materials visible in the background.
Reflect and Improve

Small group discussions and analyses take place in debriefing rooms.

Colby Sawyer nursing students learn to set up an IV in the interactive lab.
Collaborative Learning

Nursing students perfect their skills without compromising patient safety.

The image shows two healthcare workers, likely nurses, attending to a patient lying in a hospital bed. The patient appears to be an elderly individual, and the nurses are providing care and assistance to them.
Clinical Excellence

Students gain competence and confidence in the state-of-the-art Schaefer Center.

ccne-accredited
Endorsed by Experts

For more than 30 years, Colby-Sawyer’s nursing program has been recognized for its quality, integrity and high standards by state and national accreditation agencies.