Lauren Rose Albert Foundation Endowment Funds Healthcare Scholarships at RCSJ

Rowan College of South Jersey hosted an endowment signing ceremony on December 9, 2025 at the Eugene J. McCaffrey College Center to formalize a $10,000 Lauren Rose Albert Foundation Endowment. The fund will provide a $500 scholarship each year to a first year or second year student in the Nursing and Health Professions Division, with priority given to single parents. Recipients must carry at least 6 credits and maintain a minimum 3.0 grade point average.

The endowment honors Lauren Rose Albert, who died in a motor vehicle accident in 1999 at age 40. The Lauren Rose Albert Foundation, founded by her mother Susan Rose, seeks to preserve Lauren’s legacy of compassion and advocacy. Susan Rose told the ceremony, “It is such a privilege and an honor for us to be with you today and for you to join us at this wonderful and beautiful event. I want to thank the Mothers Matter team and the Lauren Rose Foundation board members for their work and guidance. We just celebrated our 25th year and Lauren’s children were part of the celebration and will be the next generation to carry on Lauren’s legacy.”

College and foundation leaders, staff, students, and Foundation board members attended. The first scholarship recipient introduced at the event was Lateefa Green, a nutrition major in the Nursing and Health Professions Division. Rowan College interim president Brenden Rickards closed the ceremony by underscoring the endowment’s broader mission. “I’ve always felt a deep connection to this Foundation and to the mission inspired by Lauren and the work of Mothers Matter. Supporting individuals throughout their entire educational journey not just academically, but in shaping who they become and how they will serve their community is incredibly important to me. That is why this endowment means so much, and I am truly excited to see the impact it will make. Thank you so much.”

A $10,000 principal producing a $500 annual award implies a 5 percent payout rate, a structure that preserves principal while delivering recurring aid. For Cumberland County students this award will not cover tuition, but it can meaningfully offset costs such as textbooks, certification fees, or shortfalls in childcare that often impede persistence for single parents. The endowment also cements a long term partnership between RCSJ and a local nonprofit that has worked with the Mothers Matter program for more than two decades, creating a steady, predictable source of support for community members pursuing healthcare careers. For more information about the Foundation and eligibility, visit laurenslegacy.org.