The Prairie View Nurses Alumni Chapter was formed in 1977 as the Houston Nursing Alumni Organization. A group of concerned nursing alumni met with the dean of nursing, Dr. Jewellean Mangaroo, regarding the image of the graduates in the Houston Medical Center and the low pass rate on the State Board Exam. Initially the primary focus of the group was to provide student support via scholarships, transportation, recruitment and mentoring. In addition, educational support was offered to the College of Nursing. Within this group an education committee was formed to assist students prepare for the State Board exam and develop criteria for awarding scholarships. Alumni Members volunteered their clinical expertise and conducted State Board review sessions. The pass rate on the State Board exam increased with each subsequent year of the program. The alumni held its first scholarship banquet on April 9, 1983 at which time four academic scholarships were awarded. At this event the Alumni proudly celebrated the outstanding accomplishment of the nursing school’s 100% pass rate on the licensure exam. Since the inception of the organization, a scholarship banquet/luncheon has been held to raise funds and award scholarships to deserving nursing students. In 2008, the organization celebrated its 25th anniversary scholarship event. At this time ten scholarships were awarded to pre-nursing students entering the upper division program and students at the junior and senior level. In August 2009, the organization officially changed its name from “Houston Nursing Alumni Organization” to Prairie View Nurses Alumni Chapter. The 2010 scholarship event marked the 27th year and 16 scholarships were awarded. Since 1983 the amount of scholarship monies awarded is approximately one hundred and five thousand dollars.