Froedtert South-Carthage partnership boosts healthcare workforce through scholarships, job certainty

Carthage College and Froedtert South Hospital System are launching a new partnership to strengthen the healthcare workforce and expand opportunities for students pursuing careers in nursing and patient care.

“This partnership provides a direct pathway for students to gain the skills and training they need while ensuring Froedtert South continues to meet the healthcare needs of our community,” said Ric Schmidt, CEO at Froedtert South.

2025 CNA graduates received their certificates during a ceremony in July.The agreement provides a dual benefit for those interested in Carthage’s Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) training program: a scholarship that fully covers the cost of the monthlong session and assurance of employment after certification. Each recipient of the Duncan Family CNA Program Scholarship will commit to work as a paid CNA at Froedtert Pleasant Prairie Hospital for a minimum of 1,000 hours over a two-year period.

Since the CNA program’s launch in January 2024, 182 students have completed the training. Froedtert South hired 13 students from the most recent CNA sessions at Carthage.

In addition, students in Carthage’s four-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program can earn a scholarship of $5,000 per year with a commitment to work at Froedtert South after graduation. Both scholarships are made possible by a financial commitment from retired Froedtert South administrator Tom Duncan and his wife, Jan.

These educational programs, administered through the new School of Health at Carthage, prepare students to provide compassionate, high-quality care for patients through rigorous coursework and hands-on clinical experience.

The Duncan family’s dedication to healthcare and education spans three generations. After a 34-year career in Kenosha area hospital administration, Tom Duncan now serves on the Carthage Board of Trustees. Jan aided local children’s development for more than 30 years as a speech and language therapist.

Their parents included a physician, a nurse, and two educators, and the couple’s own children — University of Kentucky orthopedic surgeon Dr. Stephen Duncan and local educator Erin Duncan — have extended that legacy.

“We’re grateful to the Duncan family for continuing their legacy of leadership by bringing together Carthage and Froedtert South to address the growing demand for healthcare workers in our region,” said Mr. Schmidt.

Openings remain for the winter CNA session beginning in January 2026.

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