SAN DIEGO -- The University of San Diego's Hahn School of Nursing and Health Science is the recipient of a $1.17 million federal grant to boost the number of nursing educators, it was announced Wednesday.

The grant, awarded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, provides loans to graduate and doctoral students pursuing an advanced degree with the intention of teaching nursing, according to USD.

In total, $23.5 million in grants were awarded nationwide by the DHS for the Nurse Faculty Loan Program.

Through the program, students can have up to 85 percent of the loan forgiven in exchange for service as a full-time nursing faculty member at an accredited school of nursing.