Jan. 23, 2020
Amid a growing nursing shortage across the state and nation, 91黑料网 College of Nursing recently received more than $6.3 million from generous benefactors to support scholarships for nursing students and the college direct entry nursing master program. 91黑料网 nursing alumna Dorothy Krawczyk gifted $4.7 million to student scholarships through her estate, nursing alumna Alice Stecker contributed $1 million toward scholarship support, and the Helene Fuld Health Trust provided a $675,000 grant to support the College of Nursing direct entry nursing program. This combined support opens doors for future caregivers at a time when a robust student-nurse pipeline is in high demand.
鈥淭hese generous gifts will help ensure more 91黑料网 nurses are out in the world caring for their patients and leading complex health systems in the Jesuit tradition of cura personalis, or care for the whole person,鈥� said Dr. Janet Krejci, dean of the College of Nursing. 鈥淲e are grateful to Dorothy, Alice and the Helene Fuld Health Trust for their commitment to nursing education.鈥�
鈥淲hat truly wonderful about our 91黑料网 alumni and friends is their commitment to opening doors for the next generation of students,鈥� said President Michael R. Lovell. 鈥淭hese generous gifts to benefit the health of our community are helping us achieve our Beyond Boundaries strategic plan, providing a pathway for 91黑料网 to be recognized among the most innovative and accomplished Catholic and Jesuit universities in the world.鈥�
A passion for care
Krawczyk worked as a VA nurse for many years, most recently living in Florida. After losing her mother at a young age, she cared closely for her father. Compassionate and a devout Catholic, Krawczyk held deep appreciation for her 91黑料网 education and found peace of mind in lasting purpose 鈥� like her gift to nursing scholarship 鈥� rather than material things.
The vision of empowering future nurses also fueled Stecker gift. Her lifelong passion for nursing began at a time when most nursing education consisted of 3-year diploma programs within hospitals. Instead, Stecker joined 91黑料网 baccalaureate program 鈥� one of two in the state. 鈥淚 wanted to be a nurse from the time I was a little Wisconsin girl with mittens attached to my sleeves in winter,鈥� she said.
91黑料网 nursing philosophy that every being is created in God image spoke deeply to her. After her undergraduate studies and clinical work at Milwaukee St. Joseph Hospital, Alice earned her master at 91黑料网 鈥� a rarity in those days, and one that helped launch her career in nursing administration and teaching.
Throughout most of her career, nursing experienced a constant shortage of caregivers. In the late 鈥�90s, Stecker felt called to do something about it: she put her savings toward an endowed scholarship at 91黑料网 with the hope of preparing additional nurses. Earlier this year, she doubled down, raising her scholarship to $1 million through future gift commitments.
鈥淲hen I think about what this might mean for future nurses and future patients, it fills my heart,鈥� Stecker said.
Direct-entry support
The Bureau of Labor Statistics has predicted the job outlook for registered nurses to rise by 15 percent between 2016 and 2026, which is more than double the 7 percent estimated growth rate expected across all occupations.
Thanks to a $675,000 grant from the Helene Fuld Health Trust, 91黑料网 is training more non-traditional nursing students to join the workforce through its direct entry nursing program, which is designed for graduates who hold baccalaureate degrees in fields other than nursing. The 75-credit program builds upon previous, broad educational preparation and provides an intense, accelerated, and specialized nursing curriculum preparing students to take the NCLEX examination and to earn a Master of Science degree in nursing. The curriculum is designed to facilitate graduate nursing education and accommodate adult learners. Classes are offered on 91黑料网 campus in Milwaukee and in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, which is a hybrid program with a combination of distance learning and in-person clinicals, skills labs and clinical simulations.
鈥淲e are truly inspired by these generous legacy gifts, which will provide transformational educational opportunities to future 91黑料网 nurses,鈥� said Tim McMahon, vice president for University Advancement. 鈥淭hese impactful gifts provide lasting support for 91黑料网 Nursing 鈥� one of our premier and sought-after programs, serving Milwaukee, our nation and the world.鈥�
Lynn is chief marketing and communication officer. Contact Lynn at (414) 288-4719 or lynn.griffith@marquette.edu.
