The Power of Personal Philanthropy - Spring 2014 by VCU Development

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Powerof Personal Philanthropy Spring 2014

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Powerof Personal Philanthropy Spring 2014

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Inside this issue Devotion to VCU, students, spurs educator’s gift

Dentistry school honors professor, ‘The First 100’

Family’s gift furthers legacy for medical students

Walk-a-thon turns 10, helps students to finish line

VCU Libraries shares history of area Girl Scouts

VCU real estate program receives $1 million gift

Alumna’s gift to nursing school sparks leadership

Nursing building takes name of pioneer, founder

Planned gift encourages sustainability efforts

Nursing school grads leave scholarship legacy

On the cover VCU President Michael Rao, Ph.D., shows his gratitude to Richard M. Bracken (M.H.A. ’77) who, along with his wife, Judith, established the Richard M. Bracken Chair in the School of Allied Health Professions. Editor: Melanie Irvin Seiler (B.S. ’96), miseiler@vcu.edu, (804) 828-3975 Writer: Nan Johnson, nljohnson@vcu.edu

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(From left) Sheldon M. Retchin, M.D., M.S.P.H., senior vice president for health sciences and CEO of the VCU Health System; Jessica, Judith and Richard M. Bracken; Carolyn Watts, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Health Administration; VCU President Michael Rao, Ph.D.; and Cecil B. Drain, Ph.D., CRNA, FAAN, FASAHP, professor and dean of the School of Allied Health Professions, celebrate the investiture of Watts as the first Bracken Chair.

M.H.A. program celebrates first endowed chair The seeds of interest in health care were sown for Richard M. Bracken (M.H.A. ’77) when he was in college. During a summer job search, he learned about the health administration field from a family friend, a hospital chief executive officer, who also recommended the Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Allied Health Professions and the Master of Health Administration program. “That family friend was kind enough to give me a job at a hospital and introduce me to the profession,” Bracken said. “Of course, I applied to VCU’s Department of Health Administration based upon this experience and his recommendation, and the fact that the program has a great track record for placing students in jobs after graduation.” Such a promising future appealed to Bracken, and he excelled. Today he is chairman of Hospital Corporation of America, a leading provider of health care services in 20 U.S. states and in the United Kingdom. “I couldn’t have asked for a better preparation for the field,” he said. “I have fond memories of my time at VCU. It’s a highly focused program with a class size that gave us both an opportunity to know the other students really well and a chance to interact closely with faculty. That kind of communication and culture is very important.” Today, Bracken is a loyal supporter of VCU’s School of Allied Health Professions and the Department of Health Administration. He established the Richard M. Bracken Leadership Award in 2006 to recognize promising student leaders and played a significant role in the establishment of the HCA Emerging Healthcare Leaders Scholarship in 2005. He was named the Department of Health Administration’s Outstanding Alumnus in 2002. In December 2012, to show his appreciation for VCU’s role in the preparation of professional health care leaders as well as for his own education, Bracken and his wife, Judith, established the Richard M. Bracken Chair with a $1 million gift to support the Department of Health Administration’s efforts to foster excellence in its teaching and research initiatives.

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M.H.A. program,

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“The school did a fine job not only in presenting the fundamentals of business, finance, accounting and economics, which can be acquired from many good schools, but it also provided something you rarely find, which is interaction with faculty and students who are eager to discuss how these business practices apply to health care,” Bracken said. “The residency program is special and produces very good results. I want that to continue for the next generation.” The Brackens’ gift is matched by the Glasgow Trusts, which were established in the 1950s before the deaths of Arthur and Margaret Glasgow. Sixty years later, the couple’s trusts totaled $125 million, $45 million of which was bequeathed to VCU to support cancer and other specific areas of medical research, and became the VCU Glasgow Endowment. At an October 2013 “celebration of excellence,” as described by Cecil B. Drain, Ph.D., CRNA, FAAN, FASAHP, professor and dean of the School of Allied Health Professions, the first Bracken Chair was invested. The honor was bestowed on Carolyn “Cindy” Watts, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Health Administration. “Richard is really investing in the department and its future,” Watts said. “His view is that what we do is important. Especially now. We’re entering a time where much change can be expected in the health care industry. Well-trained leaders have never been as important as they are today. Richard understands that and he has been an important role model for our students. Having this chair come from Richard and Judith is an honor.” Family, university leadership, colleagues and friends gathered at the VCU Scott House at the October investiture event to honor Watts and the Brackens and to celebrate their professional accomplishments. “We honor those who advance our great mission as a research university — helping people,” VCU President Michael Rao, Ph.D., said at the event. “Richard and Judith Bracken have generously given their resources to make a difference to so many. Cindy Watts, as one of the most distinguished health administration researchers in Virginia, is the ideal candidate to inaugurate the Bracken Chair.” To learn more about the School of Allied Health Professions, contact Jessica FeinbergGurganus, assistant dean for development and external affairs, at (804) 828-3269 or jfgurganus@vcu.edu.

Cecil B. Drain, Ph.D., CRNA, FAAN, FASAHP, professor and dean of the VCU School of Allied Health Professions, invests the first Bracken Chair at an October “celebration of excellence.”

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Devotion to VCU, students, spurs educator’s gift Marilyn Leahy (B.S. ’91; M.Ed. ’95; M.A. ’95) credits Virginia Commonwealth University for the many professional opportunities she’s enjoyed throughout her career as an educator. Her path to the field of education, though, began on the MCV Campus, where she worked as a technologist with a board certification in electromyography. “During an exchange program with MCV, 10 Japanese neurosurgeons needed help teaching their families English as a second language and I taught the classes,” Leahy Marilyn Leahy’s bequest to the VCU School of Education stems said. “Since I’d interrupted my from the positive ways the school has influenced her personal undergraduate studies to work and professional life. full time at MCV, I thought I might go back to VCU later and get a degree in adult education or education.” Go back she did, and Leahy was in the last class of the VCU School of Education’s instructional occupational education degree program, which she completed 19 years after entering. Over the years, Leahy enjoyed a diverse career from designing instructional packets for educators to working as a technical writer. She continues to teach at the high school and university levels. “My VCU colleagues often thought to recommend me for special projects and assignments,” she said. “There are so many positive ways that the School of Education has influenced my life, both professionally and personally, and so many opportunities opened to me because of the school.” Leahy is devoted to VCU and its students. As an adjunct instructor, she is wellknown for her classes in reading and college study skills. She also teaches science and math content development and develops the teaching tools for both subjects for Richmond Public Schools. In a generous display of gratitude, Leahy has named the VCU School of Education as the sole beneficiary of her estate. “I don’t have children so it’s nice that I’m in a position to do this, but you don’t have to have a lot to give a lot,” she said. “Everyone has something to offer. VCU is responsible for the strategic plan for the future. A university and an education: That’s our foundation.” When the time comes, Leahy’s generous bequest will support the School of Education’s most pressing needs at the time. “Gifts such as Marilyn’s leave a legacy that is both profound and impactful,” said Christine Walther-Thomas, Ph.D., dean of the VCU School of Education. “Marilyn has been, and continues to be, an exceptional educator who has touched the lives of so many students during her career. Through her bequest gift to the School of Education she is ensuring many more young people in the future will continue to be touched by her generosity and kindness.” To learn more about the School of Education, contact Magnus Johnsson (M.P.A. ’10; Cert. ’10), executive director of external relations and development, at (804) 827-1363 or johnssonm@vcu.edu. Spring 2014 | 5

Dentistry school honors professor, ‘The First 100’ In celebration of the first 100 graduates of color from the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry, the school has launched a fundraising initiative to celebrate diversity, to promote awareness of the school’s dedication to providing access to health care for all and to encourage 100 percent participation among its alumni. Known as “The First 100 Dentists of Color,” the new initiative includes the establishment of the Dr. Francis M. Foster Sr. Student National Dental Association Scholarship to celebrate the life and legacy of one of the school’s most beloved professors. “Our family is humbled that the outpouring of support to honor our father’s legacy continues even after his passing in 2008,” said Carmen F. Foster (B.S. ’74), the eldest child of Francis Foster, D.D.S. “He would be so touched to know that the principles that guided his life as a native Richmonder from Jackson Ward would continue to be embraced, shared and lifted up through the generosity of others.” Ralph L. Anderson, D.D.S. (D.D.S. ’70; H.S. ’75), and his wife, Judy Cephas Anderson, were the first to contribute to the scholarship endowment with a generous $10,000 gift in honor of Foster, a longtime family friend, and in support of “The First 100” initiative. “To have our families still connected after several generations and to carry it forward and still be interactive in the community is a double blessing on many levels,” Anderson said. “My wife and I thought the idea to contribute to a scholarship at the school, especially to honor Dr. Foster, who was such an iconic member of the AfricanAmerican community, was a perfect match.” Anderson is grateful for the education he received at VCU. He is the school’s third graduate of color, after James A. Booker Jr., D.D.S. (D.D.S. ’61; H.S. ’71), and Thomas Wright Jr., D.D.S. (D.D.S. ’69). “VCU has one of the best dental schools in the country. The faculty is excellent and it’s a wonderful place to receive this type of education,” he said. The Foster scholarship will be available for dental students who are members of the Student National Dental Association. “Francis Foster stood for equality for everyone and was the most compassionate human being I have ever known,” said David C. Sarrett, D.M.D., dean of the VCU School of Dentistry and associate vice president for VCU Health Sciences-Faculty Affairs. “We are so very grateful to Dr. and Mrs. Anderson for celebrating his legacy and for celebrating ‘The First 100’ initiative in this generous way.” To learn more, contact Barbara Payton (B.S. ’83), director of development for leadership annual giving, at (804) 827-1537 or bpayton@vcu.edu.

David C. Sarrett, D.M.D. (back row, fourth from right) dean of the VCU School of Dentistry, and family of the late Francis Foster, D.D.S., thank Ralph L. Anderson, D.D.S. (front row, far right), and his wife, Judy (back row, fourth from left), for their generous leadership gift establishing the scholarship.

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Jerome F. Strauss III, M.D., Ph.D. (left), dean of the VCU School of Medicine; Nancy Grandis White and Betty Sue Grandis LePage of the Harry and Harriet Grandis Family Foundation; William Ginther (B.S. ’69; M.S. ’74), rector of the VCU Board of Visitors; and Gordon Ginder, M.D., director of VCU Massey Cancer Center, celebrate at the Grandis Family Foundation gift announcement event.

Family’s gift furthers legacy for medical students Cards, letters and notes of thanks would arrive over the years, followed by wedding invitations and baby announcements. Harry and Harriet Grandis were delighted to receive these communications though they sometimes had to be reminded of the sender — grateful Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine students who attended the school because of the full scholarships made possible by the couple. The tradition began in the 1990s. Since then, 13 students from Virginia have received the Harry and Harriet Grandis Scholarship. “My mother would figure out that the cards were from ‘her students’ and would invite them over for dinner,” said Nancy Grandis White, one of the couple’s daughters. “My father continued to provide the scholarships until he passed away in 2012.” Harriet Grandis died in 2001. At a November 2013 luncheon, White and her sister, Betty Sue Grandis LePage, announced a $1 million gift to the School of Medicine on behalf of the Harry and Harriet Grandis Family Foundation to carry on the tradition in honor of their parents. “We wanted to remember our parents and to continue to do what they did,” White said. “We wanted to keep their name and their memories alive in the way they would have wanted to be remembered.” The Grandis family’s philanthropy has benefited many areas of the university in addition to the School of Medicine, including VCU Massey Cancer Center, VCU Libraries, the College of Humanities and Sciences, the School of Social Work and the School of the Arts. “In their lifetimes, Harry and Harriet Grandis took a sincere and personal interest in giving our medical students the best possible start in their careers,” said Jerome F. Strauss III, M.D., Ph.D., dean of the VCU School of Medicine. “Their family has now ensured that Harry and Harriet’s generosity and dedication to society will continue. Generations of future physicians will graduate free of tuition debt and go on to care for patients in Virginia and all over the United States. This gift establishes an enduring legacy.”

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Campli Photography

School of Medicine alumni gather in Philadelphia

Marsha Adler Gordon, D.D.S. (D.D.S. ’78; H.S. ’80) (left); Cathy Strauss; Jerome F. Strauss III, M.D., Ph.D., dean of the medical school; Edith Mitchell, M.D.; and Jack Ende, M.D. (M.D. ’73), catch up at the School of Medicine’s annual Philadelphia-area alumni reception.

Family’s gift,

Edith Mitchell, M.D. (M.D. ’74), hosted the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine’s annual Philadelphia-area alumni reception Nov. 3 at the Union League. The reception was held in conjunction with the Association of American Medical Colleges conference. Jerome F. Strauss III, M.D., Ph.D., dean of the School of Medicine, his wife, Cathy, and nearly a dozen faculty members were on hand to share the latest news from the School of Medicine.

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The gift from the Grandis Family Foundation launches the school’s $25 million 1838 Campaign to expand the medical school’s scholarship endowment. “My parents were very kind and gentle people and weren’t looking for praise,” LePage said. “They felt it was important for them to do their part.” Jill Levine, Harry Grandis’ eldest granddaughter, is proud to see the family legacy continue and knows her grandfather would approve. “Giving someone an education is the game-changer,” she said. To learn more about the School of Medicine, contact Tom Holland, associate dean for development, at (804) 828-4800 or tehollan@vcu.edu.

Grandis family establishes cancer research chair Nancy Grandis White and Betty Sue Grandis LePage announced in November a $1.14 million gift to establish an endowed chair and research fund at VCU Massey Cancer Center to support lung cancer research in honor of their sister, Linda Grandis Blatt. Blatt died of the disease in 2006. “The Grandis family’s decision to honor the memory of Linda Grandis Blatt is not only inspiring but highly significant to the mission of Massey Cancer Center,” said Gordon D. Ginder, M.D., director of VCU Massey Cancer Center. “Expanding our research efforts related to lung cancer is one of our top priorities as we seek to understand, prevent and treat this particularly deadly form of cancer. I am proud to honor the legacy of Harry and Harriet Grandis by pursuing greater knowledge and innovative approaches to treating this disease with funds provided through the Linda Grandis Blatt Endowed Chair in Cancer Research.” An additional $1.14 million from the VCU Glasgow Endowment will match the gift. The Glasgow Trusts were established in the 1950s, before the deaths of Arthur and Margaret Glasgow. Sixty years later, the couple’s trusts totaled $125 million, $45 million of which was bequeathed to VCU to support cancer and other specific areas of medical research, and became the VCU Glasgow Endowment. To learn more about VCU Massey Cancer Center, contact Lee Boykin, director of major gifts, at (804) 827-0600 or lboykin@vcu.edu.

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Walk-a-thon turns 10, helps students to finish line Marquita Aguilar knows the financial hardships many students face. Before becoming executive administrative assistant to James Coleman, Ph.D., dean of the College of Humanities and Sciences at Virginia Commonwealth University, she spent a decade in financial aid and student accounting at VCU and saw students struggling to complete their education. “Some of the kids really touched my heart,” she recalled. “Many withdrew from the university. I felt for them and thought there must be a way to help them stay in school.” Inspired by a Virginia Governor’s Office Healthy Virginians initiative that encourages state employees to improve their health through exercise, including walking, Aguilar and colleagues in the VCU Staff Senate created a walk-a-thon in 2005 to raise scholarship money. “If we were going to exercise, I thought, then we’re going to walk for our students,” she said. “This is academia, this is why we have jobs and so our main focus should be our students.” In 10 years, the walk-a-thon has raised more than $80,000 for the Virginia’s Caring University Scholarship for rising juniors and seniors who struggle to stay in school because of financial difficulties. Joy McNamara (B.S. ’11; M.S. ’13) is one of the nearly 90 scholarship recipients who stayed at VCU to pursue their dreams thanks to Aguilar’s vision. “The scholarship was such a blessing to me,” McNamara said. “The opportunity those funds afforded me was priceless, and I believe that I’m still reaping the rewards, even as a Ph.D. student at VCU.” McNamara hopes to complete her Ph.D. in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology in 2016. Miracle Allums (B.S. ’13) is another grateful beneficiary. “I didn’t know how I was going to afford VCU, much less graduate,” Allums said. “The relationships I built there changed my life.” With a bachelor’s degree in psychology, Allums is now studying for her master’s degree in social work at Columbia University. In addition to demonstrating financial need, scholarship applicants must be rising juniors or seniors with a GPA of 2.7 or greater, must work at least 10-15 hours a week while pursuing their studies and must be engaged in community service. At a special ceremony in 2012, VCU President Michael Rao, Ph.D., named the walk-a-thon in honor of Aguilar. “Marquita Aguilar is a fine example of the staff commitment found at our university,” Rao said. “Her creation of the walk-a-thon to support our students was a selfless act to bridge our campuses and bring us together.” To learn more about the Marquita Aguilar Walk-a-thon or to register for the 2014 walk-a-thon, contact Marquita Aguilar, executive administrative assistant to the dean, College of Humanities and Sciences, at (804) 827-0857 or mcaguilar@vcu.edu. Marquita Aguilar (left) raises funds through her walk-a-thon, enabling students like Joy McNamara (right) to stay at VCU and pursue their dreams.

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Viola Baskerville, CEO of the Girl Scouts of the Commonwealth of Virginia, leads Scouts in the recitation of the Girl Scout pledge.

VCU Libraries shares history of area Girl Scouts Just as the Girl Scouts of America marked the centennial of its founding in 2012, VCU Libraries secured a significant donation of records and materials from the Girl Scouts Commonwealth Council of Virginia. One of four councils in the state, the Commonwealth Council serves some 12,000 girls and 5,700 adults in 30 counties and the cities of Fredericksburg, Richmond, Hopewell, Colonial Heights, Petersburg and Emporia. The donation of records from the council came to VCU Libraries through a collaborative effort of Friends of the Library board members and donors Elva Mapp (M.Ed. ’95) and Carmen Foster (B.S. ’74), and library staff including Shannon Jones, a librarian and Girl Scout leader, and Yuki Hibbin, assistant head, Special Collections and Archives. Some of the materials — including uniforms, photographs, clippings, pins and badges — are now on display on the fourth floor of James Branch Cabell Library. Viola Baskerville, CEO of the Girl Scouts “Girl Scouts of the Commonwealth of of the Commonwealth of Virginia, and Friends of the Library President John Virginia: A Century of Leadership, 1913Mahoney celebrate the “Girl Scouts of the 2013” will run throughout the spring Commonwealth of Virginia: A Century of semester. Free and open to the public Leadership, 1913-2013” exhibit that opened in December. during Cabell’s regular hours, the exhibit is expected to draw hundreds of scouts, leaders and alumni, including many members of the VCU community. This collection is an important addition to existing VCU holdings on African-American history because this council established the South’s first African-American troop. The Girl Scout collection also enhances VCU Libraries’ strong holdings documenting the history of women in Central Virginia. To learn more about VCU Libraries Special Collections and Archives, please contact Kimberly Separ (B.A. ’91; M.A. ’97), director of development and community relations, at (804) 827-1163 or krsepar@vcu.edu. 10 | The Power of Personal Philanthropy

VCU real estate program receives $1 million gift Virginia Commonwealth University received a $1 million gift from Richmond, Va., businessman Sam Kornblau to advance the real estate program in the VCU School of Business. VCU President Michael Rao, Ph.D., made the announcement in October at the 23rd annual VCU Real Estate Trends Conference in Richmond. The newly named Kornblau Real Estate Program focuses on research broadly related to commercial and residential real estate, such as land use, housing and commercial development. “The success of the Kornblaus is an incredibly important story,” Rao said. “These are people who are inspiring the community, and if they can inspire our students, the next generation of success that can follow the Kornblaus becomes a reality.” VCU and the Kornblau family share a deep history of propagating Central Virginia’s real estate market. In 2006, Kornblau gifted $2.5 million to establish a real estate institute in the School of Business. “I’m pretty well attached to VCU,” Kornblau said. “A few years ago, a company that I was associated with set up a scholarship at VCU in my name and it made a great impression on me.” Kornblau has been in the real estate business for more than 60 years, building single-family homes, shopping centers and apartment communities in Virginia and North Carolina. “The shared vision between the Kornblaus and VCU is to have a world-class real estate program both at the undergraduate and graduate levels,” said Ed Grier, dean of the School of Business. “This gift makes that goal even more of a reality. We are incredibly fortunate.”

Photo Clement Britt

Ed Grier (left), dean of the School of Business; Michael Rao, Ph.D., president of VCU; David Downs, director of the Kornblau Institute; Sam Kornblau and Bryan Kornblau gather at the 2013 Real Estate Trends Conference.

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Alumna’s gift to nursing school sparks leadership Growing up in Manassas, Va., Gail W. Johnson, R.N. (B.S. ’67; M.S. ’76), thought she’d like to be a nurse. Her father thought she’d make an excellent teacher. They both turned out to be right. Johnson had prepared for life as a nurse since serving as a hospital candy striper volunteer as a teenager. So when it was time to pursue a college education, she turned to the Medical College of Virginia, where she’d experienced a surgical procedure as a child. “MCV was the only place I applied,” Johnson said. “It really changed my life. I loved maternal child nursing and because I earned a master’s degree in nursing education, I was able to teach what I love. My career has always focused on parents, children and families.” Johnson’s love of family combined with her experience as a pediatric nurse and teacher led to a career Gail W. Johnson, R.N., hopes to inspire future nurspath any other nurse might not have ing leaders with her $250,000 gift to the VCU School of Nursing. imagined. She turned her skills and talent into a thriving entrepreneurship as the founder and owner of Rainbow Station Inc., a unique international early education franchise that includes school-age recreation and options for parents with mildly ill children. “All of the things I did [in school] prepared me for business,” she said. “Nursing school is a gateway for business because of the skills inherent in nursing such as multitasking, dealing with crises and establishing strong interpersonal relationships. I see the potential for nurses taking these skills and adapting them in leadership roles that are unique as well. Because nursing offers those opportunities more than the average career path. You just have to be creative and figure out how to use the skills you have.” Johnson hopes to spark new ways of thinking for future students at the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Nursing. In 2013, she made a $250,000 gift to establish the Gail W. Johnson Professorship for Innovation Leadership. “Gail Johnson is a dynamic leader. Her commitment to the School of Nursing, the MCV Campus and the entire university is an inspiration to me,” said Jean Giddens, Ph.D., R.N., FAAN, dean of the School of Nursing. “The Gail W. Johnson Professorship for Innovation Leadership will enable the School of Nursing to continue to attract and retain the very best faculty. All of us at the School of Nursing are proud of Gail and her many accomplishments.” Johnson, who is also chair of the MCV Foundation board of trustees, is appreciative of her time spent on the MCV Campus as a student and hopes to inspire future nursing leaders with her gift. “VCU has been a phenomenal gift to me, and I wanted to do something that gave back to the School of Nursing and to challenge future nurses to think outside the box. You can carve your own path, and nursing is a great way to do that.” To learn more about the School of Nursing, contact Kelly Gotschalk (B.F.A. ’90; M.A. ’97), director of annual giving and alumni engagement, at (804) 828-2993 or kgotschalk@vcu.edu. 12 | The Power of Personal Philanthropy

Nursing building takes name of pioneer, founder The Virginia Commonwealth University School of Nursing building was named Sadie Heath Cabaniss Hall at a special ceremony in October. Rainy weather didn’t dampen the spirits of alumni, donors, faculty and students as well as members of the Cabaniss family as they saw the new name on the building for the first time thanks to a “virtual” unveiling from inside the school’s Younger Auditorium. The name honors Cabaniss, the Virginia nursing pioneer who is also the school’s founder. “Throughout our history, few have embraced our commitment to help people, to heal people and to empower people more than Sadie Heath Cabaniss,” said VCU President Michael Rao, Ph.D. “It is so fitting that we honor her and recognize her contributions by naming the School of Nursing building in her memory.” School of Nursing alumna Corinne Dorsey (Dipl. ’54; B.S.’65) The name also pays trib(center) joins two generations of the Sadie Heath Cabaniss family — (left to right) Suzanne, Jay, Edie and Bob Cabaniss ute to the success of the — at the school’s naming ceremony. school’s Cabaniss Leadership Challenge, a $4 million campaign launched in 2010 to establish scholarships and professorships as well as to raise funds to support the school’s mission of research, education and service. “Naming the School of Nursing building in honor of Sadie Heath Cabaniss is a wonderful tribute to a remarkable woman,” said Jean Giddens, Ph.D., R.N., FAAN, dean of the School of Nursing. “It is most appropriate that we celebrate her many contributions to the nursing profession and celebrate her legacy at VCU. Sadie Heath Cabaniss Hall will serve as a permanent reminder to our alumni, students, faculty and staff, as well as future generations of nursing professionals, of our historic ties to a true innovator in nursing education.”

Event brings Heritage Society members to campus

Photo Glynn Brannan

About 70 Virginia Commonwealth University Heritage Society members and several emeriti faculty gathered at a reception at the Scott House in November before enjoying a Theatre VCU production of “Hairspray” at the W.E. Singleton Center for the Performing Arts. Heritage Society membership is accorded to those who have made provisions for areas on VCU’s Monroe Park Campus in their estate plans. These gifts include charitable remainder trusts, charitable gift annuities, charitable lead trusts, life insurance and bequests. Members have the opportunity to share in the university’s success through special Theatre VCU performs “Hairspray” for publications and correspondence as well as members of the Heritage Society and emeriti faculty at the Singleton Center. invitations to presidential and campus events.

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Planned gift encourages sustainability efforts

Development team welcomes new members Heather E. Millar (M.B.A. ’08) Director of development VCU School of Allied Health Professions, Department of Nurse Anesthesia (804) 628-3787 hemillar@vcu.edu Formerly: Manager of alumni/marketing special projects, VCU School of Allied Health Professions, Department of Health Administration

R. Lillian Dunn (B.A. ’08) External affairs coordinator School of Business (804) 828-1487 dunnrl@vcu.edu Formerly: Executive assistant to government affairs, Entertainment Software

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Photo Brenda Lopez

Internationally recognized furnituremaker Sam Forrest (B.S. ’63) recently created the Forrest-Edwards Fund for Spirituality, Nature and Sustainability in the Virginia Commonwealth University College of Humanities and Sciences’ School of World Studies’ Religious Studies Program. His planned gift, given in honor of Cliff Edwards, a friend and longtime VCU faculty member in religious studies, will allow students to benefit from special lectures, travel abroad and other educational programs. “This generous gift will support educational initiatives that promote sustainability and a love for nature, two goals that are close to Sam’s heart and about which he is Sam Forrest’s gift to the School of World Studies deeply committed,” said Mark Wood, Ph.D., promotes sustainability and nature and will prodirector of the School of World Studies. “We vide students with lectures, travel abroad and other benefits. look forward to building the fund and an environmentally healthy city for all.” Forrest is a member of the VCU Heritage Society, which honors donors who have made provisions for the Monroe Park Campus in their estate plans. In addition to this latest gift, his bequests include funding for music orchestration studies, lectureships in woodworking and furniture design in the School of the Arts and a lectureship in religious studies.

Nursing school grads leave scholarship legacy

Photo Jesse Peters

A gift from Virginia Commonwealth University School of Nursing’s 2013 accelerated class was presented at a recognition ceremony held in December at the Greater Richmond Convention Center. A committee, made up of Isabel Botello, Megan Butler, Meghan Coquillion, Bridget Fitzgerald, Sarah Herdich and Hillary Liddick, representing the class’s 90 accelerated bachelor’s degree students created the Don Gloves Endowment Fund Scholarship. To date, more than $5,000 has been raised through gifts and pledges. The MCV Foundation, the School of Nursing and VCU Alumni will match the amount dollar for dollar. School of Nursing Dean Jean Giddens, Ph.D., R.N., The scholarship, named in jest as a FAAN, accepts the 2013 accelerated students’ senior class gift from Bridget Fitzgerald as Caitlin Field and tribute to the many videos students Lauren Schmidt share the moment. are required to watch where nurses are told to “don gloves” for sterile procedures, is expected to be awarded for the first time in 2017. Students in the accelerated bachelor’s program at the School of Nursing enter the school with a bachelor’s degree in another discipline. They finish the program in five semesters and have few options for financial aid, other than loans. The need-based scholarships will be awarded to accelerated B.S. students who display an appreciation of diversity as displayed through an essay.

VCU nominees receive AFP philanthropy awards Two Virginia Commonwealth University nominees were honored by the Central Virginia Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals at its annual National Philanthropy Day awards luncheon in November at the Richmond Convention Center. The Movers and Shakers advocacy group received the Spirit of Giving Award, and the Anne Carter Robins and Walter R. Robins Jr. Foundation was named Foundation Philanthropist of the Year. The Movers and Shakers helped create VCU’s Parkinson’s and Movement Disorders Center through fundraising efforts totaling more than $5 million since 2007. The center, which opened in 2010, combines research, clinical evaluation, treatment and education to help combat movement disorders and neurodegenerative disorders. The Anne Carter Robins and Walter R. Robins Jr. Foundation has been a champion of VCU Massey Cancer Center for 10 years. The foundation’s support has helped the center maintain its designation with the National Cancer Institute as one of only 68 NCI-designated centers in the country and one of only two in Virginia. “We are making VCU a bright star on the national map through our commitments to saving and improving lives through health care and to enhancing and empowering our community and our world through service. We are proud to be a part of a community that does so much for so many people,” said VCU President Michael Rao, Ph.D. AFP chapters around the country celebrate National Philanthropy Day every November. The Central Virginia celebration has grown from 35 attendees at its 1996 event to nearly 800 attendees in 2013. Spring 2014 | 15

an equal opportunity/affirmative action university

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