Campaign update
Ever True: The Campaign for Purdue University accelerated past the halfway mark with fundraising exceeding $1.2 billion in gifts and pledges toward the campaign goal of $2.019 billion. The School of Nursing shares in that success and has raised more than $5 million toward its $13 million goal.
As we head into the home stretch for the Ever True campaign, there are still several ways to help the School of Nursing achieve its goals. With the undergraduate program expansion and launch of the new PhD program, there is a direct need to attract and retain top-tier faculty. Endowed and distinguished professorships are among the highest honors that can be granted to a faculty member and are essential to recruit and retain top professors.
Though the School of Nursing has raised $4 million for scholarships, even more endowed scholarships for undergraduates and graduate students are needed. The offer of a scholarship sends a powerful and positive message to potential students that they are valued by the institution. A scholarship offer can make a big difference in the decision of highly qualified applicants to choose the Purdue School of Nursing for their education. These scholarships are important for both the undergraduate and graduate programs and help ensure the School of Nursing attracts highly qualified and diverse students. Supporters for whom starting their own endowed scholarship is not an option at this time can consider directing their annual gift to the Friends of Nursing Scholarship. All gifts to this scholarship, started by Jane Kirkpatrick, associate professor and head of the School of Nursing, will be matched 1:1.
The School of Nursing also relies on unrestricted gifts (of any amount) to address areas of greatest need, including program enrichment and faculty and student support. These gifts have been used to sponsor student attendance at professional meetings as well as to help outfit the school’s recently renovated Center for Nursing Education and Simulation. Updates for new simulation tools, computer software and technology are crucial to the School of Nursing, especially as clinical rotations are in high demand due to the undergraduate program expansion.
Letter from the Director of Development
Since I arrived at Purdue nearly two and a half years ago, it has been incredible to witness all the change and growth in the College of Health and Human Sciences, and especially the School of Nursing.
To see the vision of Dr. Jane Kirkpatrick and the faculty becoming a reality has been exciting.
To say this has been a great year would be an understatement. Profound generosity from donors, upgrades to vital spaces, and the significant investment from President Daniels and Purdue to double the nursing undergraduate program are all amazing accomplishments.
However, there is still more to be done. Scholarships are crucial, now more than ever, to the future of the School of Nursing. Dr. Kirkpatrick could tell you stories of alumni calling her asking why their child received little to no financial help from the School of Nursing, top-tier students who chose to attend another school purely based on the financial aid offer, and a host of other scenarios that make recruiting and retaining the top students a challenge each year.
Seeing friends and alumni like Sandy Dauch, Mark and Maureen Miller, Elliott Parker and family, and others addressing the need for scholarships has been amazing. They are empowering a profound change on the School of Nursing that will continue to grow over time.
I look forward to working with you to support the School of Nursing and continue the momentum of making lives better.
Hail Purdue,
Brandt Patz
Director of Development
College of Health and Human Sciences
bapatz@prf.org
