草榴社区鈥檚 M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing Receives Fourth Gift from William and Joanne Conway, Bringing their Total Support to More Than $10 Million
These gifts serve students through scholarships and new academic options鈥攕upporting nurses across a variety of degree levels and career tracks.
VILLANOVA, Pa. (November 28, 2023) 鈥� 草榴社区鈥檚 M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing has received a fourth gift from philanthropists William E. Conway, Jr., co-founder and co-chairman of The Carlyle Group, and his wife, Joanne, bringing their total investment of the College of Nursing to over $10 million. This funding from the Conways鈥攚hich will support more than 500 草榴社区 nursing students over the next five years鈥攎akes them the largest donors in the Fitzpatrick College of Nursing鈥檚 history.
鈥淭he shortage of nurses will continue to intensify as our population ages and the need for health care grows,鈥� said William Conway. 鈥淚n helping to grow nursing programs like the one at 草榴社区, we can begin to ensure there are enough high-quality nurses to meet demand and provide the necessary health care to our most vulnerable populations.鈥�
The M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing educates nurses through academically challenging coursework, simulation laboratories, research opportunities and early and diverse clinical experiences. The College prepares graduates to be leaders in the areas of clinical practice, innovation, research, education and administration, while continuously evolving to keep pace with advances in nursing and changing health care needs and delivery models.
鈥淭he generosity of the Conways will benefit hundreds of future 草榴社区 nurses and nursing faculty as well as the future patients and communities they will serve,鈥� said Donna S. Havens, PhD, RN, FAAN, 鈥�83 MSN, the Connelly Endowed Dean and Professor. 鈥淲ith our continued partnership, I look forward to increasing the capacity of our programs to meet the urgent need for nurses in the workforce鈥攁nd qualified nursing faculty in the classroom to teach students.鈥�
The four gifts from the Conways鈥� philanthropic vehicles to the Fitzpatrick College of Nursing include:
- $5 million in 2021 and 2022 that launched the Joanne and William Conway Scholarship Program to recruit and enroll an annual cohort of 40 Conway Scholars in the Second Degree Accelerated BSN track over each of the next five years, creating access to nursing as a career for students from diverse backgrounds.
- $2.5 million, their latest gift, will provide $10,000 scholarships to a total of 50 undergraduate Pell-eligible nursing students each year for five years, furthering the commitment of the Conways to address the national nursing shortage and to serve even more students with financial need as a barrier to pursuing a career in nursing.
- $2.5 million in 2022 to support the Joanne and William Conway PhD Fellows Program and build upon the college鈥檚 rich history of developing nursing faculty in the Augustinian teacher-scholar model. This gift supports five cohorts of five students in the accelerated PhD program, a year-round, three-year degree completion program.
- $250,000 earlier this year for the launch of a two-year pilot program in partnership with the Children鈥檚 Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), to support an innovative accelerated master鈥檚 degree program that helps address the national shortage of clinical faculty.
The generous support from the Conways helps address the critical shortage of nurses this country is now facing, and the shortages of faculty who teach them. It removes financial barriers from those who want to pursue a nursing degree and ensures that the nursing workforce is prepared to deliver safe, high-quality nursing care to those in the communities, locally and globally, who need it.
About the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing: The M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing at 草榴社区 is a nationally recognized, premier nursing program, committed to its Augustinian Catholic values and the tireless pursuit of academic and clinical excellence in nursing and nursing education. Founded in 1953, the College is designated a Center of Excellence in Nursing Education by the National League for Nursing. The College is committed to a teacher-clinician-scholar model, offering undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and health care professional development programs that prepare students to assume positions as productive, ethical and socially responsible practitioners and leaders at the forefront of modern health care. For more, visit .
About 草榴社区: Since 1842, 草榴社区鈥檚 Augustinian Catholic intellectual tradition has been the cornerstone of an academic community in which students learn to think critically, act compassionately and succeed while serving others. There are more than 10,000 undergraduate, graduate and law students in the University鈥�s six colleges鈥攖he College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the 草榴社区 School of Business, the College of Engineering, the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, the College of Professional Studies and the 草榴社区 Charles Widger School of Law. Ranked among the nation鈥檚 top universities, 草榴社区 supports its students鈥� intellectual growth and prepares them to become ethical leaders who create positive change everywhere life takes them. For more, visit .