UC Receives Total of $12 Million in Donations from Alumni

UC has received gifts from two graduates totaling $12 million to be used by the College of Pharmacy and the College of Nursing.

Both donations, the largest-ever received by the respective colleges, will be used for education and research.

The

College of Pharmacy

has received a pledge worth $10 million from an anonymous benefactor.

“It’s an honor to receive a gift of this magnitude,” said Daniel Acosta Jr., PhD, dean of the College of Pharmacy, “and we’re pleased that this person has chosen to recognize the valuable mission of the College of Pharmacy in preparing future leaders in this field and conducting critical research that can have a profound impact on people’s lives.

“The college has grown tremendously in recent years and this gift will help us to accommodate the increasing numbers of students enrolling here. Additionally, a substantial portion of this gift will help create new research opportunities for our faculty and students.”

Dr. Acosta added that despite the donor’s current request to remain anonymous, he expects the college will be able to publicly honor the benefactor within a year.

The

College of Nursing

has been given more than $2 million by Shirley Tashiro Burke, a 1948 graduate now living in Pittsburgh. The donation will be used to establish the Shirley Tashiro Burke Education and Research Fund in Nursing.

Andrea Lindell, DNSc, dean of the College of Nursing, said, “This wonderful gift will allow us to grow in a number of ways by supporting faculty development—to meet the needs of our increasing study body—and funding educational, building and renovation, research and other student needs.

“In this time of severe nursing shortages,” said Dr. Lindell, “we will be able to ensure that more nurses complete their nursing programs and serve the community as caregivers. We are extremely grateful to Mrs. Burke for this selfless gift to the future of nursing.”

“It’s extremely gratifying when graduates recognize the value and importance of the education they received at the University of Cincinnati,” said Mary Sue Cheeseman, associate senior vice president of development at UC. “These two donors have chosen to give back to their respective colleges, so that a new generation of students might also benefit from these programs of excellence.”

UC College of Pharmacy, one of the oldest pharmacy colleges in the United States, offers both professional practice (PharmD) and graduate (MS and PhD) degrees. Supported by an active research faculty, the college provides students with an opportunity to develop their individual skills. Graduates of the college have a 100 percent placement rate prior to graduation, and are highly sought after by professional and pharmaceutical employers. The most recent class of PharmD graduates achieved a 100 percent passing grade on the National Pharmacy Licensure Examination (NABPLEX).

Founded in 1889, the College of Nursing was the first school in the country to offer a baccalaureate program in nursing, and received the first endowment ever given to a nursing program. In 2002 the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) accredited the college for a 10-year period, distinguishing it with 71 years of continuous accreditation. The College of Nursing currently has over 800 students, including undergraduate, graduate and PhD candidates, making it the 12th largest nursing school in the United States in terms of student and faculty, according to U.S.News & World Report. The college is also in the top 6 percent in research funding.