Wertheim gifts $10 million for nursing college in honor of his wife

Alyssa Elso/Staff Writer

The Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine will be joined by the Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing and Health Sciences after Herbert Wertheim donates $10 million to expand the program in honor of his wife.

A few years after Wertheim’s $20 million donation to the university’s college of medicine, the latest gift will fund student scholarships at the graduate level, as well as faculty development and research.

The Nicole Wertheim Nursing and Health Sciences Scholarship Endowment will help support graduate students who are working on clinical doctorates in physical therapy and master’s level nursing students who are studying to become registered nurse practitioners, according to Ora Strickland, dean of the college of nursing and health sciences.

The Endowment for Nursing and Health Sciences Education and Research will go to faculty development and research.

“These endowments were set up to support faculty research and enhancement and to support faculty collaboration in the developmental program and research,” said Strickland. “The same endowment fund established three faculty chairs, which was done as a means to mentor students to develop research, they will also mentor junior faculty members.”

Of the three faculty chairs, one focuses on prevention and family health another focuses on pain management and college of care and the third community mental health, according to Strickland.

Junior nursing student, Valerie Ratmiroff believes that the donation will do wonderful things for the nursing school.

“I don’t think the nursing field is often given much credit, but I think that this donation will enhance learning and education and attract more students to the field,” said Ratmiroff. “I also think the graduate scholarships are very important, because graduate students are not often given much financial aid, it is something that could greatly benefit me in the future if I decide to go to graduate school.”

While the college will be named after Wertheim’s wife, his donation comes as a sign of his commitment and confidence in the college said Strickland.

“He saw our five-year strategic and business plan and after he read those, he wanted to fund the plan,” said Strickland. “In essence the gift was given to demonstrate his commitment and confidence in the direction the college is going, and he did this by commemorating his wife’s birthday and their 44th wedding anniversary.”

According to Strickland the donation will be paid over a five-year period in $2 million increments.

“This endowment has been designed to boost the college in moving forward to really become worlds ahead,” Strickland said

– alyssa.elso@fiusm.com