Fueling the future of nursing
Wheaton received a $5 million dollar gift from alumna Georgia Wall Gogel ’71 and her husband, Don Gogel, to fund scholarship resources, experiential learning, emergent needs of students in the nursing program as well as a full scholarship for a member of the Class of 2030.
The impact that nurses can play in addressing public health needs inspired the Gogels to direct their philanthropy to the program.
“Well-trained nurses will play an increasingly important role in addressing the crisis we face in the delivery of high-quality health care locally, nationally and internationally,” said Georgia Gogel, who graduated as a government major with Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude honors. “Wheaton’s innovative nursing program, which incorporates sophisticated technologies and features outstanding faculty and talented students, is certain to achieve positive outcomes with respect to the quality of care that patients experience.
“In addition, the nursing profession now provides an attractive and well-compensated career path,” she said. “Our funding of scholarships will support high-quality nursing students who would not otherwise be able to pursue a nursing degree at Wheaton.”
After a legal career as a partner in two New York City law firms specializing in complex real estate transactions, Georgia transitioned to dedicate her time and career to legal advocacy and philanthropy on behalf of Graham Windham, the nation’s oldest child welfare agency, founded in 1806 by Eliza Hamilton. Graham serves over 8,000 at-risk youth in New York City each year. She has served as a trustee for over 30 years, including 19 as chairman, to ensure equity access to education and all of the resources necessary to build strong programs that all young people need to grow and to thrive. Her husband, Don, who graduated from Harvard University in 1971, is the chairman of Clayton, Dubilier & Rice. He is a trustee of the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City, where he has served for 44 years.
The Gogels’ generosity has had an immediate impact at Wheaton. The nursing program welcomed more students—59 members for the Class of 2029—than any other academic program at the college. In its first two years, the program has enrolled students with an impressive average GPA of 3.75.
Wheaton College President Michaele Whelan expressed her appreciation.
“This is a pivotal moment for our nursing program and the future of healthcare education at Wheaton. The generosity of the Gogel family will help reduce the financial pressures and barriers that many students and their families face,” President Whelan said. “This gift will allow our students to focus on their education, including global and clinical experiences, and attain their goal of becoming healthcare professionals, regardless of their families’ financial means. As a result, Wheaton will be positioned to yield the most qualified students and retain them through graduation.”
Dean of Nursing Colette Dieujuste said the impact will extend beyond Wheaton: “It’s hard to put into words just how meaningful and transformative this scholarship will be for our nursing students. The opportunities it will create and the experiences it will provide will leave a lasting impact on our students’ education at Wheaton, their growth as future nurses, and ultimately on the patients and communities they will serve.”