Huge Donation to MU Nursing Program

[warriorchick]

During the President's Address today, Dr. Lovell announced that Darren and Terry Jackson have made a $31 million gift to the Marquette School of Nursing.

The donation will, in part, provide 80 scholarships to students from under-represented communities.

Let's give Mr. and Mrs. Jackson a huge thank you!

[Dr. Blackheart]

During the President's Address today, Dr. Lovell announced that Darren and Terry Jackson have made a $31 million gift to the Marquette School of Nursing.

The donation will, in part, provide 80 scholarships to students from under-represented communities.

Let's give Mr. and Mrs. Jackson a huge thank you!

Standing ovation!

[Galway Eagle]

Their daughter is my fiancé's best friend. They are both wonderful down to earth people who did not let me struggle alone with moving my fiancé's absurdly heavy furniture when they were moving in together lol.

[Herman Cain]

During the President's Address today, Dr. Lovell announced that Darren and Terry Jackson have made a $31 million gift to the Marquette School of Nursing.

The donation will, in part, provide 80 scholarships to students from under-represented communities.

Let's give Mr. and Mrs. Jackson a huge thank you!

This is a very positive development for MU. Putting big dollars into a premier program will be a game changer. Future is bright.

[warriorchick]

Here's the press release:

President Michael R. Lovell emphasized bold plans to grow, diversify and innovate the university’s Marquette University College of Nursing.
One alumni couple has “answered the call,” Lovell announced, stepping forward to give a $31 million gift that will fuel the College of Nursing’s strategic initiatives, including enrollment growth.
Darren and Terry Jackson said they were inspired by university leadership’s plans to significantly grow the number of Marquette Nurses around the world as well as by the many alumni courageously leading on the frontlines of the pandemic.
“We believe in the mission of Marquette," Darren Jackson said. "That mission of Marquette has touched all of us. That is what we are investing in. We are investing in leadership.”
The College of Nursing’s leadership team, working alongside the Jacksons, has cast a vision to prepare 5,000 nurses over the next decade and beyond. Of the 5,000 nurses, the college aspires to educate 1,000 diverse Marquette Nurses, grow Ph.D.-prepared faculty and is endeavoring to lead in emerging areas, including telehealth education. Recognizing the rapidly changing health care environment, the plans will meet a pressing need to develop future nurse leaders.
“This generous gift comes at a really critical time as we persist through the pandemic and work to address racial injustices so that we can decrease health disparities,” said Dr. Janet Krejci, dean of the College of Nursing. “We see significant opportunity to increase the enrollment, retention and graduation rates for our underrepresented students and deepen all of our students’ understanding and competencies of how to support and engage patients from a range of different backgrounds. Darren and Terry have not only given of their treasure, they’ve given of their time working beside us to map out this vision.”
Terry Jackson, a 1987 College of Nursing graduate who leads the College of Nursing’s campaign committee, shared her own inspiration. She described how the Marquette Nurse embodies the Jesuit principle of cura personalis – care for the whole person – demonstrates courageous leadership and goes far beyond a job to answer a calling.
“Our country has been through a real challenge over the past year,” she said. “Not only with the COVID crisis, but in the economic crisis and in the cries for social justice. Our goal is to help Marquette answer the call.”
Grounded in the College of Nursing’s new strategic plan, the gift launches a strategic initiatives fund that will invest in emerging health care innovation. To further support all students, the college will provide enhanced wrap-around academic advising support and form a new teaching academy to counter faculty shortages. The academy will be led by the college’s nationally recognized scientific experts.
The Jacksons’ gift will expand scholarship opportunities for students, with a focus on advancing diversity, equity and inclusion. Beginning in fall 2021, scholarships will be designated for underrepresented students who are accepted into the College of Nursing, with additional scholarships added each year. After the initial ramp-up phase, up to 80 scholarships per year will be awarded to Marquette nursing students from underrepresented backgrounds.
Darren Jackson, who graduated in 1986 from Marquette Business, served as chair of the Board of Trustees from 2009 to 2012. Both Darren and Terry co-chair the President’s Advisory Council. Marquette is preparing to publicly launch its comprehensive fundraising campaign this April.
Health care leaders across the country have shined a spotlight on the need for nurses to mirror the patient population to strive for health equity. Marquette’s College of Nursing has expert researchers engaged with the community to impact health in several populations, including adults with chronic illnesses as well as faculty investigating racial disparities in maternal-child health.
In his video remarks, Darren Jackson highlighted how “Marquette has a heritage of being first.” Marquette was the first university in the world to admit women in a Catholic university and among the first to develop an Educational Opportunity Program to enhance access and support. “When you think about nursing, there is this great societal need, and we will be first again,” he said.
“Darren and Terry’s leadership gift has made an immediate impact and will leave a profound legacy – one that will advance even more Marquette Nurses to be at the forefront for some of society’s great health care challenges and solutions,” said Vice President for Advancement Tim McMahon. “Their gift is inspiring for many reasons, but perhaps none more than the life-changing opportunities they will create for future Marquette students who will pay it forward for generations.”

[Dr. Blackheart]

Just to add more:

• This reasserts MU as a leader. A big disruptor and right on mission
• The right thing to do for the underserved community and for these students, especially during these times
• Good for MU’s future as this accelerates minority enrollment which right now is the majority of college-aged student
• Even though most of us cannot be this generous, it should also inspire all of us in big and small ways to act

[StillAWarrior]

That's fantastic news. Kudos to the Jacksons for their generosity.

[wadesworld]

Lovell sucks though.

[JWags85]

Lovell sucks though.

Jackson has been on the BOT for 15 years and chaired the BOT for 4 before Lovell ever arrived. They’ve been heavily involved with and donating to the University forever. Great that this happened under Lovell’s tenure when the University is cash strapped, but lets not go using this as an excuse to laud him.

Thanks for contributing nothing but contrarian trolling though!

[Folks,,,]

Nm

[real chili 83]

Lovell sucks though.

BLM, tone deaf.

[Skatastrophy]

BLM, tone deaf.

Slurper

[wadesworld]

Jackson has been on the BOT for 15 years and chaired the BOT for 4 before Lovell ever arrived. They’ve been heavily involved with and donating to the University forever. Great that this happened under Lovell’s tenure when the University is cash strapped, but lets not go using this as an excuse to laud him.

Thanks for contributing nothing but contrarian trolling though!

So somebody who has been working closely with Lovell for years, and apparently must’ve had a hand in his hiring, found it useful to donate $31M. Leads me to believe the guy doesn’t TOTALLY suck, then.

[The Lens]

You’re out of your league here Wade’s.  Let’s just say Wojo has A LOT more support inside and outside the University than Mike does. 

This is a fantastic gift but it doesn’t change many people’s opinion that Lovell is in over his head.

[GOO]

Great to see money going to the program and scholarships and not a new building. This is the direction we need to go in along with decreasing enrollment. Scholarship funding needs to be priority one.

Great gift by a younger couple, especially for such a large gift. Seems well thought out and in an area of high demand for the foreseeable future.

[The Lens]

Great to see money going to the program and scholarships and not a new building. This is the direction we need to go in along with decreasing enrollment. Scholarship funding needs to be priority one.

Great gift by a younger couple, especially for such a large gift. Seems well thought out and in an area of high demand for the foreseeable future.

Development people like cranes...that's how they measure progress but I have heard some pretty influential people say: "Mike needs to put the shovels away, he has to stop always wanting to build".  This is the right step. 

It should also be noted that Darren was FFP. 

[MarquetteMike1977]

Wrote Darren To Thank Him, But wanted to Thank He and his Wife on this site also. Thank You Again. Our Marquette Friend Darren Jackson and his Wife donated 31 Million to MU for the Nursing School. We lived in the same dorm together,  and had drinks with Darren and his Wife at the same table in Chicago, in March right before covid hit. Super nice and kind person 👍👍

[GOO]

Development people like cranes...that's how they measure progress but I have heard some pretty influential people say: "Mike needs to put the shovels away, he has to stop always wanting to build".  This is the right step. 

It should also be noted that Darren was FFP.

FFP. Very impressive. Talk about a high bounce. Hard to do, and not many can do that. But here they are helping others bounce higher. Very nice. Great legacy for them and for Marquette.

And I get why donors want buildings, tangible things, names in it. But hopefully our bigger donors can see the value in students bettering themselves by  receiving  scholarships with donor’s names on them. Buildings will come and go. Help someone achieve a bigger bounce in life and you influence many, their descendants, those they influence, many people... future generations... well into the future and likely indefinitely... long after the buildings are obsolete. 

An old Henry Adams quote on teachers comes to mind, as it applies here (pardon the pronoun use): 

A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops. 

Donations like this can literally effect eternity for the better.  At least as long as we inhabit the earth (and other places if Musk has his way)

[swoopem]

It should also be noted that Darren was FFP.

Bring back FFP!!!

[4everwarriors]

#FreeBeeJay2021

[StillAWarrior]

And I get why donors want buildings, tangible things, names in it. But hopefully our bigger donors can see the value in students bettering themselves by  receiving  scholarships with donor’s names on them. Buildings will come and go. Help someone achieve a bigger bounce in life and you influence many, their descendants, those they influence, many people... future generations... well into the future and likely indefinitely... long after the buildings are obsolete. 

My daughter at another school was fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to meet the gentleman who funded her scholarship at a banquet. It was nice for her to be able to have a chance to meet him, look him in the eyes, and thank him.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

I have found that donors aren't as into buildings as most people think they are into buildings. 

[warriorchick]

My daughter at another school was fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to meet the gentleman who funded her scholarship at a banquet. It was nice for her to be able to have a chance to meet him, look him in the eyes, and thank him.

They do that at Marquette as well.

[StillAWarrior]

They do that at Marquette as well.

I'm glad to hear that. It's a good practice.