Yesterday, the University of West Florida Foundation announced a gift commitment by the D.W. McMillan Foundation to the University’s BSN Nursing Program.
The $250,000 gift will provide program support to UWF’s undergraduate nursing education, to be named the Dr. D.W. McMillan BSN Nursing Program.
“The D.W. McMillan Foundation is widely known throughout our region for its commitment to health and human services,†said Dr. Brendan Kelly, president of the UWF Foundation, Inc. and vice president for university advancement. “That the University’s BSN Nursing Program will bear the McMillan name and educate future generations of nurses is a fitting recognition of the family’s dedication to healthcare and the health of this community.â€
Goals of funding are to provide a high quality experience for BSN students, including enhancement of the classroom environment, enrichment through community and service learning, and recruitment and retention through scholarship support as needed.
The McMillan family has been a part of reaching these goals for more than 20 years. Last year, D.W. McMillan Foundation contributed to establishing the Nursing Skills and Stimulation Learning Center Birthing Suite. They have also contributed to two substantial scholarships, one for undergraduate nursing students and one for graduate nursing students, allowing the UWF nursing program to expand opportunities.
“We are so grateful for the McMillan family’s on-going support for nursing education at UWF, said Dr. Ermalynn Kiehl, dean of the College of Health. “This gift is validation of not only commitment to education, but also to improve the health of our community.â€
Dan McMillan currently serves on the Board of the UWF Foundation and is the managing Trustee of the D.W. McMillan Trust.
In 2015, UWF announced a second cohort for BSN nursing students to meet the demand of the regional workforce. The McMillan gift will serve to enhance the educational experience for the growing number of UWF nursing students.
