Renowned textbook author, educator and philanthropist Elaine Nicpon Marieb has pledged $10 million to Florida Gulf Coast University’s College of Health Professions and Social Work. In honor of her very generous gift, the College will be renamed the Elaine Nicpon Marieb College of Health & Human Services.
This commitment is the single largest gift from an individual in the history of FGCU’s Foundation, which raises money for the University.
This astounding investment marks a total of $15 million of philanthropic support from Dr. Marieb. In 2012, she donated $5 million when the building that houses the College was named in her honor.
“Dr. Marieb’s gift epitomizes the term transformational,” says President Wilson G. Bradshaw. “Her gifts will enable the Marieb College of Health & Human Services to reach greater heights of excellence and provide an even more comprehensive education to our students.”
The agreement states the gift will be given over a five-year period and will “continue to enhance the activities of faculty, students and staff to achieve a level of superior education, research and community outreach.”
Among the ways in which the gift will help elevate the College’s work are the following:
*Enable the creation and support of faculty-led clinical health centers on-campus and elsewhere, providing comprehensive rehabilitation services, behavioral health services, and primary care. This will provide a service to the community as well as afford students the opportunity to train in a professional setting.
*Further support faculty development in teaching and research.
*Provide funding to ensure state-of-the-art clinical technologies that are current and cutting-edge, ensuring an optimal learning environment that produces exceptional healthcare professionals.
*Provide for tuition waivers and stipends to attract and retain eminent graduate students across all programs.
*Attract and retain high-quality faculty and visiting scholars.
*Support global healthcare missions to underdeveloped and underserved regions, which will provide students with unparalleled experience in applying their skills, helping them gain confidence and cultivating civically minded health professionals while also benefiting recipients who lack access to regular care.
Dr. Mitchell L. Cordova, dean of the Marieb College of Health & Human Services, says, “Dr. Elaine Marieb is a leader among leaders in higher education, impacting millions of students and faculty throughout her career. As the pre-eminent author of undergraduate anatomy and physiology textbooks and laboratory manuals, Dr. Marieb continues to guide students in the most critical and foundational courses as they prepare for careers in Nursing, Rehabilitation Sciences, and Medicine.
“To have her name now associated with our College is an absolute honor and privilege. Our students, faculty and staff will forever cherish the role she has played in shaping our College into one of the best in the state of Florida.”
He believes that this, her second gift to the College, “validates the confidence she has in our faculty and staff in preparing students to be exemplary practitioners and professionals in all aspects of health care. We hold this confidence in the highest regard as we strive each day to honor her legacy with nothing short of excellence. Dr. Marieb’s gifts will continue to transform the College – having a profound effect on all of our programs in perpetuity.”