Donors Making a Difference at CCN
We at the Capstone College of Nursing are proud to work with our generous donors to create new opportunities for our College. Currently, we are in the midst of The Rising Tide Capital Campaign, a University-wide effort to raise a minimum of $1.5 billion in philanthropic support for strategic priorities over a 10-year period. As we continue toward our goals during the Campaign, we are honored to highlight some of our donors’ stories.
Suzy Reinhardt McCallum, a graduate of the Capstone College of Nursing, has been an active member of CCN’s Board of Visitors since 2011, serving terms as both Vice-Chair and Chair of the Board. Over the course of those 12 years, Suzy has been an advocate for the College and has generously given of her time and talents. Below, read more about Suzy’s giving journey.
“Nurses are the closest caregiver to the patient, and patients deserve the best care possible,” said Suzy. “Graduates from CCN are the best caregivers, in my opinion! I always tell people, ‘The more you get involved with the Capstone College of Nursing, with the faculty, administration, the students, alumni and fellow BOV members, the more you want to give back and the more involved you want to become.‘”
Tell us a little bit about your scholarship and what motivated/inspired you to create it.
My parents passed away the summer of 2009, just 30 days apart. Everything happened so quickly, and their wish was to remain at home. My sister and I were able to honor their wishes and took over their care at home, with the help of excellent hospice nurses.
Their passing left a great void in our lives, and that’s when I began looking for ways to contribute my time and efforts to things that would be meaningful to me and my family. Dean Sara Barger invited me to become a member of the Board of Visitors, and I knew my parents would have been so proud. My sister graduating with her Pharm.D. and me graduating with my BSN were two of their proudest moments.
My father always stressed the importance of furthering our education. After I became a member of the Board of Visitors, I became familiar with different ways of giving back to CCN. That’s when my sister and I decided to endow a scholarship in my parents’ name. It was the perfect fit.
You actually secured a match for the gift to your scholarship fund through your employer at the time. How did you find out about that match?
A member of UA Athletics actually encouraged me to inquire about employer matching gifts back in 1995. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that my employer at the time participated in matching gifts, and I began applying for matches for all donations and contributions to approved organizations through my employer from that moment on. Through the years I helped educate co-workers about the matching gift program, and also encouraged friends and acquaintances to inquire about similar programs with their employers. It’s an excellent opportunity to increase your giving potential that often goes overlooked!
What do you want students to know about your giving story?
You’re never too young or too old to start giving, and no amount is too small to start giving. It’s kind of like exercising – you never regret it after you’ve completed your workout!
What do you want to share with others who may be considering creating a scholarship?
It’s not as daunting as you might think. It’s actually quite easy and you can contribute to your scholarship over time. Creating a scholarship has been one of the best decisions I have made; it’s like a piece of my family heritage lives on, and I know my parents are smiling down on us. It’s comforting and gratifying at the same time— to know that something you wanted to do to preserve a memory is also helping somebody’s future is quite special.
For more information or to make a gift, contact CCN Senior Associate Director of Development, Anita Hamlett, at ahamlett@ua.edu or 205-348-9876.
To learn more about The Rising Tide Capital Campaign, visit risingtide.ua.edu.
Read other CCN donor stories here: The Woodard Family │Ed and Cathy Rudisill │Cathy Watson │Richard and Donna Urrutia