Alumni Donor Receive More Than You Give
The first thing that jumps out about Ellen and Hal Meier is their enthusiasm and high energy. These “double Bruins” are very quick to explain that UCLA is at the root of their success. “Without a doubt, we feel that our professional accomplishments are tied to our UCLA education. We wouldn’t have had the same career paths without that great start,” Ellen says. Ellen holds a Bachelor’s and a Master’s in Nursing from the UCLA School of Nursing. Hal earned two Master’s degrees from UCLA, one in Engineering and the other from the Anderson School of Management. While Hal pursued a successful career in engineering, Ellen worked hands-on in various nursing settings, with children and cancer patients. She also delved into healthcare program implementation, strategic management of resources, and leadership. Ellen even fulfilled an early interest in teaching when she came back to the School of Nursing as faculty. Currently, she is Vice President of The Advisory Board, a healthcare consultancy company.
All along, Ellen and Hal were active supporters of the university and members of the Chancellor’s Society, but in 2014, they took their philanthropic involvement one step further. They included the School of Nursing in their living trust by earmarking a percentage of their estate to create an endowment that will provide scholarships for nurse practitioner students and support the preceptorship opportunities for nurse practitioner students.
“We focused our giving on nursing,” Hal explains, “because we both agreed that the field touches so many lives, yet nursing professionals don’t necessarily earn huge incomes. Also, getting into UCLA’s School of Nursing is very competitive. Those who make it are exceptional. We felt this was where we could have the greatest leverage and impact.”
Giving. What’s it in for you?
“If you feel your education provided you with a leg up in life, then take the opportunity to give back,” Ellen advises, “It’s a wonderful feeling. In giving, you do get back more than you give. It’s a new sense of purpose. It’ll bring new connections into your life. So, I am encouraging my fellow alumni to make a contribution. Do it. You’ll feel really good about it!”
UCLA Legacy Society Members
The generous alumni and friends who have chosen to remember the UCLA School of Nursing in their estate plans are a special group. Turning their individual passions into action, these donors have looked ahead to the needs of future generations. They have effectively put “money in the bank” to fulfill countless opportunities that ensure excellence— from scholarships to life-changing research, fellowships to distinguished faculty recruitment. Thank you!
Katherine MN ’80 and William Anderson
Angel Appleton Karen MN ’79 and Herbert Braham
Lauren Dorothy Capparell MN ’86
Linda Gorman MN ’77 and Stanley Gorman
Dolores and Forest* Grunigen Mary ‘74, ‘76 and Roger Hayashi ‘71, MD ‘75
Ruth Higgs
Ann* ‘57, MS ‘64 and Marcum Ivey
Donna and William McNeese-Smith
Ellen M. BS ’74, MN ’78 and Harold A. Meier MS ‘72
Rose Marie* ‘57 and Richard Nesbit ‘68, MS ’60, PHD ’63
Nancy A. Pike, MN ’93, PHD ‘07 Vickie Reis MN ‘62 and August Reis
Michael Patrick Richards
Loretta Yukshan So MSN ’11 Linda Diann Urden MN ’81 Ann M. Voda ‘63 Clydia and Thomsen* Young ‘67, JD ’74
*deceased
Planned gifts provide the resources that create extraordinary opportunities and preserve the future of the UCLA School of Nursing. There are a myriad of easy giving options from which you can choose—from naming us as a beneficiary in your will, to a more complex trust arrangement.
If you have already included the UCLA School of Nursing in a bequest or other planned gift, and your name is not noted above, we hope you will let us know. Your willingness to be listed as a member of the Legacy Society encourages others to follow your example.