Page 28 - BusinessWest Sept. 29, 2021

Access and Opportunity
Mannings’ Gift of $50 Million Is Largest in UMass History
The University of Massachusetts recently announced it will receive a cash gift of $50 million from Robert and Donna
Manning. The gift, the largest of any kind in the university’s history, is aimed at increasing access and opportunity across the five-cam- pus university system.
The first distribution of the $50 million will be $15 million to endow the UMass Boston Nurs- ing program, which will become the Robert and Donna Manning College of Nursing and Health Sciences. The funds will be focused on support- ing student diversity and ensuring that the new cohort of nursing professionals are champions of equitable patient care.
Donna Manning’s 35-year career as an oncol- ogy nurse at Boston Medical Center inspired the decision to focus the gift on nursing at UMass Boston. Known for her dedication to patients, Manning donated her salary to the hospital each year.
“For the majority of my career in Boston, I was struck by the fact that most of the nurses looked like me, while most of the patients didn’t,” she said. “UMass Boston plays a critical role in sup- porting diversity in Boston, and I have seen first- hand how diversity in the nursing workforce can improve patient care and address health inequi- ties. We look forward to actively working with the
college on these important goals.”
The College of Nursing and Health Sciences
is the fastest-growing college at UMass Boston and offers the only four-year public programs
in nursing and exercise and health sciences in the Greater Boston area. The undergraduate and graduate population of approximately 2,100 stu- dents in the college is 19% black,
awareness that define caregiving in its truest sense.”
In the coming months, the Mannings plan to announce distributions from the overall gift to improve access and opportunity on the other UMass campuses in Amherst, Dartmouth, Low- ell, and Worcester.
12% Latinx, and 11% Asian-Ameri- can/Pacific islander.
“I have seen firsthand how diversity in the nursing workforce can improve patient care and address health inequities. We look forward to actively working with the college on these important goals.”
“This transformational gift
from Rob and Donna comes at
the right time and the right place
and for a beautiful cause: to fos-
ter a culture of healing and health
equity in Boston and beyond. It
will enable UMass Boston to take
the education of the next genera-
tion of nurses nobly serving as caregivers to the next level of excellence and engagement,” UMass Boston Chancellor Marcelo Suárez-Orozco said. “Amidst a pandemic, rampant medical disin- formation, nursing shortages, and the heroism of healthcare workers, we at UMass Boston are more committed than ever to cultivating extraor- dinary nursing talent. The Mannings’ historic gift will be put to use to nurture the next generation of health and wellness scientific expertise, but also the humane heart, the empathy and cultural
“Donna and I are at a point in our lives where we want to make a real difference, and this was the best way to do that because we know what UMass does for students — it transforms lives,” said Robert Manning, who is chairman of MFS Investment Management and the long-time chair of the UMass board of trustees. “We firmly believe that UMass is the most important asset in the Commonwealth
and that the greatest
thing we can do to
UMass
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28 SEPTEMBER 29, 2021
EDUCATION
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