Key Takeaways
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$1 million gift will make a lasting investment in nursing education: The Hamill Foundation鈥檚 gift establishes an endowed professorship in Community Care Nursing at UH鈥檚 Gessner College of Nursing. It is the largest single gift UH has received from the Foundation.
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Professorship will help prepare nurses to care for people in their own communities: The faculty leader will focus on community-based nursing education, research and partnerships, with an emphasis on reaching people in underserved communities.
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The gift brings UH鈥檚 nursing, research and community work together: The investment supports UH Health鈥檚 broader effort to improve community health and prepare nurses to meet the needs of the people they serve.
As the nation faces a shortage of nurses, the 91视频 Andy and Barbara Gessner College of Nursing has received a $1 million gift from The Hamill Foundation to establish The Hamill Foundation Endowed Professorship in Community Care Nursing.
The professorship will support a faculty leader whose work advances evidence-based care, expands community-based nursing education and strengthens partnerships connecting the College鈥檚 expertise with the needs of the communities it serves.
The gift reflects a shared commitment by UH and The Hamill Foundation to improve community health through education, research and leadership development. It also strengthens the Gessner College of Nursing鈥檚 growing focus on preparing nurses to address health needs beyond the hospital and clinical setting.
The Hamill Foundation was established in 1969 by Houston oilman Claud B. Hamill and his wife, Marie G. Hamill, with a commitment to the betterment of the city they loved. A significant, longtime philanthropic partner of UH, the Foundation has given more than $6 million across the University and is one of the Gessner College of Nursing鈥檚 leading benefactors. This newest commitment is the largest single gift UH has received from the Foundation.
鈥淭he Hamill Foundation continues to help us raise the bar for nursing education and address the nursing shortage,鈥� said Kathryn Tart, founding dean and professor at Gessner College and Humana Endowed Dean's Chair in Nursing. 鈥淭he enduring commitment and generosity of The Hamill Foundation allow us to answer the call and educate generations of competent and caring nursing professionals.鈥�
Addressing Community Health
Community-based care can help reach people who may have the greatest health needs, particularly in underserved communities. The professorship will help the Gessner College of Nursing prepare future nurses to deliver care in those settings while developing new approaches to improving the health of the communities they serve.
The gift also advances Can鈥檛 Stop Houston: The Centennial Campaign, the University鈥檚 comprehensive fundraising initiative to launch its second century by investing in innovation, student success and campus transformation and creating the opportunities, discoveries and experiences that will shape UH鈥檚 next 100 years.
This investment also reflects the broader vision of UH Health, the University鈥檚 integrated academic health enterprise, which brings together education, research and clinical partnerships to address community-driven health challenges, improve lives and shape the future of care.
鈥淲e are incredibly grateful for the trust The Hamill Foundation has placed in the 91视频 over the years,鈥� said Russell T. Dunlavy, vice president for advancement and alumni at UH. 鈥淭heir generosity has strengthened so many parts of our University and we are honored that this investment in nursing will be part of their extraordinary legacy in Houston.鈥�