Gladwyne Family Donates $5M To Villanova Nursing College

GLADWYNE, PA – A Gladwyne woman and Villanova University alumna showed her dedication to her Alma mater and program of study recently by giving a sizeable donation to the school.

Gladwyne residents Deborah "Dee" Silvers Adams '86 FCN and her husband, Nick, committed $5 million to provide anchor support for the naming of the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, the university announced.

The Adams' gift, which is the largest philanthropic commitment in the history of Villanova Nursing, honors Dr. M. Louise Fitzpatrick — the College of Nursing’s visionary dean, who passed away in September — and allows her legacy to live on at the College of Nursing and at Villanova.

In December, Villanova President the Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA, PhD, announced the naming of the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, made possible through philanthropic support from alumni, parents and friends.

"I am very grateful to the Adams family for this extraordinary gift that honors the legacy of our beloved, long-time dean, M. Louise Fitzpatrick," Donohue said. "I am humbled by the many ways that members of the Villanova community, like Dee and Nick, support the University and all that we do. Their generosity and commitment are truly transformative."

Fitzpatrick made the College’s endowment a priority throughout her nearly four decades as dean of the College of Nursing. The Adams’ gift—announced by Donohue at a Villanova event Feb. 8 in Palm Beach, Florida — will help fortify the Fitzpatrick College of Nursing’s future and further enhance the academically challenging and personally transformative experiences that inspire and prepare Villanova students to lead at the forefront of modern health care.

To date, more than $11 million in gifts and pledges have been made in honor of Dr. Fitzpatrick, bringing the Fitzpatrick College of Nursing’s campaign total to more than $35 million.

"What I remember most about Louise was her relentless pursuit of expanding the curriculum for her students," said Dee Adams. "My time at the nursing school was invaluable. From the rigors of the academics to the challenges of patient care, the nursing school taught me what I needed to know to be a true professional and a compassionate healer."

In addition to their record-breaking gift, the Adams family also made a $1 million commitment to the College of Nursing in 2017, which established an endowed scholarship and provides support for cancer-related research projects. The gift was made in honor of Dee Adams’ mother, Dr. Abigail Adams Silvers, who was a renowned oncologist at Main Line Health System’s Bryn Mawr Hospital in Bryn Mawr

"We are very moved by the generosity of our alumna Dee Silvers Adams and her husband Nick with this gift in honor of Dean Fitzpatrick and the naming of the College for her," Lesley A. Perry, PhD, RN, Interim Dean of the Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, said. "This gift, as well as their previous commitment last year, allows us to enhance and expand our academic programs, student support, and faculty and student research that were high priorities for Dean Fitzpatrick."

The Adams’ gift is part of Villanova’s comprehensive capital campaign, "For the Greater Great: The Villanova Campaign to Ignite Change."

Visit the Villanova Campaign to Ignite Change website for more information.

Dee Adams—a 1986 graduate of the Fitzpatrick College of Nursing—is a real estate investor, as well as a sales representative for Isagenix, a multi-level marketing company that markets dietary supplements and personal care products. Nicholas Adams is a senior managing director and Partner Portfolio manager at Wellington Management Company LLP., a private, independent investment management company. The Adams reside in Gladwyne.

Image courtesy of Villanova University