The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa is renaming the School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene to the "Nancy Atmospera-Walch School of Nursing."
School alumna Nancy Atmospera-Walch donated an undisclosed amount that will improve the school’s operating funds for years to come.
The money will go towards student clinical placements and faculty recruitment and retention. There will be added scholarships with preference given to students from under-represented communities.
There will be no changes to the nursing degree program.
Atmospera-Walch was born and raised in the Philippines, but moved to Hawaiʻi with her family after graduating from high school.
Although she was discouraged from attending higher education, she would eventually earn a master’s in public health.
"I give the gift to the school because it gave me everything I have in this life. What I am today, and I believe what I am tomorrow, is because I’m a nurse. I love being a nurse. And I could have not been a nurse without this school of nursing at the University of Hawaiʻi," she said.
