President of Brenau University Ed Schrader, Ph.D.,
announced this week that the school has received $2 million – the largest
single gift ever bestowed on the 128-year-old university – from a donor
who wishes to remain anonymous.
The donor, responding to Brenau University's focus on
community healthcare through its Nursing, Clinical Psychology and
Occupational Therapy programs, asked that the monies be earmarked to
support the construction of a new building for Brenau’s School of Health
and Science. In addition to professionals in nursing, occupational therapy
and clinical psychology, Brenau's School of Health and Science graduates
many biologists and other scientists who go on to medical school, graduate
school and research posts.
“I am delighted that this generous donor shares our
concern for expanding healthcare education options,” said Brenau
University President Ed Schrader. “Gainesville’s influence in the medical
sphere is growing as specialty health care professionals and institutions
look to extend their presence outside of Atlanta. This influence will
continue to thrive, however, only so far as a prepared workforce in
specialty care allows – nurses with specialized training in fields such as
cardiology and neurology are needed now more than ever before.”
Brenau University has a long tradition of providing
educated quality healthcare professionals – it now intends to step up to
the plate and fill the escalating need for more such professionals to help
cover the healthcare needs of the region, he said.
The first university in Georgia to introduce a part-time
evening and weekend Bachelor in the Science of Nursing major, Brenau is
now poised to launch a $12 million project that includes construction of
the new building, enhancing the professional support for its nursing
faculty, and establishing more scholarship opportunities for
healthcare-related studies along with upgrades and renovation of several
of the existing natural sciences laboratories and classroom spaces.
“Already, Brenau offers a program that opens nursing
training to nontraditional students who must work or have family
responsibilities that don’t allow them to attend full- or day-time
classes,” Schrader said. “Still, because of current space limitations,
that program can graduate only about 40 students per year and the
traditional day program the same number – yet yearly we have many more
applicants than we have openings. In fact, more than 158 qualified
students applied for the 40 day-time slots this year,” Schrader said. “The
need and demand for further growth in our nursing program is very real.”
