North Central Michigan College names Nursing and Health Sciences division after longtime benefactors
The college’s Borra School of Nursing and Health Sciences was named after Pier and Renee Borra in honor of their more than two decades of support to the college.
North Central Michigan College has named its Nursing and Health Sciences division after longtime college benefactors, Pier and Renee Borra. The Borra School of Nursing and Health Sciences was officially approved to be named as such back in May 2025, and the announcement was made public at an event honoring college donors on June 18, 2025.
According to an article on North Central Michigan College’s website, David Roland Finley, the college’s president, was quoted as saying of the couple’s longtime support to the college, "We are incredibly grateful to the Borras for their unparalleled generosity, which has been instrumental in achieving our goals across campus, and especially within the school of nursing and health sciences. We wanted to express our deep gratitude for Pier and Renee’s nearly two decades of unwavering support, and we believe this recognition is a meaningful tribute to their legacy."
The Borras began supporting North Central Michigan College in 2009 when they donated to support nursing scholarships. Over the years, the couple and their foundation, the Borra Family Foundation, have offered significant support to the college’s healthcare education efforts and various other campus and infrastructure improvements. Their contributions have included establishing the Borra Nursing Pathway Scholarship Fund, significant funding toward the construction of the Health Education and Science Center, supporting the renovation and expansion of the main administration and classroom building which now bears the name the Borra Learning Center, and support for the college’s Career and Technical Education Enhancement (CATEE) project.
Brent LaFaive, who serves as the college’s dean of Nursing, Health Sciences and Public Safety, said of the couple’s support, "Through their generosity, the Borras have helped many of our students succeed in nursing and health sciences, allowing them to enter the healthcare field as prepared, confident professionals. Those graduates are making a real difference in our communities."
The couple’s most recent financial contribution to the college came at the end of 2024, when they announced they would be making a 20-year investment in the college, including supporting scholarships, helping with program development, assisting with student success initiatives, professional development opportunities for faculty, and funding the purchase of instructional equipment.
Pier Borra said of his and his wife’s desire to continue supporting the college’s nursing and health sciences programs, "Our goal is to see more students graduating in the health sciences and joining the workforce. Nurses and other healthcare professionals are critical when it comes to delivering skilled and compassionate care. We also want to see North Central become a leader in the state for nursing and health science education."
For more information about North Central Michigan College, visit the school’s website.