Ursuline College trustee gifts half a million dollars to school to fund new healthcare initiatives

Ursuline College was recently gifted a $500,000 commitment by Trustee Jeanne Colleran and her husband Richard M. Weaver. The funds will be used to help pay for the remodeling of the school’s new physician assistant program as well as the development of several other healthcare initiatives. 

In a press release on the school’s website, Ursuline College’s president Christine De Vinne talked about the gift, saying, “We’re grateful to the Weavers for their generous endorsement of our work to meet Cleveland’s growing demand for healthcare professionals. Their gift enables us to build on the success of our undergraduate and graduate nursing programs and create multiple career paths for our students, many of whom are the first in their families to attend college and remain in the area to work with underserved populations after they graduate.”

This past January, Ursuline welcomed its first class of 30 Physician Assistant students, and plans to have another class of 30 students starting the two-year program next year, as well. Some of the money from Colleran and Weaver will be used to fund a new classroom and state-of-the-art simulation laboratory that will accommodate all 60 students as well as support the needs of the ever-growing slate of healthcare industry degree offerings at Ursuline College, such as the new nutrition and respiratory care programs beginning this fall. 

De Vinne talked more about future plans for programs at the school, saying, “We’re also adding a part-time option to our nursing bachelor’s degree called SDAP, or Second Degree Accelerated Program, for people who already have an undergraduate degree in a variety of fields but now want to become a nurse. This work-friendly, 24-month pathway eliminates one of the obstacles that people often face when they hoped to change careers – supporting themselves and their families while seeking more education.”

Colleran and Weaver live in Cleveland Heights together. Colleran said she was attracted to Ursuline College because of its long history of quality healthcare education and the school’s support of first-generation students, saying, “We were so impressed when Ursuline College was named in the American Enterprise Institute’s 2020 report highlighted in Forbes Magazine as the #1 college in the nation (out of 1100 schools) for increasing the social mobility of low-income, first-generation students. Richard and I wanted to recognize this accomplishment and honor the College’s reputation in healthcare leadership.”

Ursuline College contains the Breen School of Nursing and Health Professions which has been named a National League of Nursing Center for Nursing Excellence.

Colleran went on to talk about her affection for Ursuline’s president, saying, “We also wanted to express our gratitude to Ursuline President Sister Chris and her sibling Sister Virginia for their care-filled leadership and dedication to fostering compassionate graduates in the Ursuline tradition of social justice.”

Colleran became a member of the school’s Board of Trustees back in 2019, and starting in July, will chair its development committee. Before retiring, she worked as a provost and professor emerita at John Carroll University in University Heights. Since then, she was also on staff at Loyola University Chicago School of Law where she developed its Rule of Law Institute. Weaver is a retired executive with The Sherwin-Williams Company and an attorney.

De Vinne emphasized the benefit Colleran and Weaver have presented to the school, saying, “In so many ways, Jeanne and Richard embody the college’s mission of service, leadership and professional excellence. We’re thankful to have them part of the Ursuline College family.”

The renovations to labs and classrooms are expected to start in May and be finished by the end of the year.

More information about Ursuline College can be found at the school’s website.