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Dear Friends,

In her estate plans, Jane Steel, one of the first women stockbrokers at a major San Francisco firm, left a generous bequest for a nursing scholarship at Samuel Merritt University. Since it was established in 2009, the Jane Steel Nursing Endowed Scholarship has helped hundreds of SMU nursing students afford the cost of tuition and pursue their dreams of becoming nurses.

Here is just one student story:

Kristie Taylor Silva, BSN ’12, faced some challenges during her pre-nursing education when her mother suddenly became terminally ill, passing away during Kristie’s first semester. Expressing thanks for her scholarship, she wrote, “I had to face the challenge of a non-traditional transition from the working sector to a prestigious college with very little financial support…Your help has made an unattainable dream become attainable.”

Kristie persevered with her education, thanks to her mother’s faith and encouragement. She proudly graduated with her BSN from SMU on time

and with honors. Kristie sees her work in nursing as a way to honor her mother, and she seeks to provide her patients with the excellent care and compassion that her mother received during her illness.

Kristie is continuing to challenge herself to excel. She works as a registered nurse in a perioperative setting for Kaiser Permanente in Stockton, California, where she has found deep satisfaction working with patients and their families throughout their surgical journeys. Kristie is also pursuing her MS in Nursing at SMU while participating in a fellowship with the University of California, San Francisco.

We are grateful to the visionary donors who create lasting support for their favorite causes through permanent endowments. Some donors, like Jane Steel, choose to create endowments through bequests, so the organization receives the gift when the funds are no longer needed by the donor. If you are curious about the options for endowments and bequests, please reach out to me. We can help ensure your goals are achieved and I’m happy to brainstorm gift strategy ideas with you, obligation-free. You can also explore sample bequest language here.

If you have already included SMU in your estate plans, please let us know. We would love to welcome you as a new member of SMU’s 1909 Legacy Society, our giving circle for the generous individuals who support SMU’s mission through a provision in their estate plans.

Be well,
Penny Peak, MPA
Director of Development, Planned Giving & Podiatric Medicine
Office: 510.879.3349
[email protected]