Announcing a $25 million gift to the School of Nursing

Dear Members of the Georgetown University Community,

I write to share exciting news for our University community and our School of Nursing—a $25 million gift from the Berkley Family Foundation to invest in the future of nursing education and professional development at Georgetown.

It is my privilege to be able to share this news during National Nurses Week, a time to celebrate and honor those who have devoted their careers to the nursing profession.

This gift represents an important moment in the history of our 122-year tradition of preparing skilled and compassionate nurses. It honors the legacy of a profession that continues to shape the health and well-being of communities around the world and reflects the Berkley family’s deep and enduring commitment to education and health care. The Berkley family has been a long-term supporter of Georgetown, and their latest investment ensures that we can remain at the forefront of nursing education and health equity.

In recognition of this extraordinary generosity, Georgetown’s School of Nursing will be renamed the Berkley School of Nursing, beginning in the fall semester of 2025.

This investment will impact every facet of nursing education. It will create new scholarships, particularly for students pursuing nursing as a second career, helping to reduce financial barriers for those called to serve in the field. It will also establish dedicated resources to support student well-being, advance faculty excellence through endowed professorships, and enhance simulation-based learning and virtual reality technology.

This moment also reflects the extraordinary work of dean Roberta Waite, our faculty, and our staff who have worked to build on the School’s foundation of academic excellence, rigorous clinical education, and values-based leadership. With this gift, the school will be able to increase the number of nurses who graduate from Georgetown prepared to lead, to serve, and to meet the challenges of a complex and evolving health care landscape.

On behalf of the entire Georgetown community, I offer my deepest gratitude to the Berkley family for their visionary support. We are grateful for their generosity and look forward to witnessing the opportunities it will bring to our students, faculty, staff and the overall nursing profession.

Sincerely,

Robert M. Groves
Interim President