Inspiring New Knowledge Now and in the Future

Dr. Suzanne Brouse hopes her gifts to UofL will help prepare nurses for future care in a variety of complex health settings.

For Dr. Suzanne Brouse, giving to the University of Louisville was an easy decision. Inspired by her Catholic faith to share time, talent and resources with others, she decided years ago to add the UofL School of Nursing as a beneficiary in her will. More recently, she has also chosen to give through her IRA to support nursing research.

"The process is so easy and the tax savings are advantageous now that I have to take a minimum distribution each year," Suzanne says.

Although few options existed for women when she decided to attend college, Suzanne successfully applied for a scholarship to attend the University of Michigan. She spent many years at Michigan State University upon completion of her nursing degree, in both nursing practice and teaching, before moving on to the University of South Carolina. Once she discovered her appreciation for nursing theory, she was set on the path to her Ph.D. and eventually an 11-year teaching stint at the University of Louisville School of Nursing.

While at UofL, she frequently encouraged others to complete their own research and found joy in supporting their path to success. She hopes her philanthropy will do the same and aspires to support nursing faculty financially and emotionally at UofL. When deciding where to focus her giving, the School of Nursing's work in healthy aging, as exemplified in the research of Dr. Karen M. Robinson, aligned with her many interests.

Both her IRA giving and her bequest will support the Kentuckiana Healthy Aging Initiative, which provides healthy aging research, including areas such as home care and family involvement. She believes research, such as the kind being done at UofL now, will prepare nurses for future care in a variety of complex health settings.

Suzanne concludes, "You don't have to give millions to make a difference. Smaller grants to support innovative researchers can sometimes be exactly what is needed to get started. With my gifts, I hope to provide opportunities to test new ideas, inform other nurses and improve nursing practice."

To learn about how you can join Suzanne in giving to the University of Louisville in a way that is meaningful to you, visit our website or contact Kathryn J. Sides, M.A., CFRE, CAP® at plannedgifts@louisville.edu or (502) 852-5051. If you have already included the University of Louisville in your giving plans, please let us know to ensure your intentions are followed and so we can thank you for your generosity.