Beebe Receives $1.1 Million from the Ma-Ran Foundation for Margaret H. Rollins School of Nursing faculty
This gift was given by Peggy and Randall Rollins of the Ma-Ran Foundation to honor Karen Pickard, Program Administrator for the School and to recognize her leadership and the success of the School. The new Margaret H. Rollins Endowment Fund will support professional development opportunities for the Margaret H. Rollins School of Nursing faculty.
Beebe Healthcare announces a gift of $1.1 million from the Ma-Ran Foundation to create an endowment for the Margaret H. Rollins School of Nursing faculty. The funds will be used to support advanced degrees and professional development.
“We are thrilled to honor Karen Pickard and the faculty with this amazing gift. The Ma-Ran Foundation – through the generosity of Peggy and Randall Rollins – is continuing its historic tradition of investing in the Beebe Medical Foundation and Beebe Healthcare,” said Judy Aliquo, CFRE, President and CEO, Beebe Medical Foundation. “When we announced the gift to the faculty and staff of the School of Nursing, there were audible gasps and one big, ‘Wow.’ All were touched and honored to receive such an incredible gift to support their continued education.”
“The Rollins family’s generosity continues to amaze me,” said Karen Pickard, MSN, RN, CNE, School of Nursing Program Administrator. “We have become close friends throughout the years. Randall and Peggy see the importance of education and professional development and the impact it will have on the long-term vision of the School.”
Ms. Aliquo said that the new Margaret H. Rollins Endowment Fund will be used “solely for the purpose of supporting professional development and continuing professional education of the faculty at the Margaret H. Rollins School of Nursing at Beebe Healthcare. With this gift, the possibilities are endless.”
Faculty can use funds for:
- defraying cost for faculty attendance at professional conferences
- covering expenses for the hosting of speakers on nursing profession
- tuition cost of faculty members seeking advanced degrees
“The faculty does an extraordinary job educating students in the classrooms in conjunction with the excellent clinical experience they receive in the hospital,” Ms. Aliquo said. “The School of Nursing faculty is training the best and brightest nurses who many of them come to serve at Beebe Healthcare, which is even more critical as we expand. The School is the only hospital-based program in Delaware and is getting ready to celebrate their 100th year in 2021.”
The Rollins family has supported Beebe for more than 30 years. In 2011, Randall and Peggy Rollins donated $3 million through their Ma-Ran Foundation toward the expansion and naming of Beebe Healthcare’s Margaret H. Rollins School of Nursing, previously the Beebe School of Nursing.
This project, completed in 2015, doubled the capacity of the school, and replaced the 50-year-old dormitory with a new three-story, 18,000-square-foot-building containing new, modern classrooms and state-of-the-art clinical laboratories.
“The Rollins family’s continued support and faith in Beebe Healthcare is truly amazing,” said Rick Schaffner, Interim CEO, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. “Their generosity has truly transformed Beebe Healthcare. Their thoughtfulness throughout the years has helped Beebe Healthcare grow in numerous ways to support the increasing population in Sussex County. Now, with this endowment fund, the faculty at the School of Nursing will have unique opportunities to expand their knowledge, which will only support the education of students as they create the next generation of nurses.”
In 2017, the Ma-Ran Foundation’s transformational $10 million was the largest gift received by Beebe, largest in Sussex County, and one of the largest in the state.
With that gift, renovations are underway on the Margaret H. Rollins Lewes Campus, and will include a more defined main entrance with a new lobby, a scenic corner at the east entrance, and renovation of patient rooms.
The Rollins gift inspired many donors to join them in supporting the I Believe in Beebe Campaign to help fund the expansion plans. Other expansion on the Lewes campus includes the construction of a Hybrid Operating Room, an Electrophysiology Lab, and an additional Cath Lab.
In 2019, Beebe Healthcare’s Margaret H. Rollins School of Nursing was named Best RN Program in Delaware by RegisteredNursing.org, which analyzes each school’s pass rate for students on the NCLEX-RN exam. The School is hosting an open house on Saturday, April 13, from 10 a.m. to noon – all are welcomed.
“With this endowment fund, the faculty can continue their education, bringing innovative ideas to the classroom, and making the Margaret H. Rollins School of Nursing a destination for nursing students,” Pickard said.
Learn more about the Margaret H. Rollins School of Nursing.
Learn more about Beebe Medical Foundation.
Photo captions: From top:
School of Nursing donation: Judy Aliquo, CFRE, President and CEO, Beebe Medical Foundation, left, with Karen Pickard, MSN, RN, CNE, School of Nursing Program Administrator; Tracy K. Bell, MS, RN, CMSRN, CNE, School of Nursing Program Coordinator; and Diane Barlow, Gift Planning Officer, Beebe Medical Foundation; pose together outside of the Margaret H. Rollins School of Nursing to celebrate the $1.1 million gift from the Ma-Ran Foundation for the Margaret H. Rollins Endowment Fund.
School of Nursing faculty: The Margaret H. Rollins School of Nursing faculty poses with members of the Beebe Medical Foundation after the announcement of the Ma-Ran Foundation’s gift of the $1.1 million Margaret H. Rollins Endowment Fund for faculty to pursue advanced degrees and professional development.
School of Nursing graduation 2018: The Margaret H. Rollins School of Nursing class of 2018 celebrates with Peggy Rollins at the ceremony. In 2011, Randall and Peggy Rollins donated $3 million through their Ma-Ran Foundation toward the expansion and naming of Beebe Healthcare’s Margaret H. Rollins School of Nursing, previously the Beebe School of Nursing.