GWYNEDD VALLEY, Pa.– Gwynedd Mercy University today announced a transformational $10 million gift from The Maguire Foundation to build the Frances M. Maguire Healthcare Innovation Campus on its main campus in Gwynedd Valley.
The Frances M. Maguire Healthcare Innovation Campus at Gwynedd Mercy University will serve as a lasting legacy for Frannie Maguire, a 1955 graduate of Gwynedd Mercy College, with a lifelong commitment to preparing future healthcare leaders who are known for providing compassionate care in the tradition of the Sisters of Mercy.
“We cannot think of a better way to honor the memory of our beautiful mother,” said Megan Maguire Nicoletti, president and CEO of The Maguire Foundation. “She loved her time at GMercyU, and always took a genuine interest in helping future generations of students succeed.”
The development of a new state-of-the-art healthcare innovation campus is part of a broader strategic plan to build on the University’s reputation for preparing Distinctive Mercy Graduates who make a real and lasting difference in the communities where they live and work.
“The Maguire Foundation has been a faithful supporter of Catholic higher education and the Maguires have been steadfast and generous friends to Gwynedd Mercy University,” said Deanne D’Emilio, JD, President of Gwynedd Mercy University. “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to continue honoring the life and legacy of Frances M. Maguire with a state-of-the-art Healthcare Innovation Center and Campus dedicated to expanding our ability to provide the unique and distinctive Mercy preparation for tomorrow’s nurses and other healthcare professionals in line with our overall vision to be the Catholic University leader in professional and healthcare education.”
This latest gift from the Maguire Foundation brings their total commitment to the University to more than $20 million. In addition to providing scholarship support to more than 50 GMercyU students through the Maguire Scholars Program that began in 2012, the Maguire Foundation has generously supported the University’s nursing program through the naming of the Frances M. Maguire School of Nursing and Health Professions and Frances M. Maguire Hall, the main academic building for nursing, health professions and science students.
Construction of the new 65,000 square foot Frances M. Maguire Healthcare Innovation Center, which will become the centerpiece of the Frances M. Maguire Healthcare Innovation Campus, is expected to begin within the next 9 to 12 months. The space will include immersive simulation and skills labs that provide opportunities for students to practice clinical skills and address complex patient scenarios. The Center also will provide space for inter-professional collaboration among programs. Nursing students will be able to collaborate with Public Health, Social Work, Occupational Therapy, Respiratory Care, Radiation Therapy, Radiologic Technology, Psychology and other students to provide optimized patient care, a best-practice in healthcare.
Recently, the University has embarked on a number of improvements to existing campus facilities, including the addition of a loop road and pedestrian walkways, and the planned renovation of one of its residence halls, scheduled to begin once students depart from campus this spring. In February 2020, the University added a state-of-the-art virtual environment for radiation therapy training (VERT) machine that offers an avenue for students to practice simulated radiation therapy techniques with 3D views and life-size visualizations. In November 2020, the University added an Anatomage Table, a life-size dissection table providing an interactive look at the human body and 150 other species. The University also recently added a new Nursing Anne simulation manikin with interchangeable parts and accessories to create a variety of simulated patients with various skin tones.
“As we approach our 75th anniversary and prepare to launch a comprehensive campaign, we remain focused on adding more state-of-the-art facilities and technologies supporting innovative teaching and learning initiatives designed to enhance existing programs and support new market-responsive programs,” said D’Emilio. “We are also focused on providing additional scholarship support to make a GMercyU education even more accessible to our current and future students.”
