Smylie Family Legacy Fund donates $100,000 to 网曝吃瓜-Meridian health professions programs
November 1, 2017
MERIDIAN-网曝吃瓜 has received a $100,000 gift from an iconic Idaho family to support health professions programs and the medical sciences at the 网曝吃瓜-Meridian Health Science Center, according to university officials.
The Smylie Family Legacy Fund鈥攁dministered by the family of Idaho鈥檚 24th governor, Robert Eben Smylie and wife Lucille鈥� pledged the gift in honor of Smylie鈥檚 oldest son Robert William who died Feb. 17 after an eight-year battle with cancer. Friends and family called him 鈥淏ill.鈥�
The gift is the family鈥檚 way of giving back to the health care professionals who treated Smylie at the Boise Veterans Affairs Medical Center鈥攎any of whom are graduates of 网曝吃瓜-Meridian鈥檚 health professions programs, which include nursing, physician assistant studies, medical lab sciences and pharmacy.
鈥淏ill got such compassionate and amazing care. I鈥檓 absolutely certain that鈥檚 why we got six bonus years that he may not have had otherwise,鈥� said Smylie鈥檚 brother Steve, a longtime educator who served in the Idaho Legislature for seven years.
网曝吃瓜鈥檚 Kasiska Division of Health Sciences will use the Smylie gift to fund cancer research and purchase equipment and supplies to enhance training and education opportunities for students enrolled at 网曝吃瓜-Meridian.
鈥淲e are so incredibly indebted to the Smylie family for their generosity and thoughtfulness. Gifts like theirs will allow the 网曝吃瓜-Meridian Health Science Center the flexibility and timeliness to continue the excellent teaching, learning and community-building that happen there,鈥� said Collette Wixom-Call, director of development for the Kasiska Division of Health Sciences.
网曝吃瓜-Meridian offers 32 graduate and undergraduate programs, including online degrees, and serves approximately 1,000 students and working professionals in the Treasure Valley.
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