Check about more about We are Phil here: www.uifoundation.org/facultystaff
When I walk through the halls of University of Iowa Health Care, I am filled with pride for the work being done at Iowa’s only comprehensive academic medical center. Our people continuously strive to provide ever-higher levels of patient care, to innovate and create cutting-edge investigation, and to prepare the next generation of physicians and scientists. Together, we are changing medicine and changing lives. So much of our success can be directly attributed to the strong legacy of philanthropic support we enjoy.
The gifts we receive from donors serve as a conduit for our progress and allow us to provide the facilities, the educational and research opportunities, and the patient care that has made us one of the best health-care institutions in the country. From alumni and friends to our own employees, countless individuals are partnering with us on a wide variety of projects ranging from construction of the new University of Iowa Children’s Hospital to the next breakthrough in biomedical research. We cannot thank enough those who give so generously.
For many years my wife, Renée, and I have been personally inspired by one of the truly remarkable partnerships in education: donors and students. This connection is the reason we chose to establish an academic scholarship within the UI Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine. If it weren’t for scholarships, concerns about medical-student debt might hold too much influence over the path a medical student chooses for his or her career. We want students to pursue their passions and reach for the stars. To ensure this happens, many philanthropic-minded individuals step in year after year to help open new doors of possibility for our talented and hard-working students.
It boggles the mind to think of all of the families touched, the generations affected, and the sheer number of lives made better because of one act of generosity. Each of us can be an active participant in a larger giving community and choose to invest in the future—one gift at a time. As we celebrate We Are Phil this week, I encourage everyone to think about the part they’d like to play in making our campus community a better place. I am convinced that, together, we can do great things.
Jean Robillard
UI interim president
UI Vice President for Medical Affairs