Mary Baldwin University announces $5 million gift

William H. “Bill” Goodwin Jr. and his wife, Alice, have made a $5 million gift to Mary Baldwin University to fund the launch of a new hybrid doctor of nursing practice degree program.

The prominent Richmond philanthropic couple, who have given tens of millions of dollars to charitable causes, said in a statement that they hope their gift “will inspire others who share our passion for helping people.”

The Staunton-based university says the new nursing degree program will launch in August at the university’s Murphy Deming College of Health Sciences.

Alice Goodwin attended Mary Baldwin College in the class of 1966, the university notes. Bill Goodwin is the retired chairman and president of Riverstone Group LLC.

“Mr. and Mrs. Goodwin are extraordinary advocates for improving the lives of others through advances in healthcare and how it’s delivered,” Mary Baldwin President Pamela R. Fox said in a statement.

Half of the gift will go toward a program that provides research opportunities to connect scientific research with day-to-day clinical practice, the university said. The other half will help with startup costs for the doctor of nursing practice program, which aims to “close the gap between research discoveries and their practical application to patient care,” the Goodwins said.

The Goodwins and the estate of their late son, Hunter, who died from cancer in 2020, pledged $250 million in March to found the Break Through Cancer foundation, which will support cancer research.

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