Mission College Receives $50,000 to Establish Endowment for Nursing Assistants
By Melissa Johns, Associate Vice Chancellor, Advancement
These days you can find retired West Valley College faculty member, Doug Campbell, filling his time with gardening, photography, cooking, and volunteer work. It’s the type of peaceful, hobby-filled life that retirement dreams are made of.
This fall Doug made his peaceful retirement even more fulfilling by establishing the Doug Campbell Merit Awards Endowment for outstanding students in the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program at Mission College. This generous act will provide financial awards to students selected for their academic performance, demonstrated caring ability with patients, future potential, and feedback from the student’s clinical supervisor. Doug hopes that these awards will honor the program’s exceptional students and provide additional encouragement as they pursue their nursing careers.
Doug has seen firsthand the need for skilled, compassionate professionals working on the front lines of our healthcare system. He had a friend who was wheelchair bound and relied on the help of caring nursing assistants. He’s also spent decades volunteering as a Medicare counselor, a position that has given him insight into the factors that contribute to the health and vitality of a community.
A recent tour of the Mission College Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program left a profound impression on Doug, affirming his decision to give $50,000 to establish an endowment for merit awards supporting CNA students. Doug was particularly struck by the program's atmosphere and the enthusiasm of both students and faculty. He noted, "The visit was perfect, and I was extremely impressed." He praised Lania Williams, the Department Chair, describing her as caring, conscientious, and well-loved by students.
Drawing from his 35 years of experience in education, Doug observed, "The students’ attitudes were great. A couple of students approached us and they were 'lit up' about their career and they were eager to get to work." This enthusiasm and the positive rapport between the faculty and students confirmed for Doug that he made the right decision in establishing a program to provide financial awards to CNA program graduates.
In addition to his endowment, Doug is committing $5,000 per year to help CNA students offset their out-of-pocket costs for the books, supplies, and uniform required for the program. Doug’s gift will make cash grants available to students who need financial assistance to offset the cost of course materials.
When asked about why he chose to support Mission College, Doug shared that his decision was quite deliberate. He explained, "I am an alum of UC Davis, so when I was considering my giving options, I did some research. I concluded that the impact of what I can afford to give to a UC might be miniscule in comparison to the impact the same gift can make at a place like Mission College.” He continued, “Plus, I like that the gift will live on in perpetuity and it’s something my sons can contribute in the future. I can also see where the money is going and see the impact on students. That’s special to me.”
It's a special gift indeed. Beginning next fall, one student in each cohort will receive the Doug Campbell Merit Award at the Certified Nursing Assistant pinning ceremony. Doug will have a front row seat to see how his generosity is touching lives and impacting our community.
