UCLA Nursing Receives Gift to Support Creation of Endowed Chair in Disability Studies

The UCLA School of Nursing recently received a $2 million gift from the Shapiro Family Charitable Foundation to endow a faculty chair in developmental disability studies. Their generous gift will enable UCLA Nursing to build on their national and international leadership and inform care for people with developmental disabilities and their families.

The Shapiros’ foundation previously provided funding to create a scholarship for nursing students and establish an endowment to fund programs and activities in disability studies. In 2017, a $100,000 gift from the Shapiros established the Dr. Mary Ann Lewis Endowment in Developmental Disability which supports programs, scholarships, and other activities.

Linda Sarna, dean of the UCLA School of Nursing, tells Newsroom.UCLA.edu, “The Shapiros’ generous gifts to the UCLA School of Nursing will accelerate evidence to improve and support health care for these individuals. The chair and scholarships position the school as a champion to advance education, research, practice and health care policy in the area of developmental disabilities.”

The Shapiros’ were inspired by the work of a UCLA nursing professor whose studies on nurse-managed care for the developmentally disabled resulted in health care protocols used by nursing students and nurses throughout California. Individuals with developmental disabilities have health issues that are more serious than the general population and are experienced throughout their entire lives. The Shapiros believe the ‘whole person’ approach of nurses is perfectly positioned to impact their care and quality of life.

To learn more about the Shapiros’ gift to fund a new Endowed Chair in Disability Studies at UCLA Nursing, visit here.