CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) Nursing scholars in financial need will be able apply for a scholarship from the Dr. Richard Grossman Community Foundation beginning in the 2018-2019 school year.

The scholarship is possible because of a generous $100,000 donation from the Grossman Foundation that was presented April 20 at the 13th Annual Business & Technology Partnership Leadership Dinner at the Westlake Inn in Westlake Village.

The Dr. Richard Grossman Endowed Nursing Scholarship was presented in conjunction with the late Lon Morton, former Grossman Foundation board member and CEO & Co-Chief Investment Officer of Morton Capital Management.

Morton, a longtime friend of the late Dr. Grossman’s wife, Elizabeth Rice Grossman, suggested to the Grossman Foundation Board that the contribution be made to CSUCI’s nursing program.

“Dr. Grossman revered his nurses and gave them credit for his positive outcomes,” Elizabeth Grossman said. “He would be so pleased to honor them in this way at the school that was in his ‘backyard.’

“The Dr. Richard Grossman Community Foundation is honored to be affiliated with CSUCI and to continue Dr. Grossman’s legacy in such a meaningful way,” she added.

Morton was honored posthumously at the dinner as Business Leader of the Year, a celebration of his life witnessed by his family, friends and almost 180 guests at the leadership dinner.

After the tribute to Morton, CSUCI President Erika D. Beck accepted the $100,000 check for the scholarship to a burst of applause.

“This generous gift allows a promising Nursing student to experience one of the signature programs at CSUCI,” Beck said. “We are profoundly grateful to the Grossman Foundation and we intend to let this gift benefit students who want to enter one of the region’s noblest professions. We plan to pay this gift forward year after year by graduating quality, professional nurses ready to enter the healthcare community.”

Although the campus is the newest in the CSU system, CSUCI’s Nursing program has been ranked 11th best out of 127 nursing programs in the state by RegisteredNursing.org. The organization provides information for nurses and nursing students in all 50 states.

The Dr. Richard Grossman Community Foundation was founded in December 2013 to serve local communities in Los Angeles and Ventura counties and is located at the offices of Morton Capital Management in Calabasas. Dr. Richard Grossman was an internationally recognized plastic surgeon and pioneer in the comprehensive treatment of burn wounds.

While serving as the chief emergency room resident at Cook County Hospital in Chicago in 1958, Dr. Grossman treated victims of a catastrophic fire at Our Lady of Angels parochial elementary school, which claimed the lives of 93 children and four nuns.

The experience had a profound effect on Dr. Grossman and was a driving force behind his vision to create a world-class comprehensive burn treatment facility dedicated to providing the best burn care anywhere.

The Grossman Burn Center in West Hills is one of several comprehensive burn facilities across the United States, and has treated burn victims from around the world.

About California State University Channel Islands
CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) is the only four-year, public university in Ventura County and is known for its interdisciplinary, multicultural and international perspectives, and its emphasis on experiential and service learning. CSUCI’s strong academic programs focus on business, sciences, liberal studies, teaching credentials, and innovative master’s degrees. Students benefit from individual attention, up-to-date technology, and classroom instruction augmented by outstanding faculty research. CSUCI has been designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and is committed to serving students of all backgrounds from the region and beyond. Connect with and learn more by visiting CSUCI’s Social Media.