$10 million gift to university from Mary Novak-Jandrey is designed to support student success initiatives, faculty and staff development programs, curriculum innovation, and the expansion of interdisciplinary teaching approaches that bridge nursing, health professions, and STEM disciplines

Mary Novak-Jandrey’s $10 million contribution to the University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh marks a transformative moment in the institution’s 156-year history, creating the largest single philanthropic investment the university has ever received and setting a new benchmark for alumni giving that will reshape how future generations of healthcare professionals and STEM leaders are educated.

The gift establishes two permanent endowments managed through the UW–Oshkosh Foundation, designed to support student success initiatives, faculty and staff development programs, curriculum innovation, and the expansion of interdisciplinary teaching approaches that bridge nursing, health professions, and STEM disciplines.

University officials emphasize that the funding will significantly enhance simulation laboratories and applied learning environments, providing students with cutting-edge technology and hands-on experiences that mirror real-world professional settings in healthcare and science.

Novak-Jandrey’s personal journey from a first-generation college student to a distinguished healthcare executive amplifies the significance of her gift, reflecting a commitment to opening doors for students facing challenges similar to those she overcame when she graduated from UW–Oshkosh’s nursing program in 1974.

Her career trajectory took her through healthcare leadership, consulting, and workforce strategy roles, with professional experience spanning not only healthcare organizations but also engineering and manufacturing sectors, giving her a unique perspective on how health, science, and technology converge in modern workforce development.

“As a first-generation student, I know how education can change a life,” Novak-Jandrey stated, emphasizing that meaningful progress emerges from lifelong learning and the integration of health sciences with technological innovation.

Chancellor Manohar Singh described the donation as “a defining moment for UW–Oshkosh,” noting that it dramatically strengthens the university’s capacity to prepare graduates for increasingly complex, interconnected professional fields where traditional disciplinary boundaries are dissolving.

Dean Seon Yoon Chung highlighted how the investment directly supports the college’s mission of fostering collaboration across nursing, health professions, and STEM programs, enabling the development of innovative curricula and learning experiences that equip students to lead and serve their communities in an evolving healthcare landscape.

The endowments will provide sustainable funding streams that support long-term institutional priorities rather than one-time initiatives, ensuring that Novak-Jandrey’s philanthropic vision continues to benefit students, faculty, and the broader Wisconsin healthcare workforce for decades to come.

In recognition of this historic investment, the university will rename its College of Nursing, Health Professions, and STEM as the Mary Novak-Jandrey College of Nursing, Health Professions, and STEM, effective July 1, 2026, in line with the institution’s academic and fiscal planning cycles.

University officials clarified that the renaming is honorific and will not alter the college’s academic structure, governance, or existing programs, preserving the operational framework while celebrating Novak-Jandrey’s transformational contribution.

The announcement comes during a period of significant transition for UW–Oshkosh, as the university simultaneously announced that its Fond du Lac campus will close at the end of the current semester, making Novak-Jandrey’s gift a particularly timely boost to the institution’s core educational mission and financial stability.