$10 million renaming gift from Jack Dwyer goes to university’s school of nursing

Widener University has announced a record-setting $10 million gift from Baltimore banking executive Jack Dwyer and his wife, Nancy, prompting the renaming of the university’s School of Nursing in their honor and marking the largest donation in the institution’s history.

Jack Dwyer, a 1978 Widener accounting graduate, is the founder and CEO of CFG Bank, the largest bank headquartered in Baltimore and among the leading healthcare lenders in the United States.

Through his role with Capital Funding Group, which he started in 1993, Dwyer has helped finance more than $7.6 billion in federally insured healthcare mortgages as of 2025. Recognized for his dedication to improving the healthcare industry, Dwyer has focused much of his philanthropic work on addressing staff shortages and preventing professional burnout among healthcare workers.

Jack and Nancy Dwyer also founded Dwyer Workforce Development. This nonprofit organization helps under-resourced individuals access nursing training and job placement services, aiming to strengthen the healthcare workforce and offer broader career opportunities.

Since its inception, the organization has trained over 10,000 people, to reach 100,000 by 2030.

Dwyer’s $10 million commitment will deepen Widener’s investment in its nursing program, which currently enrolls nearly 850 undergraduates and graduates—about a quarter of the university’s student body.

The historic donation aims to eliminate barriers in the healthcare field, with a particular focus on addressing the challenges of nursing shortages and frontline staff burnout.

In a statement, Dwyer expressed his gratitude to Widener, noting the “indelible mark” the university left on his life and career, and said he and his wife are honored to give back.

“Nancy and I saw a tremendous opportunity to extend our efforts toward eliminating barriers in the healthcare industry, particularly those involving the nursing shortage and professional burnout,” Dwyer said, adding confidence that the Widener nursing program will produce the nurse leaders needed to address today’s healthcare challenges.

Widener will officially rename its nursing school in honor of Jack and Nancy Dwyer and will host a naming ceremony at Founders Hall on October 1.

University president Stacey Robertson highlighted the gift’s transformational effect, stating it will allow Widener to broaden its local, state, and national impact.

This significant gift builds on Dwyer’s well-known philanthropic presence in both Baltimore and the broader healthcare education sector, underscoring his commitment to supporting both workforce development and his alma mater.