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Paul and Eleanor McIntosh |
But love, marriage and five children changed the plans she had as a very young girl from Pilger. Now a gift from J. Paul and Eleanor McIntosh of Norfolk will help nursing students for generations to come.
At a press conference Thursday, Northeast Community College President Bill R. Path, Ph.D., announced that the new building for the UNMC College of Nursing Northern Division and Northeast’s nursing programs will be named the J. Paul and Eleanor McIntosh College of Nursing.
That followed a commitment by the McIntoshs to donate more than $1 million to the capital campaign to build the facility on the campus of Northeast Community College.
The building will house UNMC’s bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programs and Northeast’s basic nurse aide, licensed practical nurse and associate’s degree nursing programs. The gift also will enable Northeast to begin an endowment fund to allow for ongoing updating of the state-of-the-art equipment, offsetting the need for taxpayer support.
The capstone gift will assure the success of a capital campaign of $11.9 million that was launched in February 2008. Many believe that campaign is the largest in history in northeast Nebraska.
With a long history of philanthropy to Northeast Community College, J. Paul continues to believe the McIntosh family gifts have been a tremendous investment.
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“I am so thrilled to help bring this building to Norfolk and northeast Nebraska,” Eleanor said. “Norfolk could not get a better program. We are so low on nursing numbers both here and nationwide. We have the means to make donations like this and there’s no better place to put our money.”
Through health issues of their own and the 19-year cancer battle of their late daughter, LaRayne, the McIntoshs know the vital importance of good nursing care.
“The excellent nursing care, the personal nursing care provided by the nurses at our own Faith Regional Health Services has meant a great deal to our family,” J. Paul said. “Good nursing care is so, so important.”
“This new College of Nursing (division) will educate good nurses to serve in our entire area,” Eleanor said. “I am just so excited about this.”
J. Paul said his parents were great role models and taught him the importance of giving.
“In the 1930’s, when nobody had anything, a missionary came to our Pilger church and discussed the great needs in what I believe was India,” he said. “My mother made a decision then to donate her gold wedding band to that missionary because her love for my dad was greater than that gold band.”
He also said that he and Eleanor have been blessed to have five excellent children.
“It’s much more important that they establish themselves in their own rights,” he said. “What we have given them is more important than money.”
J. Paul and Eleanor have a long history of generosity that has spanned their 63-year marriage. They welcomed the first of several foreign exchange students to their home 45 years ago.
“We had eight people … two adults and five children … living under one roof,” Eleanor said. “None of the children had bedrooms of their own and we all got along just fine.”
Eleanor also noted that she found a long time ago that the more you give, the more you get.
J. Paul concurred and said that “over the years, things have happened that made me extremely grateful to be alive. Some of this giving is a manifestation of this gratitude.”
Dr. Path said it is a privilege to know role models like J. Paul and Eleanor McIntosh.
“They model the way and others should feel privileged to follow the examples they have set,” he said. “Not only is their beautiful marriage a great example to others, but they way they live their lives in an inspiration. We at Northeast Community College are extremely grateful for all the great things the McIntosh gifts have done for our students and will continue to do for our students for generations to come.
“On behalf of our students, our administration, our faculty and staff, we extend our gratitude for the honor it has been to have such exemplary supporters as J. Paul and Eleanor McIntosh.”