A Life-Changing Education
Alumnus Patrick Gilbert '76 came to Peabody Demonstration School in 1971 as an eighth grader. He and his parents sought a school that matched his personality and educational interests. They did the same for his seven siblings, which is why they graduated from five different Nashville high schools.
In Patrick's family, having a good education was viewed as a key to a successful life. His father was always grateful for his own education and the GI Bill. "Without these," he said, "we would be a totally different family."
Since graduating PDS/USN just over 40 years ago, Patrick recognizes that "this school prepared me for real life better than my college did." He continued, "I served on the PDS/ USN Alumni Board back in the mid-2000s, and during a meeting we discussed the positive attributes of USN. I wrote, 'This school values the individual and teaches him/her to have the ability of critical thinking.'" Patrick holds these ideals and the school in the highest regard.
With education as a lifelong priority, Patrick and his spouse, Brian, say USN was a logical beneficiary choice when they began planning their estate. "Since Brian and I do not have children, we both feel strongly that USN should be the primary beneficiary. We want our bequest gift to accomplish two goals: tuition assistance for students with financial need, and assistance for faculty, perhaps for continuing education, professional development, or a sabbatical."
"Brian and I enjoy helping others," Patrick said. "If we both do our jobs well in nursing and architecture, other people benefit. By bequeathing our residual estate to USN, we can continue to help others for a long time."
To learn more about how you can make an impact on future USN students, please contact Anne Westfall at (615) 277-7495 or awestfall@usn.org. We are happy to discuss options that meet your needs and benefit our academic mission.