Anniversary gift honors a shared legacy of service while investing in Marian students and the future healthcare workforce
As Marian University celebrates 90 years of education, service, and community impact, the Agnesian HealthCare Foundation is helping mark the milestone with a $90,000 investment in Marian students and the future of healthcare.
The gift is part of Marian University’s Founder’s Day Campaign, a 90th anniversary initiative celebrating the university’s founding in 1936 by the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes (CSA) and honoring the legacy of those who have helped Marian grow and serve generations of students.
The Founder’s Day Campaign invites alumni, friends, community members, organizations, and partners to celebrate Marian’s history while investing in its future. The Agnesian HealthCare Foundation’s $90,000 gift represents one of the campaign’s significant anniversary investments and reflects the longstanding relationship between Marian University, SSM Health, and the Agnesian HealthCare Foundation.
“For 90 years, Marian University has prepared students to serve others through education grounded in compassion, service, and purpose,” Aaron Sadoff, president of Marian University, said. “We are deeply grateful to the Agnesian HealthCare Foundation for this meaningful investment in our students and in the future of healthcare. This gift honors the legacy we share while helping prepare the nurses, therapists, technologists, clinicians, and healthcare leaders our communities need.”
The relationship between Marian University and SSM Health reflects a shared heritage in which education and healthcare have served as complementary ministries dedicated to improving lives and strengthening communities. Marian students participate in clinical experiences and academic preparation that equip them for careers throughout Wisconsin, including within SSM Health ministries.
The $90,000 gift will support the Marian Fund, helping reduce financial barriers for students, strengthen educational and training opportunities, and build a pipeline of skilled professionals who will serve communities across the region and beyond.
“Healthcare workforce needs continue to evolve, making investments in education more important than ever,” Mason Gravelle, Agnesian HealthCare Foundation philanthropy director, said. “This gift celebrates the enduring connection between our organizations while supporting students who will help care for patients and families throughout our communities.”
The gift carries special significance during Marian’s 90th anniversary year. The $90,000 contribution—representing nine decades of Marian’s history—is a fitting tribute to the university’s 90 years of educating students to serve others.
Through the Founder’s Day Campaign, Marian is celebrating the people, relationships, and values that have shaped the university since its founding while creating opportunities for the next generation of students.
“Founder’s Day gives us an opportunity to look back with gratitude and forward with purpose,” Sadoff said. “For 90 years, Marian has been shaped by people who believed education could transform lives and strengthen communities. Gifts like this allow us to continue that legacy and invest in the students and communities we will serve for the next 90 years.”
Today, Marian’s healthcare programs prepare students for careers in nursing, health sciences, therapy, clinical laboratory sciences, and other healthcare professions. Support through the Founder’s Day Campaign helps create opportunities for students while strengthening the region’s future workforce.
“An investment in Marian students is an investment that extends well beyond our campus,” Sadoff continued. “Our graduates take what they learn at Marian into their professions, communities, and lives of service, making a difference in countless ways. We are grateful that the Agnesian HealthCare Foundation is helping us carry forward a legacy of education, service, and compassion while investing in the next generation of leaders.”
The Agnesian HealthCare Foundation’s $90,000 gift is both a celebration of Marian University’s 90-year history and an investment in its future, reflecting the spirit of the Founder’s Day Campaign: honoring where Marian began while helping shape where Marian goes next.
For more information about Marian University, please visit marianuniversity.edu.
Agnesian HealthCare Foundation invests in Marian University through the 90th Anniversary initiative. Pictured (L-R): Aaron Sadoff (President, Marian University), Tamara Schattschneider (CNO/Vice President of Patient Services at St. Agnes Hospital, SSM Health), Kim Laws (Vice President of Advancement & Alumni Relations, Marian University), Mason Gravelle (Philanthropy Director, Agnesian HealthCare Foundation).
Date posted: October 6, 2026