Sue and Bill Gross’ nursing gift to UCI continues worldwide support of healthcare, research and education
Sue and Bill Gross’ generous $40 million gift to establish a nursing school at the University of California, Irvine is a continuation of their commitment to improve education, research and healthcare around the world.
They began backing cutting-edge health research at UCI in 2006, when they made an initial $10 million donation to establish the Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center, which is providing benefits on a global scale. The gift was the bedrock for later funding that constructed Sue and Bill Gross Hall: A CIRM Institute, which continues to be the hub of stem cell research on campus. The couple gave UCI an additional $4 million in 2012 to help build the hall’s top floor.
Along with their largess to UCI, the Grosses have made considerable contributions to other educational and healthcare institutions. In 2005, they donated $23.5 million to Duke University, of which $20 million was set aside for financial aid; $20 million to Hoag Hospital Newport Beach for women’s health; and $3 million to Sage Hill School in Newport Coast.
In 2009, the National Postal Museum received $8 million from the Grosses, which created the William H. Gross Stamp Gallery, the world’s largest gallery dedicated to philately. The couple donated $20 million to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in 2012 for the new Sue and Bill Gross Surgery and Procedure Center. In 2013, they gave Mercy Ships $20 million to build a new hospital ship to serve needy people in West Africa, along with $2 million more to Hoag Hospital. Another recent gift was $10 million to the Mission Hospital Laguna Beach emergency department.
In addition, they are the largest individual donor to Doctors Without Borders, having given the organization $38 million to date. Overall, through the William and Sue Gross Family Foundation, they have donated nearly $800 million.
Because of their generosity, the Grosses were awarded the UCI Medal – the university’s highest honor – in 2012 for their exceptional contributions to UCI’s mission of teaching, research and public service.