Investing in a proud family tradition
By Nicole Etter
September 13, 2021
A love of nursing has been woven into the fabric of Patrick and Lori Imburgia’s family for three generations. It started when Patrick’s mother graduated from Loyola-Oak Park’s nursing program, a predecessor of Loyola University Chicago’s Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing. Next, Patrick’s two sisters and two nieces became nurses. And then Patrick’s and Lori’s two daughters donned nursing scrubs, too. Their oldest daughter, Rachael, graduated from Loyola with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) in fall 2017, nearly seven decades after her grandmother earned her nursing degree.
So, it seemed natural that the Imburgia family would establish a scholarship fund to support aspiring nurses in the BSN program. “We know how important education is,” says Patrick, a retired flavor chemist who built the successful company, Mission Flavors & Fragrances, that he recently sold. “You invest in stocks, bonds, and real estate. I’m never afraid to invest in my kids’ education.”
HELP SUPPORT LOYOLA NURSING'S MISSION TO PROVIDE A TRANSFORMATIVE JESUIT EDUCATION TO NURSING LEADERS.
Or in other kids’ educations. The Imburgias have donated to several K-12 schools and colleges in the United States and abroad, but they felt moved to support Loyola in a deeper way after witnessing the impact Loyola had on Rachael at a pivotal moment in her education. She struggled academically during her sophomore year, and her future in the nursing program was uncertain. But with Rachael’s determination and the support of Loyola’s caring faculty, she got back on track and eventually thrived.
“I was so glad they were willing to give her another chance,” says Lori. “Everybody in life deserves a second chance and Loyola gave Rachael that.”
Now, Rachael has her dream job as a cardiothoracic surgery nurse at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Her sister, Sarah, is a nurse there, too, in the cardiac step-down unit, giving Patrick and Lori double the reasons to visit Chicago when they’re not at their home in Southern California. Their son, Joe, took a different path to the helping professions: he is an EMT who hopes to become a firefighter.
Whether it is tutoring or other resources, the Imburgias always have encouraged their children to seek the support they need to persist even when things get tough. They love knowing that they are helping students who are often the first in their families to attend college.
“That’s life changing for the next 10 generations,” says Patrick. “You’re helping students who might be unable to graduate with a nursing degree otherwise. They’ve got the background, but they don’t have the financial wherewithal to get through college. And to get through college with less debt or no debt is huge.”
The Imburgias, whose three children attended parochial schools, are especially passionate about supporting Catholic education. “It’s so important today, with another wave of Catholic schools closing,” says Patrick. “It starts with the Catholic grade schools, then the high schools, and then the colleges. If you don’t have the tiny acorn, you can’t have the mighty oak.”
They hope their scholarship support inspires others to give what they can to help the next generation. “When we get these young people through their nursing degrees, hopefully it will turn them into givers, too.”