Leave a Legacy

Robert E. Adams served as the CEO of Research Medical Center for many years following a career in the military. He loved the hospital and believed providing quality healthcare was of the utmost importance. A scholarship is given annually in his name to a qualified nursing student.

The Advisory Directors Nursing Scholarship has been created through the collective support of members of The Research Foundation Advisory Directors throughout the past several decades.  The Advisory Directors are heavily involved in service towards our organization and raising funds as well.

Terry and Dan Miller established the Helen Buchanan Memorial Nursing Scholarship Fund. Terry is a 1977 graduate of Research School of Nursing. The scholarship award was created to honor her mother, Helen, who was extremely supportive of Terry throughout her nearly 40 year career as a nurse. The scholarship will be presented annually to a Research College of Nursing student to recognize academic excellence, leadership and dedication to the healthcare field.

The Class of 1959 Scholarship was established when a graduate of the Research School of Nursing class of 1959 made an anonymous gift to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their graduation. At that time, the entire class was invited to contribute to the scholarship fund. Since 2009, this fund has been generously supported by members of the class of 1959.

The Class of 1975 Scholarship was established in 2021 when a graduate of the Research School of Nursing class of 1975 made an initial gift for the fund’s creation.  After the fund was created, the entire class was invited to contribute.  The first scholarship will be awarded after the endowment reaches $25,000.  If you are a member of the Research College of Nursing graduating class of 1975 and are interested in donating to the fund, contact Rose Simone at rose@theresearchfoundationkc.org.

The Class of 1984 Scholarship Fund has been established from the combined contributions many class of 1984 Research College of Nursing classmates have provided. The fund was established to pass on their love of the nursing profession by providing support to the next generation of nurses. The scholarship is awarded annually to a Research College of Nursing student in the name of the class of 1984. If you are a member of the Research College of Nursing graduating class of 1984 and are interested in donating to the fund, contact Rose Simone at rose@theresearchfoundationkc.org.

Roy K. Dietrich served on the Research Hospital Board of Trustees for many years serving as chairman from 1954-1955. At the time of his death in 1985, a $500,000 contribution was made in his memory by William T. Kemper to provide scholarships to worthy nursing students. A scholarship is awarded annually in his memory to celebrate his lifetime commitment to Research Hospital.

After her passing, the family of Virginia Dodson Bernt established a nursing scholarship fund to honor her memory and celebrate her life.  Her granddaughter, a 1995 graduate of Research College of Nursing, helped establish the fund. Scholarships are awarded to deserving nursing students in Virginia’s name.

Pamela Fleming is a 1976 graduate of Research School of Nursing. She provides support for an annual scholarship to be awarded to a nursing student.

Judy Cordell Frueh is a 1986 graduate of Research College of Nursing.  She established a scholarship fund to allow future students to also enjoy a wonderful career in the nursing profession. 

Al Hancock served on the board of The Research Foundation for over 20 years, including five years as chairman. He was always willing to raise funds and was an advocate for the people the Foundation serves, as well as the programs the Foundation operates. To celebrate Al’s life of service, The Research Foundation created the Al Hancock Memorial Nursing Scholarship Award which will help carry on his commitment to the health and well-being of our community.

Adrian and Margaret Harmon established this fund in 1995 in honor of their son, Tom. Tom began his service with Research Medical Center in 1978 and currently serves on the Research College of Nursing Governing Board. The scholar fund was established to provide annual academic scholarships to students who demonstrate characteristics that are necessary to excel in the nursing profession.

Teresa was a nurse at Research Medical Center and a 1978 graduate of Research School of Nursing who passed away unexpectedly. At the time of her passing, her family established the Teresa Hiestand Hofbauer Scholarship Fund to pass on her love of the nursing profession to future nurses.

The Edward F. Higgins, MD Scholarship was created to honor the former Foundation chairman for his service. Dr. Higgins has a vested interest in mission work internationally, primarily in Haiti where he travels each year. The Research Foundation selects a student with an interest in mission work to receive this award each year.

Bea Colson-King was a 1932 graduate of Research School of Nursing. During her career, Bea was a surgical nurse and later taught nursing students. Bea generously supported nursing scholarships throughout her life establishing the Bea Colson-King ’32 Scholarship Fund. At the time of her death, she included a provision in her will to further support this scholarship fund.

In honor of Dr. Willie E. Lawrence and his nearly 30 years of service to Research Medical Center, its patients, and the Greater Kansas City community, the Research Medical Center Medical Staff established the Dr. Willie E. Lawrence Nursing Scholarship. The scholarship recognizes his unwavering dedication to the cardiovascular and overall health of patients and his extensive volunteer work in the community. It is annually awarded to a Black nursing student.

Christine Lewis was a former volunteer at Research Medical Center who wanted to honor the nursing profession by recognizing those individuals that dedicate their lives to patients.

Pat Lord was a 1944 graduate of the Research School of Nursing. She felt a great sense of pride for her alma mater and the 35 years she dedicated to her career. That pride motivated her to support nursing scholarships through annual contributions and a bequest in her estate.

This scholarship was created from an estate gift to The Research Foundation from longtime Kansas City philanthropist Clara Mart.

The Mary Elizabeth Martin Scholarship Trust was established in 1961 and distributes funds throughout the community to be used for charitable or educational purposes.

Marie E. Middleton was born Marie Ethel Wenger in Leavenworth, Kansas on November 14, 1914 to Ottielie Meyer and Ernst Wenger. Marie was the seventh of nine children and grew up on the family farm with her brothers and sisters outside of Basehor, Kansas. 

After graduating from Tonganoxie High School in 1933, Marie followed in the footsteps of her older sister Francis Wegner Morrow and entered the Research Hospital Nursing Program. She graduated with her RN in 1936. 

Marie worked at Research Hospital and Menorah Hospital until joining the US Navy during World War II. While in the Navy, Marie learned anesthesia. After her military service, she practiced as a nurse anesthetist in Kansas City specializing in children's anesthesia until her retirement in 1979.

Marie held a lifelong dedication and love for her profession, her colleagues, and the patients that she cared for. She was smart, compassionate, loyal, and brave. Marie always stood her ground when circumstances required it, especially as it related to the highest standard of patient care. She supported Research Hospital throughout and was profoundly grateful for the training, friendships, and opportunities that her Research experience provided. The Marie E. Middleton scholarship will help others realize their dreams and make the world a better, more caring place. Marie would have wanted that too. 

The Holly Moore Memorial Oncology Scholarship was established by the family of Holly Moore after she lost a four-year battle with breast cancer. This scholarship is designated to support a student planning to work as an oncology nurse.

George Seymour, a former Research Advisory Director, established the Richard S. O'Brien Scholarship to honor his friend and business associate. Richard lived to be 97-years-old and received care at Research Medical Center many times during his life, beginning in 1928. He believed that nurses care for patients like they are taking care of their own family.

The Research Medical Center Medical Staff Scholarship is awarded annually from contributions received from members of the Research Medical Center Medical Staff.

The Research Royal Dinner & Auction is a fundraising event that began in 1995 and is celebrated every two years. Proceeds from this event directly support scholarships for nursing students.

In 2023, Dr. Jaswinder Singh and his wife Dr. Maninder Pabla created the Dr. Singh Oncology Nursing Scholarship to support a nursing student annually with a $5,000 scholarship who has an interest in working in the area of oncology.

Dr. Donald M. Spencer was an orthopedic surgeon at Research Medical Center. He was committed to the important work done by The Research Foundation to enhance the health of our community. He dedicated his life to helping patients and easing their pain. This scholarship award celebrates his love of medicine and concern for patients.

Florence Elizabeth Ball Stillman was a 1953 graduate of the Research Hospital School of Nursing and president of her class. She embodied the spirit of her namesake Florence Nightingale, expressing a loving concern and care for those she nursed throughout her career, which included nursing roles in doctors offices, hospitals, and private patients. She supported nursing education, helping to establish an Associate Degree LPN program and overseeing a college nursing program, and then finished her career in nursing as the executive director of the Missouri State Board of Nursing. She considered herself a nurse first and that defined her general outlook and character in life. Her family established this scholarship fund to honor their mother’s distinguished nursing career while also providing scholarship support to nursing students.

Virginia G. Stowers is a 1952 graduate of Research School of Nursing. The Trustees of the Stowers Foundation made a contribution in her honor to provide scholarships to students attending Research College of Nursing.

The Research Foundation Scholarships are awarded each year from the collective support of alumni and friends. 

Samantha Zech (Sam) was a Research College of Nursing student, cheerleader, Gamma Phi Beta member, and Girls on the Run coach who pursued nursing as a career because she cared deeply about others. Sam died of cancer in May 2021 during her junior year at the Research College of Nursing. Sam’s aunt and uncle, Christi and Henry Conchado, made a donation to provide a nursing student scholarship to keep Sam’s memory alive. Sam brought out the best in the people she met and inspired them. In keeping with her spirit, this scholarship will benefit a worthy nursing student.

Charles Zeskey was an Advisory Director that supported The Research Foundation for decades.  He established a trust that became irrevocable at the time of his death with dividends paid to the Foundation annually to support nursing student scholarships in memory of Mary Zeskey.

Cheri served as a faculty member at Research College of Nursing. She was voted Teacher of the Year by the student body more times than any other instructor in the history of the college. When Cheri passed away in November of 2001, family, friends, students, and former students wanted to create a special way to remember and celebrate Cheri’s gifts to those she knew. It was then that the Cheryl A. Burchett Memorial Scholarship Fund was created.

The fund is used to provide an annual scholarship to an ABSN student who exemplifies the qualities and compassion of the nursing profession that Cheri represented as a teacher, a nurse, and a person. In addition to clinical excellence, the recipients are selected based on a comforting presence defined by a calm, supportive influence, a positive attitude and a gentle, unhurried approach.

The Dr. Kay Sullivan Nursing Scholarship Endowment Fund was created in 1999 by Dr. Sullivan’s family to celebrate her commitment to the nursing profession and her retirement from Research College of Nursing.

Dr. Sullivan strongly believed in lifelong learning and the value of education. She earned a Bachelor of Science in nursing in 1956, a Master’s in Counseling in 1974, a Doctorate in Adult and Occupational Education in 1984, and a Master’s in Nursing in 1992.

Before joining Research College of Nursing, she spent time at Avila University, Johnson County Community College, and Prime Health. At Research College of Nursing, Dr. Sullivan served as an advisor to the students in the accelerated BSN program from 1990 to her retirement in 1999. She passed away May 15, 2020.

She was a dedicated wife, mother, and grandmother as well as a beloved college professor. Dr. Sullivan was supportive and encouraging to students as they coped with the stresses of the one-year intensive accelerated BSN program. She would communicate regularly in writing to each student as well as talk directly with them. During her tenure as a nurse educator, she became well known for her unique style of supporting students through letters and personal notes. She was a mentor to nursing students and helped educate and guide them at the start of their nursing careers.

All the generous support that has been received since the fund’s inception has allowed the endowment to reach more than $100,000, which provides for two scholarships for accelerated BSN students annually.

The Research Foundation ABSN Scholarships are awarded each year from the collective support of donors and friends.

The Sarah Wilson Thompson Scholarship was established in 1999 in memory of Sarah Wilson Thompson, a graduate of the Radiologic Technology Program at Research Medical Center. Sarah lost her battle with lymphoma shortly after completing the program. After her death, employees and friends created a scholarship fund in her memory. This fund helps future students who want to pursue the field of radiologic technology that Sarah was dedicated to during her life. 

The Research Foundation supports a student each year with the scholarship. It is the highest honor the foundation awards to radiologic technology students.  

The purpose of the Medical Laboratory Science Scholarship is to address the shortage of laboratory employees and encourage laboratory students to come to the Greater Kansas City area to complete their four-month internship. Attracting students to Kansas City for their internship increases their chances of staying and working in the community. The fund was established with an initial contribution from Lucia Johnson, who spent the majority of her 40-year career at Research Medical Center as a laboratory professional.