Sept. 16, 2025
Contact Bob Van Wicklin at 608-796-3074 or bvanwicklin@viterbo.edu
ONE MILLION DOLLAR GIFT TO VITERBO UNIVERSITY USED TO CREATE NANCY POEHLING HAGGERTY MEMORIAL NURSING SCHOLARSHIP
LA CROSSE, Wis. – The family of Nancy Haggerty has gifted $1 million to Viterbo University to create an endowed nursing scholarship in honor of her life and legacy as a deeply compassionate nurse and someone who dedicated her life to serving others.
The Nancy Poehling Haggerty Memorial Nursing Scholarship fund will provide a total of $50,000 a year to a student or students pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree at Viterbo University.
“We are incredibly grateful for the generosity of the Haggerty Family in creating the Nancy Poehling Haggerty Memorial Nursing Scholarship,” said Viterbo President Rick Trietley. “As a proud alumna, Nancy exemplified Viterbo’s core values in her care bringing comfort, relief, and peace to thousands of patients and family members. We are honored to continue her legacy by assisting current and future nursing students with additional financial resources to access our amazing undergraduate nursing program. Nancy’s life is a shining example of the power and positive impact of a Viterbo education.”
Nancy Haggerty earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Viterbo in 1974 and later a master’s degree in public health from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Her nursing career spanned operating rooms, intensive care units, public health clinics, student health services, and in retirement, volunteer work at St. Clare Health Mission.
In her personal life, Nancy’s family and friends knew her as a devoted and beloved mother, wife, sister, and grandmother who gave tirelessly to the community.
Despite facing life-long health challenges stemming from childhood rheumatic fever, Nancy’s zest for life and unwavering spirit never faltered. Her courage in the face of adversity and her deep empathy for others made her an extraordinary nurse and a role model to all who knew her. She placed the needs of others before her own, always offering comfort, kindness, and care. A passionate lifelong learner, Nancy never stopped educating herself about the latest medical developments, treatments, and pharmaceutical advances. Having been a patient most of her life, she deeply connected with patients’ mental and physical suffering. Through this scholarship, the Haggerty family hopes to inspire and support future nurses who share Nancy’s heart for healing, her resilience, and her commitment to compassionate service.
“The generosity of the Nancy Poehling Memorial Nursing Scholarship represents a profound investment in the future of compassionate, skilled healthcare,” said Megan Smith, dean of the College of Nursing and Health at Viterbo University. “Scholarships like this not only honor the legacy of those who have shaped the nursing profession but also make it possible for dedicated students to access the outstanding nursing education that Viterbo University is known for. By reducing financial barriers, this scholarship empowers future nurses to focus on their calling—caring for others—while upholding the values that define Viterbo’s mission.”
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