YSU Family donation to aid future nurses

Enrollment in the program has jumped nearly 400 percent in five years.
By HAROLD GWIN
VINDICATOR EDUCATION WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Anthony J. Lariccia hopes his family's gift to Youngstown State University's nursing department will spark others to contribute to a program that is growing rapidly and one he thinks is filling an important need.
The Lariccia family presented a $100,000 check to the university last month as an unrestricted gift for the purchase of capital equipment for the Department of Nursing in the Bitonte College of Health & amp; Human Services.
Lariccia, a vice president with Merrill Lynch, said he handed the check to Dr. David C. Sweet, YSU president, at a meeting in the Department of Nursing in September.
The department is coming up for accreditation in March, and Lariccia said the contribution was made "to bring a greater awareness" to the program.
There is an extreme need for nurses across the country, and the gift may help attract additional funding support for YSU's program, he said.
'Wonderful surprise'
It's the largest single gift the nursing department has ever received, said Dr. Patricia Hoyson, department chairwoman and associate professor of nursing.
"This was a wonderful surprise," she said, explaining that the university had no advance knowledge of Lariccia's intentions when he attended a meeting in the department on Sept. 14.
"The department is very excited about the gift," she said.
The demand for nurses is growing across the country, Hoyson said, pointing out that nursing shortages are projected in 44 of the 50 states over the next 20 years.
Locally, the interest in nursing as a profession is growing.
YSU had just 92 students in its nursing program in 2000 but has 355 enrolled this fall, including 40 graduate students, she said.
Students don't enter the program until their sophomore year, and the university has 600 freshmen right now who have identified pre-nursing as their intended major, she said.
The department offers both a bachelor's and a master's degree in nursing.
There is an ongoing need for laboratory and other teaching equipment, which is very expensive, Hoyson said, noting that the Lariccia gift will bring some state-of-the-art equipment to the program.
Departmental meeting
Lariccia, of Boardman, said he attended the Sept. 14 meeting in the department at the request of Phyllis Cafaro, wife of Anthony M. Cafaro Sr., to talk about what can be done to enhance the nursing program.
He said his wife, Mary, an admirer of Cafaro and a strong believer in the value of nursing, urged him to participate.
Dr. Dianne Bitonte Miladore, a YSU trustee for whose parents the Dr. Dominic A. and Helen M. Bitonte College of Health & amp; Human Services is named, also attended. She is also a member of the Bitonte College of Health and Human Services Board of Visitors.
A number of YSU administrators and others were on hand as well, Lariccia said.
Cafaro said she called the session because she felt there was a need in the department, and she asked Lariccia to sit in on the meeting.
It all started when she spoke with a young woman at YSU who wanted to get into the nursing program and she realized the department could use some outside support, Cafaro said, adding she hopes the Lariccia family gift will spark that support.
The Lariccia family is well known for its philanthropic work.
It's given more than $4 million to various regional nonprofit, charitable and educational institutions over the past 20 years, including $1.1 million to YSU alone.
It's not uncommon for donors of sizable contributions to have a room in a facility named in their honor.
Lariccia said that, should the university want to take that step, it should name a room after Phyllis Cafaro, his wife, Mary, and Dr. Bitonte Miladore. They should be recognized for their efforts on behalf of the nursing program, he said.
gwin@vindy.com