The estate of Hilliard and Nancy Travis has provided a generous gift to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, specifically supporting student scholarships for the Vanderbilt University School of Nursing and ongoing research at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, both areas designated by the Travises themselves.
“Mr. and Mrs. Travis have left an indelible mark on Vanderbilt and on Nashville, continually giving of their time and financial support throughout their lives and now as part of their legacy,” said Jeff Balser, M.D., Ph.D., vice chancellor for Health Affairs and dean of the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. “Lasting results of their generosity will provide for two noble missions; to train nursing leaders and to provide the funds necessary for our researchers to unravel the mysteries surrounding serious childhood diseases.”
The impact of the Travises’ prior gifts to Vanderbilt includes providing scholarships for 447 nursing students, bringing happiness and hope to the lives of children treated at Vanderbilt and endowing the Nancy and Hilliard Travis Chair in Nursing, held by Colleen Conway-Welch, Ph.D., C.N.M., School of Nursing Dean Emerita.
The gift gives permanence to their legacy and dedication to Vanderbilt, and provides a significant boost to scholarship support and research in children’s health, impacting students, patients, families and society on a global level.
Hilliard Travis was co-founder/co-owner of Nashville-based Travis Electric and the East Tennessee franchisee of Shoney’s Restaurants. Nancy Travis was a 1947 graduate of the Vanderbilt University School of Nursing and was part of the Cadet Nurse Corps that was preparing nurses to assist with those wounded during World War II. She served in various nursing capacities in Nashville, including at the Florence Crittendon Home. Hilliard Travis died in 1996, and Nancy Travis died in July 2012.
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