By Kim Lamb Gregory
Burn treatment pioneer Dr. Richard Grossman always valued the nurses who supported the work he and the other physicians performed at the Grossman Burn Center in Sherman Oaks.
“My husband worshipped his nurses, some of whom had been with him 30 and 40 years,” said his widow, Elizabeth Rice Grossman. “He said, ‘Without my nurses, I never could have achieved the outcomes I did.’”
Another cause that meant a great deal to the Grossmans was the welfare of veterans.
“Our foundation has been looking for ways to support our local veteran community for several years,” Grossman said. “The Veterans Affairs effort at CSUCI is the perfect match. Our late board member, Lane Weitzman, was a veteran, and Dr. Grossman served in the Naval Reserve. Supporting veterans through education is something that resonates with us.”
In March, The Dr. Richard Grossman Community Foundation presented two gifts to support the University’s award-winning Nursing program and the Veterans Affairs program.
Nursing will receive $200,000 to help enhance and expand the program that has already been ranked the 12th best in the state.
“We thought this would help attract more students who were interested in healthcare but had a financial need in order to attend this nursing school,” Grossman said. “This school is getting a very good reputation, and it’s right here in our backyard!”
Lynette Landry, Chair of the Nursing and Health Science programs, expressed her gratitude to Grossman at a gathering in March in which members of the Grossman Foundation formally presented the checks to CSUCI President Erika Beck.
The Veterans Affairs effort at CSUCI is the perfect match. Our late board member, Lane Weitzman was a veteran, and Dr. Grossman served in the Naval Reserve. Supporting veterans through education is something that resonates with us.
Elizabeth Rice Grossman
“My predecessor started a great program,” Landry said, referring to former program chair Karen Jensen. “I’m excited to expand on what she’s done.”
Assistant Director for Veterans Affairs Jay Derrico also was on hand to thank Grossman for the $220,000 gift for the ongoing programs and services provided to student veterans, and for service dogs for student veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress.
“We have continuing programs at Veterans Affairs,” Derrico said. “Our biggest is internships in which we help pay salaries for student veterans to work in their field of interest. We have other major programs like our Student Veteran Medallion Ceremony at the end of the year.”
A total of $150,000 will go to the Veteran’s program and $50,000 will go towards the acquisition and training of five to six service dogs who will be trained at San Luis Obispo-based New Life K9s.
The remaining $20,000 will go towards procuring two campus therapy dogs.
The campus therapy dogs will be named “Doc” for Dr. Richard Grossman, M.D., and “Lon” for Lon Morton, who served on both the CSUCI Foundation Board and the Grossman Community Foundation Board.
“We are deeply grateful to the Grossman Community Foundation for this generous gift,” Beck said. “The funds will help our student veterans and nursing undergraduates tremendously as they transition and engage with the campus community and work toward attaining their educational goals.”
To view a recent visit to the campus by therapy dog “Doc,” visit: go.csuci.edu/doc
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© Spring 2018 / Volume 22 /Number 01 / Bi-annual