Civil War Nurses Fund

Help support scholarships for nursing students and a nursing faculty professional development award

War is no place for a woman.

This was the prevailing attitude in the 1800s, but at the outset of the Civil War in 1861, women, including four from our area, responded to the call to serve their country and care for its soldiers.

Susan Emily Hall of Ulysses was the first to enlist, traveling to Washington D.C. in June of 1861. The following year a young widow named Sarah Graham Parker left her two daughters with family in Enfield and followed her brothers to the battlefield. In the same year, Sophronia Bucklin of Auburn, who was initially considered too young, joined the war effort with the permission of Dorothea Dix, superintendent of nurses. And Julia Cook, whose husband had enlisted in 1862 and died in 1863, and whose son was serving in the 10th New York Cavalry, joined the effort in June of 1864.

War, it seems, was a place for women. These four heroes were joined by 20,000 other women, compelled to respond to a desperate need. They returned home to no fanfare and little recognition for their heroic efforts.

Today we seek to honor these nurses by creating nursing scholarships and an endowed professorship in nursing at TC3’s fine nursing program, linking our local history, the origins of the nursing profession in this country, and our current need for registered professional nurses.

The creation of the Civil War Nurses Fund Endowment at TC3 brings together a number of key community interests, quality nursing care, and a recognition of service gone unnoticed.
 
The effort establishes a permanent fund to support the education of Tompkins County residents pursue a career in nursing, and continuing education for nursing faculty. 

Support a Lasting Legacy

The need for financial support for students is great – during the 2009-10 academic year, TC3 distributed more than $23 million in state and federal financial aid. More than half of this amount is in either student or parent loans which must be repaid. This linking of the Tompkins County Civil War Sesquicentennial Commemoration Commission's activites with scholarship aid is important for the students and for all of us who have and will need nursing care. 

TC3’s nursing graduates can be found in almost every medical office and facility in Tompkins and Cortland Counties. It is heartening to know that so many graduates seek work locally.

Supporting this permanent fund reminds us of the sacrifices made by many - both past and present. Your support creates scholarships, rewards those seeking an education, aids faculty with their own professional development, and strengthens the quality of life for all.

Your gift ensures that TC3 students and faculty have the skills and resources necessary to continue to meet our area’s skilled nursing needs. We encourage you to support this effort that brings so many threads of our lives into one weave. 

Ways to Give

Donate online through Annual Campaign

Remember to check the Civil War Nurses Fund checkbox near the bottom of the form.

Make Your Donation Online

Donate by check

Send a check to:
The TC3 Foundation
Civil War Nursing Fund
P.O. Box 520
170 North Street
Dryden, NY 13053