The Rūsis family donates USD 5,000 to create a scholarship for students of nursing at the University of Latvia

Healthcare plays a key role in the daily life of society. Patrons Dagnija and Roberts Rūsis have confirmed their wish to support the studies of merciful nurses in Latvia by donating 50 000 dollars for the establishment of a family scholarship. Thus, the Rūši family scholarship will support master's degree students of nursing at the UL Faculty of Medicine to cover the costs of studies, teaching aids and living expenses. The scholarship fund was established with the administrative support of the "Friends of the University of Latvia" and the UL Foundation.

Patroness Dagnija Rūsis (née Āboliņa) received a diploma of a nurse at the St. Mary Nursing School at Saginaw, Michigan State, USA, in 1957. She later earned a bachelor's degree from Jersey City State College and a master's degree from Seton Hall University, New Jersey. Raising two children, she held positions of responsibility at General Motors and Ford car factories, hospital ambulance departments, and also worked as a school nurse. Roberts Rūsis received a degree in law from George Washington University in 1961. He has worked in the insurance industry all his life as a lawyer and administrator. When he retired in 1999, he had become Chief Legal Officer of Chubb Insurance Company and was one of its CEOs.

D. Rūsis believes that “the most important duty of a nurse is to take care of the patient. It should not be too difficult “to turn the pillow cool side up” so that the patient has a good sleep. Merciful nurses are an integral part of the health system. If there are not enough nurses to take care of the needs of society, then all the population will suffer from it. This was our motivation to create a scholarship fund to promote nursing studies in Latvia.”

Mr. Rūsis comments on his family's motivation to support the specific field: “I believe that I have been very successful in my working life and, as a result, I have developed certain financial conditions. I wish to share. I would like to acknowledge that the nursing profession is very important, and I think that support should be given in places where it might be lacking. In both Latvia and America, nurses are not sufficiently valued, to a certain extent they need support. My wife and I wish that our scholarship recipients continue giving – whether in the field of education or teaching others, or improving professional skills, – this, to a certain extent, is our motivation.”

This year, two nursing students – Jolanta Noskova and Elīna Vestmane – have received the Rūši family scholarships. “Our job is to help people – to reassure the patient so that he can always be sure that he can ask for help and advice from the nurse. The primary purpose of the nurse is to help the patient regain, restore, or maintain system stability. The nursing profession is based on love of people, compassion, the desire to help fellow human beings,” thus J. Noskova shares her mission.

About the University of Latvia Foundation

Since 2004, the UL Foundation provides an opportunity to patrons and cooperation partners to support both the University of Latvia and other leading higher education institutions of our country, thereby investing in the future of Latvia. The priorities of the UL Foundation are to support the most outstanding, dedicated students and researchers, to advance creation of a modern study environment, as well as to promote construction and refurbishment of university’s buildings.

About “Friends of the University of Latvia”

Since 2012, the non-profit organization “Friends of the University of Latvia” has been uniting American citizens of Latvian origin – supporters of the University of Latvia. It is the partner organization of the UL Foundation, founded by the initiative of John J. Medveckis. By donating to this Foundation, US citizens can receive tax deduction. The main task of the foundation is to ensure a brighter future for Latvian education.