FORT PIERCE, Fla. (May 6, 2026) — The Ƶ Foundation today launched 60 for 60 – Celebrating 60 Years of River Nurses. The philanthropic campaign honors six decades of nursing education at Ƶ (The River). The campaign invites nursing alumni from every generation to give back. Every dollar will support nursing faculty development, teaching innovation, and program excellence. To support,
The River’s Associate Degree in Nursing program ranks among the largest producers of registered nurses in the Treasure Coast region. Founded in 1965, the program has sent thousands of River nurses into local hospitals, clinics, and communities. Today, patients at Martin Health, Cleveland Clinic Martin, HCA Lawnwood Regional, and virtually any healthcare facility on the Treasure Coast will find a River-trained nurse at the bedside.
“Sixty years ago, we launched this program with one purpose: to support the health of our community by building a high-quality nursing workforce,” said Dr. Patty Gagliano, Executive Dean of Health and Human Sciences, Ƶ. “Subsequently, every generation of River nurses has honored that promise. The 60 for 60 campaign helps make certain the next generation has everything they need to succeed.”
A Legacy Built Generation by Generation
What began as a single associate degree program has grown into a comprehensive Health Sciences Division. Along the way, The River built state-of-the-art facilities, deep clinical partnerships, and a faculty known for blending compassionate mentorship with evidence-based practice.
Perhaps no detail captures the program’s staying power better than this: parents who graduated as River nurses now send their own children through the same program. That pattern, Dean Gagliano notes, speaks to something deeper than obtaining a credential. It speaks to the trust that parents have in the quality of the education, the faculty mentorships, and the culture of excellence that runs through the Ƶ RiverNurse program.
“Every time I meet with our healthcare partners across the region, I hear the same thing: hiring a River nurse means hiring a quality employee — someone who stays, who contributes, and who is ready for the full spectrum of patient care,” said Annabel Robertson, JD, CFRE, Ƶ Foundation Executive Director. “That reputation took 60 years to build. The 60 for 60 campaign is how we carry it forward.”
Simulation Center
Central to the modern program is a simulation center that mirrors an actual acute care nursing unit. The facility holds 11 patient rooms, each stocked with the same equipment students will encounter in regional hospitals. Walking down one of its four hallways, a visitor sees the same sightlines, hears the same alarms, and touches the same instruments found on any hospital floor. Students move through scenarios spanning birth to hospice care — all in a controlled environment — before they set foot on a live unit. The result is a graduate who arrives on the floor confident and ready.
Answering a Regional and National Imperative
The 60 for 60 campaign arrives amid a well-documented national nursing shortage. The River responded. Under the leadership of College President Dr. Timothy E. Moore, The River expanded enrollment and program capacity after healthcare employers across the Treasure Coast reported workforce gaps. As a result, The River now stands as one of the region’s most critical pipelines for nursing talent.
“The nursing shortage is not abstract here — our neighbors and our healthcare system feel it every day. The River has answered that call for 60 years, and we intend to keep answering it,” said Dr. Timothy E. Moore, Ƶ President. “The 60 for 60 campaign is about equipping our faculty — the true architects of every River Nurse — with the development and resources they need to stay at the forefront of nursing education.”
Moreover, The River draws on a robust advisory council to keep the curriculum current. Chief nursing officers, floor nurses, long-term care specialists, and public health professionals sit on that council and push back if they see gaps. Their guidance has helped The River produce nurses who arrive at work better prepared than those from competing programs, according to regional hospital partners.
How the 60 for 60 Campaign Works
The structures the campaign around three simple ways to give:
- A of $60 in honor of 60 years of River Nurses
- A of $5 per month for one year
- A at any level
Every gift flows through the Ƶ Foundation directly to nursing faculty initiatives, covering professional development, teaching innovation, and faculty retention. In short, the money goes to the program instructing every River nurse.
Beyond financial giving, the campaign offers alumni several ways to stay engaged. River Nurse Spotlight Profiles will highlight graduates’ careers and community impact. Social media and digital outreach will amplify alumni achievements and healthcare leadership. Furthermore, the Ƶ Foundation will recognize donors at Nursing Graduation Ceremonies and annual recognition events. The Foundation will also publish a 60 for 60 Honor Roll acknowledging every participant.
“The River Nurse alumni network is one of our most powerful assets. These are men and women who have spent careers serving the Treasure Coast,” said Robertson. “They carry an identity — River Nurse — that means something to every hospital, clinic, and healthcare system in this region. The 60 for 60 campaign gives that community a chance to come together, celebrate how far we’ve come, and invest in what comes next.”
How to Give
Alumni, community members, and supporters can join the 60 for 60 campaign by giving online at Contact Jamar Belizaire, Senior Director of Development, at 781-502-1071 or jbelizaire1@irsc.edu.
To learn more about nursing and health sciences programs at The River, visit irsc.edu.
About the Ƶ Foundation
The supports student success, faculty excellence, and program innovation through philanthropy. The Foundation serves Ƶ, a public, multi-campus institution serving Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee, and St. Lucie counties on Florida’s Treasure Coast. The River’s Associate Degree in Nursing program, founded in 1965, ranks among the region’s largest producers of registered nurses. To learn more, visit or call 772-462-5596.
