Gaucho Gazette > March 2011 > Presidential Perspectives

Shirley Vail Honors Family Dreams with Endowments

Glendale resident Shirley Vail has honored family dreams by establishing three endowments at Glendale Community College totaling $30,000. One $10,000 endowment is in memory of her mother, the second is for her aunt while the third is in Vail’s name.  

The three endowments are: Gladys M. Vail Memorial (mother), Rebah B. Rogers Memorial (aunt) and the Shirley J. Vail Nursing Scholarship.These scholarships are projected to be available for student applications beginning spring of 2012.  

“I want women to have the opportunities that my mother, aunt and I didn’t,” says Vail. “Although I always wanted to be a surgical nurse, I became a teacher because it was my mother’s dream but, as a single parent, she could not pursue it.“  

She added that her aunt’s career was as a secretary but she was always interested in issues of social and community mental health. Each endowment is directed toward each woman’s specific area of interest -- education, behavioral health sciences and nursing.  

Vail graduated from Phoenix College in 1963 and from Arizona State University in 1965. She says she made her donations to GCC because she considers herself a Glendale neighbor and sees the college on her public transportation travels.  

Recently, Vail was personally welcomed into the GCC family by President Velvie Green, Director of Development Judy Sanchez and Frances Mateo, coordinator of development opportunities and scholarships. Vail was given a tour of GCC’s high-tech nursing training facilities and other points of interest on the campus. 

“These generous endowments will make dreams of a better life come true for many students in years to come,” says Sanchez. “And, what a wonderful legacy for the Vail family. We are looking forward to seeing Shirley at the scholarship luncheons and other events to which we are pleased to invite our donors. We welcome and embrace them as Gauchos.”

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