For many students Monmouth University is a place to learn, build relationships, and begin their futures. For Kathryn A. Brady ’98, ’07M, ’21DNP and Donald A. Brady ’81M, ’94M, Monmouth is much more than that; it is a second home, a family, and a support system. And now it will carry their legacy forever, supporting generations of students through the Brady Family Endowed Scholarships in Nursing and in Education, established through a blended cash and planned gift.

Kathy always dreamt of being a nurse and realized that dream in 1980 when she graduated from the Ann May School of Nursing. Kathy’s compassion for her patients drove her to take her practice to the next level and enroll in Monmouth’s BSN program, then following her graduation in 1998, to begin the MSN program.

Only a few months into her master’s program, Kathy suffered a seizure and learned she had a brain tumor. After surgery to remove the tumor, Kathy was left partially paralyzed and required a year of rehabilitation.

When Kathy returned to Monmouth, she credits faculty and staff, many of whom supported her during surgery and recovery, with motivating her and holding her to the same standards as her peers. Kathy’s perseverance paid off when she earned her MSN in 2007.

Kathy was then hired as an adjunct faculty member in the Marjorie K. Unterberg School of Nursing and Health Studies. Don spent his career as a school teacher specializing in special education for the Middletown Township Board of Education. They are proud alumni and parents of a Monmouth Hawk (Donald Jr. ’15).

In 2021, Kathy completed her DNP at Monmouth. In celebration and gratitude, she and Don established their two endowed scholarships, providing a lifeline for future Monmouth students and families.

The gift of scholarship can be life-changing for a Monmouth student. Learn how you can create and fund a scholarship of your own—like Kathy and Don did—by contacting Amanda Klaus ’09, vice president for University Advancement, at 732-571-3653 or aklaus@monmouth.edu.

Read more about Kathy’s story of perseverance in the Fall/Winter 2021 issue of Monmouth magazine.