Alumna Gifts $2.3 Million to Launch Nursing Program at New College of Health and Community Well-Being

University of La Verne alumna Frances Ware (née Bever) ’64 and her late husband, John A. “Andy” Ware, have generously gifted more than $2.3 million to support the launch of the university’s transformative College of Health and Community Well-Being.

The gift will fund costs related to establishing the new college and its nursing program. In appreciation of the Wares’ generosity, the university will name its new nursing program in honor of John A. Ware.

“We are deeply grateful to the Wares for their generosity, and for the opportunity to honor and recognize the lifetime contributions they have made to their communities,” University of La Verne President Devorah Lieberman said. “This gift will have a tremendous impact for us, and it strengthens the foundation of our commitment to enhancing the health and well-being of our region.”

The Wares dedicated much of their lives to the fields of education and health care. After graduating from the University of La Verne, Frances worked as a grade school teacher, including in Azusa, Orange, and Beaumont. Her husband was a pharmacist for three decades, during which time he owned and operated his own pharmacy in Upland. Frances said Andy always went out of his way to make sure his patients were well cared for.

After he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, the family moved from Southern California to Florida and opened a wholesale greenhouse business, which they ran until their retirement.

Andy passed away in March 2021, at the age of 77, after which Frances directed a gift from the Ware estate to support the University of La Verne and to honor the memory of her husband.

“It’s a tremendous honor for my family to have the nursing program named after Andy,” Frances Ware said. “We wanted to give back to the university in a way that would leave a lasting impact with students. Supporting the nursing program and the new College of Health and Community Well-Being made the most sense, especially after the pandemic demonstrated how critical the need is for nurses. I am confident the university will do a terrific job equipping its students for the nursing profession, just like it did for me with teaching.”

The University of La Verne’s College of Health and Community Well-Being will officially open this summer. The college—the cornerstone of the university’s 2025 Strategic Vision—will be a hub for high-quality education, research, and innovation in health and the social determinants of health. It will also provide a pipeline of qualified graduates to support the Inland Southern California region’s growing need for healthcare professionals.

The first nursing degree program out of the college, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing: RN to BSN, is now accepting applications for the fall, while a pre-nursing program is scheduled to launch the following year.

In addition to naming the nursing program in honor of John A. Ware, the university will also affix his name to a space in the future building that will house the nursing program.

“We are deeply proud to honor Andy in this way,” Lieberman said. “His legacy will live on through our new college and the many future graduates who will pass through its doors on their way to serving our communities.”

Anyone interested in learning more about how to support the College of Health and Community Well-Being can contact Sherri Mylott, vice president of University Advancement, at 909-448-4990. Learn more about how to support the university through a will, trust, or other planned gift at plannedgiving.laverne.edu.