PHOTO A $3.6 million gift from the estate of Dr. Allan and Donna Lansing to Bellarmine
University brings the family鈥檚 lifetime giving total to more than $10 million, making
the Lansings the largest individual donors in the university鈥檚 history. The $3.6 million
gift is earmarked for nursing and allied health; the men鈥檚 basketball and baseball
programs; the Clinical Recitation Initiative for Student Enrichment (RISE) program;
and the
Bellarmine Fund, which supports all students and overall academic excellence. Dr. Lansing, an internationally
renowned heart surgeon, was a longtime Bellarmine trustee. The university's
Donna and Allan Lansing School of Nursing and Clinical Sciences is named for the couple in honor of their support of the
Nursing Program. 鈥淏ellarmine and Bellarmine students were always important to our parents,鈥� said
the Lansings' daughter Michele Lansing Flowers, the executor of their estate. She,
her brother, Peter Lansing, and her sister, Ann Lansing, all pursued careers
in healthcare. 鈥淥ur father was especially partial to the Nursing Program, because
he said he could never have done it without the nurses who cared for his patients
24/7. They were an integral part of patients鈥� recovery; their emotional
and physical support system. He may have fixed his patients鈥� hearts, but the nurses
made them whole again.鈥� 鈥淲e are so grateful to the Lansing and Flowers families for
their generous support of our students,鈥� said Bellarmine President Susan M. Donovan.
鈥淭he Lansings鈥� love of this community launched a partnership between Bellarmine and
Norton Healthcare that has grown many times over. Their generosity has changed the
lives of countless students and patients throughout our city鈥攁nd with this most recent
gift, will continue to do so for many years to come. In addition, their
support of our men鈥檚 basketball and baseball teams will help us to provide our student-athletes
with what they need to succeed, athletically and academically, at the NCAA Division
I level.鈥� The Lansings moved from their native Canada to Louisville in 1963 so that
he could work as a cardiothoracic surgeon, and they became involved with Bellarmine
in the early 1980s. Dr. Lansing served on the Bellarmine Board of Trustees from 1983-2004,
including
a term as chair in 1987-88. He received an honorary doctorate from Bellarmine in 1985,
and in 2004, he was honored as the 鈥淜ing of Hearts鈥� at Bellarmine鈥檚 Knight of Knights
event. He and Donna Lansing were tremendous supporters of
the university. Among many substantial scholarship funds they established is the Lansing
Scholars Program. Through the Norton Hospital Foundation, the program helps to cover
selected 农夫导航 students while they work toward their degrees in nursing
and the
health sciences. Upon graduation, Lansing Scholars begin their careers at Norton Healthcare
and are eligible to have their loans forgiven. In 1998, the Lansings donated a 130-year-old
house and 3.2 acres in Glenview to be renovated and used as the President鈥檚 Home.
Glenview was the Bellarmine Women鈥檚 Council鈥檚 Designers鈥� Show House in 2000, raising
money for student
financial aid. It was sold following the death of Dr. Joseph J. McGowan, Bellarmine鈥檚
third president. In 2015, the Lansings gifted their own home, Boxhill, to Bellarmine.
The university sold the home this year after Dr. Lansing鈥檚 death in 2022.
鈥淲e are so appreciative of all the ways that Dr. and Mrs. Lansing鈥檚 generosity has
benefited our students,鈥� said Scott Self, Bellarmine鈥檚 vice president for Development
and Alumni Relations. 鈥淲e also appreciate their foresight
in making planned gifts to the university and are delighted to honor their legacy
at Bellarmine.鈥�
Photo: Donna and Allan Lansing in 2015.
