Nursing community celebrates a new era as the UCLA Joe C. Wen School of Nursing

More than 100 UCLA Nursing faculty, staff, students, alumni, community partners, and supporters gathered at the Luskin Conference Center to celebrate this summer’s historic $30 million commitment to nursing from UCLA alumni and businessman Joe C. Wen and his family. 

In recognition of the gift, the largest philanthropic commitment in the nursing school’s 76+ year history, the school is now named the UCLA Joe C. Wen School of Nursing. It is the first school named for an Asian American in UCLA’s 106 year history. 

“Our entire nursing community is immensely grateful to Joe and his family for this historic support of nursing,” said Lin Zhan, PhD, RN, FAAN, dean of the UCLA Joe C. Wen School of Nursing. “We are thrilled to have gathered with Joe, two of his children, April and Alexander, and our entire nursing community to celebrate his gift and thank him for uplifting nursing education and the profession. It is inspiring to know that he, and many others, deeply value the work we do as nurses and the impact we make as nursing educators.”

Attendees had the opportunity to connect directly with Mr. Wen and his family – sharing their thanks for his support and insight into the important work they do as educators and researchers. Those in attendance enjoyed remarks from Dean Zhan, UCLA Health President and Hospital System CEO Johnese Spisso, as well as from April Wen, who represented her father and their entire family with words about the critical role nurses play across healthcare and communities around the world. 

The faculty, staff, and student body at UCLA Joe C. Wen School of Nursing give their thanks to the entire Wen family for this transformative investment in nursing education and practice. 

See Photos from the Event Below