About Elizabeth
Elizabeth Ladd was born the daughter of a carpenter in 1927. Her parents were George and Florence Geisler Ladd. She had a younger brother named Owen, who lived only to the age of 11. Elizabeth lived the majority of her life in Connecticut, touching many lives. She had a long career as an editor for the Stamford Advocate newspaper. She used her considerable personal wealth to support important causes and deserving people during her life and in her final will.
A Life Touched by Nurses
During Elizabeth’s life, she battled serious health challenges, cancer in particular. She spent a significant period in the hospital and in the care of the nurses of Yale New Haven Hospital; their compassion, skill, and tireless commitment brought Elizabeth great comfort and peace. Elizabeth attributed the care of the Yale nurses to her eventual recovery from cancer. Elizabeth ultimately lived to the age of 88, passing away on March 9, 2015.
A Legacy of Gratitude
In thanks to her nurses, Elizabeth chose to endow a trust with one purpose: giving back to nurses such as the ones who not just made the most difficult days bearable but allowed her to recover and live a long and rewarding life. She specifically wanted to see future generations of Yale nurses to be enriched by the school that helped save her own life so that she might in turn be a part of helping to save others in the future. Each year, the Elizabeth Street Scholarship Fund selects a number of current and incoming Yale School of Nursing students and pays a portion of their tuition and fees.
Commitment to Excellence
Because Elizabeth so appreciated the high level of care that she received at Yale during her life and because she wanted to see that same degree of excellence continue into the future, she determined that eligibility for such a scholarship under her trust would be determined on the basis of academic performance. Specifically, only those pupils with a B+, or better grade point average who either are in attendance at the Yale School of Nursing or those who have been accepted to study at the Yale School of Nursing are eligible to receive tuition related assistance under the terms of the Trust.