The University of Georgia is putting a big name and an even bigger check behind its new nursing unit. The university announced this week that the program will be called the Victoria Kay Ivester School of Nursing, recognizing a $20.5 million endowment from Melvin Douglas “Doug” Ivester and the Melvin Douglas and Victoria Kay Ivester Foundation. The naming was revealed as a surprise to Kay Ivester during a private ceremony on April 17. University officials say they are targeting fall 2027 for the first cohort of nursing students as they work to build out faculty and clinical partnerships.
How the gift was reported
According to the Atlanta Business Chronicle, the endowment is being framed as a transformational gift that highlights the Ivesters’ long-standing philanthropy in Georgia’s higher education and health sectors. The Chronicle notes that Doug Ivester, a 1969 UGA graduate who went on to serve as chairman and CEO of The Coca‑Cola Company, and the Ivester Foundation are the lead donors behind the nursing school’s naming.
Surprise ceremony and the Ivester legacy
In remarks shared with UGA Today, President Jere W. Morehead called Doug and Kay Ivester “champions of this great institution.” Founding Dean Carolyn K. Clevenger, who joined UGA earlier this year to oversee the school’s creation, said the new program will rest on a foundation of “care for others, presence in community” as it prepares nurses to serve across Georgia.
The numbers behind the naming
Documentation in the University System of Georgia Board of Regents agenda shows a $16.9 million personal gift from Melvin Douglas “Doug” Ivester, with the $20.5 million total cited as the naming opportunity for the nursing school. The agenda recommended approval of the Victoria Kay Ivester School of Nursing name at the Regents’ April meeting.
Why Georgia needs another nursing program
UGA has cast the new school as a direct response to projected workforce gaps. When the university announced Carolyn Clevenger as founding dean, it referenced a Tripp Umbach feasibility study indicating that Georgia could face up to a 21% shortfall in registered nurses by 2035. School leaders say the Ivesters’ endowment will support faculty recruitment, expansion of clinical training capacity and scholarship aid, all aimed at producing more nurses for the state.
What comes next
As reported by the Atlanta Business Chronicle, UGA now has to navigate program accreditation, bring faculty on board and finalize clinical partnerships before the planned 2027 launch. University and Board of Regents documents indicate that more public details and a formal implementation timeline will be released as officials move through the approval process.
The Ivester gift links a long-running Georgia philanthropic legacy to one of the state’s newest professional schools, and university leaders say the endowment is designed to provide sustained backing as the nursing program grows toward its inaugural class.
