Pamela D. ’88 MSN and Dave DeCampli Build on Estate Gift Totaling $6 million to Create New Endowed Chair in Nursing
Pamela D. DeCampli ’88 MSN and her husband, David, are deepening their longstanding commitment to Villanova University’s M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing (FCN) with an additional $2 million estate gift, building upon their previous $4 million commitment made in 2019. Their additional investment in the College will create the Pamela D. DeCampli ’88 MSN Endowed Chair in Nursing.
Endowed faculty and chair positions enable the College to competitively recruit and retain outstanding faculty who make significant contributions in teaching, research and scholarship. The holder of the DeCampli Endowed Chair in Nursing will advance research to improve health care, using their specialized expertise to drive innovation in patient care and evidence-based practices and foster critical community, industry and other partnerships for the College.
The DeCamplis most recent gift also directly advances the faculty support and research priorities of Espiritus Nova: The Campaign for Villanova University, and will further Villanova Nursing’s mission of preparing the next generation of nursing leaders: practice-ready nurses, advanced practice nurses and nurse educators in Villanova’s Augustinian Catholic tradition.
After earning her master’s degree from Villanova, Pam quickly rose into nursing leadership roles at prominent Philadelphia institutions, including Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Pennsylvania Hospital, and Graduate Hospital as the vice president of Nursing. Her career continued to advance with her appointment as chief operating officer of the Medical College of Pennsylvania, followed by work as a consultant to hospital systems, medical colleges and nursing schools. In 2019, she retired from her position as executive vice president at Kirby Bates Associates where she led health care management consulting and executive coaching projects for more than a decade.
In addition to her distinguished career, Pam remains a deeply engaged and devoted alumna of the College. She currently serves as co-chair of the College’s Committee in support of Espiritus Nova: The Campaign for Villanova University. She is the former chair of FCN’s Board of Consultors, a group of dedicated volunteers who advise and support Donna S. Havens, PhD, RN, FAAN, '83 MSN, the Connelly Endowed Dean of the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing on FCN’s strategic priorities and served as a clinical associate for Villanova Nursing. She and David also created the Pamela D. DeCampli '88 MSN Graduate Nursing Scholarship for deserving nursing students to turn their dream of a nursing career into a reality.
In addition to her philanthropic commitment and service to FCN, she was a member of the Nurse Advisory Council of the Hospital Association of Pennsylvania and an Adjunct Assistant Professor at MCP Hahnemann University. She has been a clinical instructor at Thomas Jefferson University and the University of Pennsylvania. At this time, she sits on the Board of Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network and Good Shepherd Penn Partners.
The DeCamplis generosity will continue to help position the College as a leader in health care delivery, research and nursing education and innovation. Their gift will also help to extend the College’s rich and longstanding tradition of excellence and compassion far beyond campus by fostering excellence in nursing and helping to cultivate the future of the nursing profession.