Bill and Sue Gross foundation commits $40 million for UCI nursing school

The UC Irvine nursing program became a big winner Tuesday when the university announced that the William and Sue Gross Family Foundation has committed $40 million toward establishing the Sue and Bill Gross School of Nursing, which is planned to be the fourth nursing school in the University of California system, UCI officials said.

The foundation will raise the money over an undetermined period, according to UCI spokesman Tom Vasich.

Bill Gross co-founded Pacific Investment Management Co., or Pimco, a global investment management firm based in Newport Beach.

His wife, Sue, is president of the family foundation, which has donated to multiple healthcare and educational institutions around the world.

The two are residents of Laguna Beach.

UCI opened its nursing science program in 2007. Howard Federoff, UCI’s vice chancellor for health affairs, said the gift “will accelerate the growth for those who want to become masters in nursing as opposed to medicine. This school will also take on important research, some relating to health services, more conventional epidemiology, clinic effectiveness or even exploring new models on how to deliver healthcare.”

Bill Gross, a University of California alumnus who earned a master’s in business administration from UCLA, said in a statement: “Sue is the heart of our family and I’m proud that she works so hard to extend that heart into the community. Orange County healthcare and research has benefited tremendously because of her efforts.”