Kitty Ernst, a legendary figure at Frontier Nursing University, passed away in December 2021. The following September, FNU held a memorial ceremony in Kitty’s honor under the Ginkgo tree on the FNU campus. It was a fitting location for the ceremony, as it was Kitty who planted the seeds for community-based midwifery and led the development and implementation of FNU’s Community-based Nurse-midwifery Education Program (CNEP) program.
Kitty’s life was devoted to serving others. She taught, she led, and she lifted others up. She inspired everyone to pay it forward through service to the profession and to our communities. Her visionary leadership set Frontier on a course of innovation and expansion. Most of FNU’s more than 10,000 alumni were blessed with the opportunity to meet Kitty and be inspired by her.
“Kitty Ernst led with passion, perseverance, and commitment, and perhaps most importantly, by her presence,” said FNU Dean of Nursing Dr. Joan Slager, CNM, DNP, FACNM, FAAN. “She always made herself available and tirelessly shared her wisdom and advice with students, alumni, and friends. As we celebrate her legacy, it is important that we continue to learn from her example and adopt the same vision for the future that she had. We support our present and future students with the same passion and dedication that Kitty did.”
It is fitting that Kitty decided to provide legacy support for FNU students through a gift made through her last will and testament. Her final gift to FNU was devoted to scholarship support for FNU students. Kitty’s vision for the future of Frontier lasted well beyond her lifetime and ours. She could foresee the important role that FNU would play in our nation’s health care for decades to come. She was a leader, innovator, and visionary. She was also a supporter. Her legacy gift provided to Frontier via her estate will financially support and inspire students for decades to come.
“I am so grateful to have received the Kitty Ernst Scholarship. This support will help me to be in a better position to serve my future patients,” said Casey Claussen (CNEP, Class 201)
Kitty’s legacy gift serves as a reminder of the importance of planned giving and how that gesture of kindness can provide support to FNU in perpetuity. August is recognized as National Make-A-Will Month, and we invite you to make your own legacy commitment to support FNU. Please inquire how you can make your own gift through estate planning by contacting Sarah Harlan, Senior Philanthropy and Alumni Relations Officer, at sarah.harlan@frontier.edu.