A Culture of Service and Giving

Carole "Lesley" (Schuster) Ryan, a graduate of the Massachusetts General School of Nursing, earned her B.S. in nursing from Villa Maria College in 1976. She dedicated her career to helping others-becoming Erie's first enterostomal therapist, serving on the staff of five of Erie's hospitals and directing Medi-Center, a private health care company.

"During my career, I worked at every hospital and on every shift," Lesley says. "My goal was to provide compassionate and professional service to my patients."

Her husband, Tony Ryan, graduated from MIT with a degree in mechanical engineering. He co-founded Rent-Way, serving as president and chairman and is now chairman emeritus. Tony had leadership roles in some of Erie's biggest industrial companies, including Johnson Control, Skinner Engine Co., Automated Industrial Systems and Spectrum Control.

The Ryans now enjoy retirement in Naples, Florida, and visit Erie periodically. They believe that the many blessings they've enjoyed throughout the years are the result of their great educations. So, when it came time for the Ryans to establish their estate plan, including four full scholarships in the Villa Maria College of Nursing was at the top of their list.

"By including Gannon in our estate plan, we can have a significant impact on generations of nursing students," Tony says. Their daughter, Karen, earned her master's degree from Gannon, and their granddaughter, Madison Manchester, is a current undergraduate student.

"With this gift, we are excited to help bolster a culture of giving to Villa Maria College and Gannon University among alumni," Lesley says.