From the Heart: Andrew and Kirsten Braccia’s $1M Investment in UArizona Nursing is a Personal Affair
Oct. 29, 2020
For Andrew and Kirsten Braccia, being proud Arizona Wildcats has always been a family affair. The Bay Area couple, who recently gifted the University of Arizona College of Nursing with $1M to fund material supports for nursing students and their educational teams, met as undergraduates at the University. They gradated together in 1998 – Andrew with a degree in Business from the Eller College of Management and Kirsten with one in Nursing – and went on to marry and start a family of their own. But their Arizona Wildcat legacy extends far beyond those beginnings. Kirsten’s father is an alumnus, as are both of Andrew’s parents, his brother and his uncle, Bob Baffert, the celebrated horse trainer. “It’s a family tradition to attend the University of Arizona,” Andrew says. “I grew up in the Bay Area but I always rooted for UArizona in all their athletic competitions. When the time came to make a college decision it was a very natural and comfortable choice to make.”
“Our objective is to really lay a foundation for investing in the College of Nursing that we can build around for many years to come. This is where we can really make an impact, because our goal is for UArizona Nursing to be one of the top nursing programs in the country, and most importantly graduate nursing students that are prepared to make a major impact on the world,” ~ Andrew Braccia
So when it came time to focus their philanthropic activities, UArizona was an equally natural choice to make. They settled on UArizona Nursing in particular not only because of Kirsten’s positive experience at the College but because of the example their giving sets for other University alumni. “As incredibly proud graduates of the University, we’re excited not only to be able to give but also be able to showcase the fact that there are many great opportunities to make an impact after you graduate,” Andrew says. “What attracts us to the College of Nursing specifically is that it was a big part of shaping Kirsten as a young adult and propelling her into her career. We also have a tremendous amount of respect for the training and development of the next generation of nurses, and the impact that they’re going to make on the world.”
Kirsten remembers her time as a Wildcat Nursing student fondly. She was drawn to the career as a young girl, when she lost her brother to cancer. “I built a lot of relationships with the nurses that were caring for him when he was sick, and I just felt like it was my calling,” she says. “Going through that experience was a big part of what drove me to become a nurse. I knew I wanted to take care of kids and take care of people.”
Kirsten was attracted to UArizona Nursing because of its stellar reputation and because she wanted the full college experience that the University offers. “It was a rigorous program but yet very rewarding at the same time,” she says. “I built many relationships and friendships, had terrific instructors that really challenged me, got to know me personally and put me in clinicals that would suit my ability and personality.” She was especially inspired by the simulation labs, a facet of the College that will be one of the beneficiaries of the Braccias’ gift. “Simulations are a huge part of educating nurses,” she says. “Looking back, I wish I had been able to do more simulation work. The College now has the opportunity to expand them, which is very beneficial.”
Kirsten’s nursing degree led to her work at Stanford University’s prestigious Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), which cares for premature babies from across the country. She worked with some of the NICU’s sickest infants, in one case taking part in open-heart surgery for a 23-week-old preemie. She also gained experience in the cardiovascular intensive care unit, where she cared for older children as well. “A lot of times you only hear the sad stories, but there are 20 times as many happy stories coming out of the NICU,” Kirsten says of the work she performed. “It was very rewarding to see these babies do well. They come out at a very challenging time to heal, but they’re very resilient. It was a joy to send them home to their families. It also makes you appreciate – once you have your own children – how fragile life is.”
At a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has brought the importance of heath care to the forefront of the national stage, Andrew and Kirsten are acutely aware of the need for a strong nursing workforce. They’re proud to be doing their part to aid UArizona Nursing in continuing its mission to provide students with the very best in learning resources and opportunities. “Nurses are such an essential part of keeping us all healthy,” Andrew says. “They require a combination of great training and skill. UArizona Nursing has always been at the forefront of skill development and clinical development, but it also emphasizes understanding the situation, understanding the patient and their family, and having empathy. That’s one of the things Kirsten’s work has really taught me.”
The Braccias’ gift to UArizona Nursing will upgrade simulation capabilities at the Tucson, Phoenix Biomedical, and Gilbert campuses, and provide students with online access to virtual patient experiences. It will also enable the purchase of software subscriptions and other essential technology to support online teaching and learning due to the pandemic. “With a greater emphasis on online classes, you want them to be just as successful as in-person classes, so the timing is good,” Kirsten says. “Everything can be up-to-speed and up-to-date and all the students can have the ability to keep learning and continue their education as if it was in person.”
Andrew and Kirsten’s goals for the College extend well beyond the immediate moment, however. “Our objective is to really lay a foundation for investing in the College of Nursing that we can build around for many years to come,” Andrew says. “This is where we can really make an impact, because our goal is for UArizona Nursing to be one of the top nursing programs in the country, and most importantly graduate nursing students that are prepared to make a major impact on the world.”