Dr. Elaine Smith Sets $100,000 Endowed Nursing Scholarship in Her Son’s Memory

Elaine L. Smith ’78, MS ’88, EdD, has established a $100,000 endowed nursing scholarship and later plans a contingency gift of closer to $1 million—all in her son’s memory.

Those heartfelt gifts formed “a positive way to channel the sadness and grief that comes with the loss of a child,” the former College of Nursing and Public Health dean explained.

Brendan Conor Smith “was a warm, loving, and kind person whose promising life was cut too short.” He passed away in March 2017 at the age of 27 from a progressive illness.

Since the original Brendan Conor Smith Scholarship was established at the time of his passing, it’s been awarded to seven undergraduate nursing students.

Bestowing these awards is important not only as “a gratifying way to honor Brendan’s life and memory,” Dr. Smith said, but also as “an extremely meaningful” way to help students in need to pursue their nursing career dreams.

During his last years, “Brendan demonstrated great perseverance and fortitude as he struggled with the symptoms and realities of his disease.” These scholarships will reward those students “who exemplify these qualities as they pursue their educational goals,” she said.

Dr. Smith proudly described Brendan as “a bright and personable young man with a keen sense of humor, a contagious laugh, and great interpersonal skills.”

A Helping Hand

Through the years, Dr. Smith said, “It has been extremely gratifying to hear from several of the students how this scholarship has assisted them to complete their studies.”

Dr. Smith knows firsthand the importance of scholarships to College of Nursing and Public Health students. The scholarships she herself received from Adelphi enabled her to fulfill her own dream of becoming a nurse.

“I know how pivotal they can be in securing the education of so many students,” she said.

Her planned $100,000 gift to the University “will ensure the ability to continue to offer the scholarship for many students in the years to come.”

In addition, Dr. Smith said, “I have also made arrangements naming the College of Nursing and Public Health as the contingency beneficiary of part of my estate. These additional monies will be directed to providing more Brendan Conor Smith Scholarships for a larger array of nursing and public health students as well as afford the opportunity to support CNPH and its students in other substantive ways.”

Even during his short life, the health care field attracted Brendan. In high school, her son had internship and shadowing experiences that introduced him to the health care environment. These part-time jobs and school assignments helped steer him to Appalachian State University in the mountains of western North Carolina, where he graduated with a BS in business administration.

After graduation, Brendan returned to Long Island, where he obtained a front-line supervisory position at a large health care system. He was awarded special recognition and a significant gift for his exemplary job performance during a massive snowstorm that paralyzed the region.

Dr. Smith, who earlier in her career was vice president of system nursing education with the Northwell Health Institute for Nursing, retired to North Carolina in December 2021.