Two new University endowments will provide critical resources for students while paying tribute to the lives and careers of a respected aerospace engineer and his wife of 44 years. Gifts from alumna Rose Christie, '59- completed at the direction of her late husband, Peter, '66, who died in January 2003-will support students in the School of Nursing and the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
The designations honor the couple's life work and ties to the University. Rose Christie graduated from the UW's nursing program in 1959. Peter Christie earned a master's degree in aeronautics and astronautics from the UW in 1966. He worked for more than 45 years at the Boeing Company and was highly regarded for his work as a structures engineer and stress analyst.
"It was important to Peter that the endowments support students at the UW. He had a long career in the Puget Sound region and he wanted to do something for the community," says Rose Christie. The endowments will provide resources for student tuition, living expenses, books, fees and other educational expenses.
"The Peter S. and Rose M. Christie Endowed Fund in Nursing will help the University address the critical shortage of nurses worldwide by providing the means to educate more students," says School of Nursing Dean Nancy Woods. "This endowment will enable the school to continue to attract top students to our programs, many of which are consistently top-ranked in the nation. We are extremely grateful."
The endowment in aeronautics and astronautics will support both undergraduate and graduate students training for careers as aerospace engineers.
"The aerospace industry has been and will continue to be a major contributor to the technological development, economic vitality and the security of the United States," says Aeronautics and Astronautics Chair Adam Bruckner. "Pete Christie was a wonderful mentor and role model for younger engineers in aerospace. This endowment will be Pete's way of being tremendously helpful in our efforts to educate future generations of innovative aerospace professionals."