Dr. Richard Nau, a longtime and now-retired pathologist who worked for PeaceHealth, knows the value of working hard and having a network of support to succeed.
He recalls a program on PBS in which President George W. Bush defined success by his ability to do things for others. "And I thought, well, that's kind of a good definition for success," Nau said.
The 86-year-old recently committed $3 million to set up the PeaceHealth St. John Mentorship Program Endowment in Longview, Washington. The contribution creates permanent funding for a program that has helped high school students discover careers in healthcare for nearly 30 years.
Nau has lived in Longview, in the southwestern corner of Washington state, since the early 1970s. He grew up in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. His father worked for a steel mill and his mother died when he was 2. Nau and his father lived with relatives. After excelling during his first year in college, Nau earned a $1,000 scholarship to Penn State. That amount nearly paid for tuition, he said. He worked throughout college and medical school. He also served in the Army during and after medical school.
"I had as a good goal to do to others in a way as had been done to me," he said.
His gift to St. John is just one of his charitable endeavors. In 2023, he donated $1 million to a hospice facility in Longview, now called the PeaceHealth Richard Nau Hospice House. He has set up a scholarship at Penn State. He also supports the Salvation Army, Scouting America, and Lower Columbia College in Longview.
Nau said he isn't particularly religious, but is interested in learning about different religions, and recalls reading a book on the seven major religions of the world. "What impressed me was that they all had the Golden Rule, or the universal ethic," he said. "I thought when you boil down Christ's teachings, the main teaching was the Golden Rule."
Advancing generations
Sr. Rose Nigro, CJSP, founded the PeaceHealth St. John Mentorship Program. At its start, the program served the first generation of the family who was literate, said Amy Leggio, executive director of the PeaceHealth St. John Foundation. The program now serves students who are likely to be the first generation in their family to graduate from high school or college. "It helps remind you how far the whole country has come in 30 years," Leggio said.
Students work up to 10 hours per week during their junior and senior years and up to 40 hours on school breaks in various departments of the hospital. They also work with hospital mentors. A third of each student's earnings is set aside in a savings account for their future academic pursuits. When students complete the program and graduate from high school, they receive these funds with interest and many continue working at St. John while attending college.
The program had relied on annual funding. Nau's gift creates long-term stability. It will help the program return to a balanced cohort of six juniors and six seniors in high school, with the seniors learning leadership skills as they mentor the juniors.
Participants in the program have achieved a 99% high school graduation rate compared to the county's overall rate of about 80%. Mentorship program alumni also complete bachelor's degrees at high rates, with many pursuing master's degrees.
Michelle Domenico leads the mentorship program as the director of volunteer services and operations of PeaceHealth's Columbia network. "For nearly 30 years, this program has opened doors for students who simply needed someone to believe in their potential," she said in a press release about the donation. "In a time when healthcare organizations face increasing pressure on operating budgets, Dr. Nau's generosity helps ensure this program will continue opening those doors for the next generation of leaders."