In Support of University Hospital

As information about the severity of the financial crisis facing University Hospital has become front and center, it is up to all who care about this vital community resource to step up to help in any way possible.

That is exactly what happened after William Owen, Jr., MD, University president, issued a call to action to the University community .

Joseph Muscarelle, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation of UMDNJ, answered the call with an unsolicited gift of $15,000. Mr. Muscarelle, who has supported the University since 1978, has given more than $2,228,000, primarily to provide scholarships for UMDNJ students. He also has the distinction of establishing the first Endowed Deanship at the University to support the Dean of New Jersey Medical School.

This time, his gift was focused on helping charity care patients at the hospital. Mr. Muscarelle, who has always been a person to lead by example, is hopeful that his gift will encourage others to do the same.

“I have not been directly involved with University Hospital but I am heeding Dr. Owen’s call by assisting in a way that I can,” he said. “I know this gift is small in comparison to the magnitude of the need but I am hoping it will encourage others to help as well. It is up to each of us to help in any way we can because, as Dr. Owen said, closing the hospital is not an option.”