For Carol Ann and Jim Fausone, the University of Michigan is more than an institution. It’s the place where their professional journeys began and where a love story grounded in shared commitment, duty and service took root. Now, with a $5 million gift – the largest in the School of Nursing’s 135-year history – they are deepening this connection by establishing the Brigadier General (ret.) Carol Ann and James G. Fausone Deanship at the University of Michigan School of Nursing.
One of only five endowed deanships across U-M – and the first of any health science school – this extraordinary gift will provide permanent resources intended to support innovative programs, emerging academic priorities and strategic partnerships that help the School respond and lead within an evolving health care landscape. More than an investment in leadership, this endowment creates a lasting foundation for future deans to advance nursing education, research and innovation.
“At the heart of this extraordinary gift is a simple but enduring principle: service,” says Dr. Allison Webel, Dean of the University of Michigan School of Nursing. “Service to one another and to our communities. Service to our profession and our country. Throughout their lives, Carol Ann and Jim have placed service above self – and their decision to endow the deanship stands as a powerful expression of that commitment.”
A generational tradition at Michigan
Michigan has been part of the Fausones’ story for generations. Carol Ann grew up in Campbell, Ohio, while Jim was raised in Grosse Pointe, Michigan. Carol Ann’s father attended U-M and played football before World War II interrupted his studies. He eventually returned to complete his degree, part of the Fausones’ multigenerational connection to U-M , one which includes siblings, nieces and nephews.
Carol Ann likes to say she is a “Buckeye by birth but a Wolverine by choice.”
That choice brought her and Jim together. The pair met while both serving as resident advisors at Couzens Hall. Carol Ann was pursuing her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), while Jim studied environmental engineering and atmospheric and oceanic science at the College of Engineering. Their shared Michigan experience became part of the foundation of their lives together, fostering a commitment to U-M that has endured across decades of volunteer leadership, service and philanthropy.
Both Carol Ann and Jim served on the U-M School of Nursing's Victors for Michigan campaign from 2013 to 2018, with Carol Ann chairing the record-breaking effort. They currently co-chair the School’s Look to Michigan campaign. Jim has also maintained a longstanding relationship with the College of Engineering through various leadership and fundraising roles. He received the College of Engineering Distinguished Service Award in 2007 and both he and Carol Ann were honored with the David B. Hermelin Award for Fundraising and Volunteer Leadership in 2019.
As longtime School of Nursing champions, the Fausones endowed the Brigadier General (ret.) Carol Ann Fausone Scholarship Fund in 2015 to support nursing students, as well as naming the Fausone Standardized Patient Rooms in the School’s state-of-the-art Clinical Learning Center.
In addition to the endowed deanship, the Fausones have funded scholarships at the College of Engineering, recently committing to fund a seminar series through the College of Engineering as well. Reflecting Jim’s longstanding interest in environmental issues, this series will bring national experts to campus to introduce students to emerging research, career possibilities, and the policy and financial challenges that shape infrastructure decisions.
A lifetime of service, a legacy of possibility
For Carol Ann, the School of Nursing opened the door to a career that has reached far beyond the traditional boundaries of nursing. After earning her BSN in 1975, she received her commission in the U.S. Air Force in 1977 and served in a variety of nursing positions before transferring to the Michigan Air National Guard in 1981.
She later served as assistant for mobilization and reserve affairs under the deputy assistant secretary of defense and as assistant adjutant general for veterans affairs for the state of Michigan. In March 2002, she made history as the first woman in the Michigan National Guard to attain the rank of brigadier general and the first Michigan medical officer to achieve general officer rank. She retired in 2011 after 36 years of distinguished service and was inducted into the Michigan Military and Veterans Hall of Honor in October 2026.
Her career reflects a message she hopes today’s nursing students will carry with them. “I believe there are so many possibilities in nursing. Nurses can go anywhere. Nursing students today can go abroad and have an impact across the globe.”
For Carol Ann, nursing has always extended beyond clinical competence. It calls for leadership, accountability and a commitment to serving others - particularly in moments of uncertainty and vulnerability. These principles continue to guide the Fausones’ work on behalf of veterans.
In 1998, Jim established Legal Help for Veterans, PLLC. Today, the nationwide law practice helps veterans and their families navigate the Department of Veterans Affairs and the often-complex disability benefits process.
Their commitment to veterans has also created opportunities to collaborate with the School of Nursing. In 2019, Carol Ann partnered with Dr. Michelle Aebersold to develop 360 Virtual Education, an immersive educational series designed to help health care providers better serve military veterans across clinical settings. This initiative is intended to address health inequities while helping nursing students develop culturally responsive approaches to veteran care. Both Legal Help for Veterans and 360 Virtual Education illustrate the Fausones’ shared belief in transforming professional expertise into practical solutions that improve lives and strengthen communities.
Preparing nurses to lead what comes next
The COVID-19 pandemic brought nursing’s importance into sharp focus. Nurses cared for patients separated from their families, offered comfort at the end of life and remained at the bedside when loved ones could not be present. This work amplified the reality that nursing demands far more than clinical competence. It requires compassion, adaptability and the capacity to lead through a crisis.
“Nurses are often the glue that holds us together,” Carol Ann says.
Jim sees a complementary connection between nursing and engineering. “The world needs more nurses and engineers,” he says, underscoring the essential, practical skills both professions bring to addressing complex, real-world challenges. These perspectives reflect the values of the U.S. Air Force, which are deeply ingrained in the Fausones’ lives: integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all we do. These ideals also resonate throughout nursing, a profession that demands technical expertise, sound judgment and an unwavering commitment to others.
The Fausones’ relationship with the School of Nursing grew particularly strong during the tenure of former Dean Patricia Hurn. Her leadership helped them to see the School’s potential and understand how their philanthropy could help advance the mission. Their decision to endow the deanship reflects a vision that extends well beyond the School’s immediate needs. Permanent funding will provide future leaders with greater flexibility to pursue emerging opportunities, strengthen partnerships and prepare nurses to address the evolving challenges facing health care.
Carol Ann and Jim see particular promise in collaborations beyond traditional health care settings, including opportunities to serve military and veteran communities. They believe Michigan nurses have the capacity to stand as leaders who help shape the future of health care, not simply respond to change. For both, service has never been about a single act or finite commitment. It is a lifelong responsibility, carried forward through leadership, excellence and a desire to make a difference. The Brigadier General (ret.) Carol Ann and James G. Fausone Deanship is a historic investment in this enduring possibility: supporting leaders who will prepare nurses to lead, serve and shape the future of nursing and health care for generations to come.