Indiana State has received a multimillion dollar donation from the estate of the late Dr. Peggy Sankey to enhance medical training, the university announced Monday afternoon.
Sankey was a 1961 graduate of Indiana State University.
The gift will be used for cutting-edge medical equipment, providing students with hands-on training on the same technology they will use in their professional careers, according to an ISU news release.
The donation will be placed in a previously established endowment to facilitate ongoing updates to the equipment as medical innovations emerge.
“This generous gift from Dr. Peggy Sankey’s estate reflects her extraordinary lifelong commitment to the future of healthcare education and her alma mater,” ISU President Mike Godard said in the news release. “Her generosity will continue to equip our students with state-of-the-art tools, guaranteeing they are well-prepared to serve as healthcare professionals and make a real difference in their communities.”
The new equipment will strengthen the university’s programs by offering enhanced experiential learning opportunities in real-world medical settings.
“We are deeply grateful for this remarkable contribution from Dr. Sankey’s estate, which will have a lasting impact on our ability to provide top-tier training for students in the healthcare disciplines,” said Caroline Mallory, dean of the College of Health and Human Services.
Peggy L. Sankey Swaim was born April 5, 1939, in Hamilton County, Ohio, and grew up near Riley, Indiana. She is survived by her husband, Dr. J. Franklin Swaim, her daughter, Anne Marie Francis Swaim and her grandson, Yoze Orijin Swaim.
She earned a bachelor’s degree from Indiana State in 1961, her medical degree from the Indiana University School of Medicine in 1964 and completed a residency in pathology at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. She practiced as a contract pathologist and hospitalist and a primary care physician in Parke, Vermillion, and Vigo counties in Indiana.
She was board-certified in anatomical and clinical pathology as well as dermatopathology. Sankey practiced medicine in Parke County until her death on Dec. 10, 2023.
“Dr. Sankey had supported future medical professionals for years at Indiana State but chose to do so anonymously,” said Andrea Angel, ISU vice president of university advancement.
“We are honored to carry on her memory and impact through her estate gift to help future medical professionals serve our community and state as she did for decades.”
The university did not specify the exact amount of the gift.
