The Felicia Perez Valle Memorial-Endowed Scholarship Fund: providing scholarships to Nursing students who demonstrate excellent scholarship and enthusiasm for a Nursing career.

Felicia Perez was born and raised in Cuba. She lost her parents at a very young age and was raised in an orphanage. She was encouraged to go into nursing, as many women were, and went on to train under the Communist regime of Fidel Castro. In 1962 she immigrated to the United States and eventually settled down in Miami, Florida where she lived until shortly before her death in 2002.

Mrs. Perez was an excellent caring and professional nurse--the kind everyone hopes they or a loved one will meet when in need of care. Mrs. Perez worked her way up to become the head nurse in both Obstetrics and the Recovery Room of Baptist Hospital in Miami.

In 1986 Mrs. Perez completed her degree through the Graduate and Professional Studies Program. She felt that getting her degree was something that she not only wanted to do but had to do. As a professional nurse working full-time, she was very grateful to Saint Joseph’s for providing her an excellent opportunity to get a quality education which ultimately led to her bachelor’s degree.

Mrs. Perez’s Last Will & Testament contained a testamentary bequest that provided that upon her husband’s death an endowed scholarship be created in their names for the benefit of a Saint Joseph’s College nursing student.

Unfortunately, in the summer of 2002, Mrs. Perez passed away. In order to memorialize his wife and best honor her wishes her husband decided to fund the scholarship immediately, rather than by testamentary bequest. In this manner Carlos was able to memorialize and honor Felicia and receive the joy of assisting Saint Joseph's College Nursing Students during his life.