Elmhurst University dedicates department in honor of long-time supporters

Elmhurst University has named its nursing and public health department in honor of longtime critical care nurse Diane Tyrrell, who, with her husband, Trustee Emeritus and alumnus Thomas Tyrrell, have been supporters of Elmhurst for nearly 50 years.

The Diane Tyrrell Department of Nursing and Public Health was dedicated during a ceremony last month at the university’s new Health Sciences Building, which is nearing completion and will be ready to welcome students in the fall.

The 45,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility will be a hub for not only the nursing and public health programs, but also the occupational therapy and communication sciences and disorders programs.

Diane Tyrrell was a critical care nurse for 45 years and was named Nurse of the Year at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center in 1988. Her dedication plaque notes that she “served every patient and person in her life with the warmth, kindness and care she wished for herself.”

Thomas Tyrrell joined the Elmhurst University Board of Trustees in 1990 and served until 2011, including as chair from 2002 to 2007, before becoming an emeritus trustee. In 2007 he was awarded the Founders Medal, which celebrates those who have distinguished themselves through philanthropic or personal service to the University.

In addition to the Health Sciences Building, the Tyrrells have supported a number of areas on campus over the years, including athletics and the Tyrrell Fitness Center, the Annual Fund, student scholarships, including the Diane M. Tyrrell Clinical Nursing Endowed Scholarship Fund, and campus improvement projects.