A lasting legacy
A generous donation of more than £2 million was recognised through the naming of a medical teaching facility earlier this year. The Constance Fozzard Clinical Skills Suite on the University of Exeter’s Truro Campus was formally renamed at an event on 12 July hosted by President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Lisa Roberts.
The naming of the Clinical Skills Suite honours the accomplishments and generosity of Connie White, who pledged a legacy to the University of Exeter and the University of Plymouth in 2012 to fund bursaries for students from disadvantaged backgrounds from the region wanting to study medicine and dentistry.
This gift is hugely important for Cornwall and the South-West and is transformative to Exeter’s Medical School. The Clinical Skills area is utilised by both the University of Exeter medical students and the University of Plymouth nursing students, in addition, staff from both Universities as well as Royal Cornwall Hospital staff and GPs involved in teaching or examining clinical skills regularly use the suite.
Professor Ian Fussell, Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor of Education at University of Exeter Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, worked with Connie in 1992 at the Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust. He said:
“Connie always put patient care first and had a very loyal public following. She expected the very best from her team at all times and had extremely exacting standards. Her dedication to the public and education of future doctors could not be made clearer than from the wonderful legacy she has left to the University of Exeter Medical School, and we will forever be grateful and always remember her”.
Connie studied medicine at Imperial College London and later went on to specialise in obstetrics and gynaecology in 1974 at the Royal Cornwall Hospital. Connie was well known and an active resident in Cornwall, in retirement she was elected as a Carrick District and Truro City councillor, and she also served as Mayor of Truro in 2003.
Connie sadly died after a short illness in 2021, aged 88. Her generosity will provide a meaningful and long-term source of support to students aspiring to careers in medicine and will ensure talented students can study in the South-West and realise their full potential. The University was delighted to welcome the first recipients of the ‘Constance Fozzard Bursaries’ in September 2023.