What Donors Have Made Possible

Gaining More Than They Give

Ambroses find joy in supporting UNH occupational therapy students
illustration of a graduation cap with a blue heart on top of it
It’s not uncommon to hear from students about the impact scholarships can have on their lives. But, for those who create those scholarships, the experience is just as impactful.

That’s certainly true for Greg Ambrose ’76 and Victoria “Vicki” (Fazio) Ambrose ’77, who created the Ambrose Occupational Therapy Scholarship more than 15 years ago, and have been supporting it through philanthropy ever since.

Their scholarship supports students in the occupational therapy (OT) major who demonstrate financial need and good academic standing. To date, the scholarship has meant that nearly 35 students have been able to get their OT degree and enter the health care workforce.

The Inspiration Behind the Scholarship

Vicki graduated from UNH with an OT degree and built a wide-ranging career where she worked in pulmonary care, skilled nursing and rehab, acute and short-term rehabilitation and pediatrics.

“Occupational therapy is such a diversified field, and I took full advantage of that,” she says. “It worked well for me and my family. Sometimes I switched jobs out of necessity — because of changes within the company. Other times, I switched because I was ready for something new.”

Greg, meanwhile, earned a degree in political science and built a long career in law enforcement, starting at the Portsmouth Police Department and concluding with the Massachusetts State Police.

When the couple decided to establish a scholarship, Greg wanted to focus on occupational therapy because of his personal experiences with health care professionals and his admiration for Vicki’s contributions to the field.

“I wanted to honor my wife’s degree,” Greg says. “OT is a profession I have a lot of respect for.”

The Joy of Giving Back

The couple began with modest donations; they increased their contributions as they approached retirement. They also discovered how deeply fulfilling it is to make a difference in students’ lives.

When they were first invited to attend a College of Health and Human Services scholarship ceremony many years ago, they attended reluctantly, sitting in the back of the room, not wanting to be noticed.

But once they watched students receive awards and heard speeches about their accomplishments, Greg and Vicki were hooked — they became regular attendees, enjoying the chance to meet the Ambrose Scholarship recipients.

“It blows me away what these students are exposed to. When I was in school things were much simpler. There was no technology compared to today such as the CHHS Simulation Facility,” says Vicki, who called herself “a kid in a candy store” when she first toured the state-of-the-art simulation labs there. “These students are doing research projects, getting out into all these facilities and being so heavily involved. It’s impressive.”

For Greg, the most rewarding part of their involvement is seeing Vicki interact with the students.

“Selfishly, I get a kick out of sitting back and watching my wife talk OT language with the students,” he says.

— Aaron Sanborn
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