Georgetown couple gives thanks with gift to School of Health

two parents and three kids pose together in front of a plant background — The Yaegers named their daughter, Copley, after Copley Hall. Courtesy: Ryan Yaeger

In support of Dean Christopher King and his vision for the newly redesigned School of Health, Laura (NHS’03) and Mike Yaeger (B’03) recently established the School of Health Dean’s Leadership Priorities Fund with a gift of $150,000—a gift they see as an expression of gratitude to Georgetown for starting them on the path toward their family and careers.

The fund will work to support operations, programming, and research at the new School of Health—established in 2022 alongside the School of Nursing in a reenvisioning of the School of Nursing & Health Studies—helping the school to adapt and seize new opportunities, according to its dean.

“We are dreamers who dream of a just and equitable world where all people can achieve optimal health and well-being,” says School of Health Dean Christopher Dean King. “The Yaeger gift will take us one step closer to our wish. Their support will expand the body of knowledge, foster transformational experiences in the classroom, and create opportunities for students to do life-changing work in the real world.”

As one of the first graduates of the former School of Nursing & Health Studies, Laura Yaeger is excited to support new research opportunities.

“My family owes so much to Georgetown,” says Laura, who now serves on the School of Health Board of Strategic Advisors. “I loved being a part of the health studies program and this fund will help support new initiatives, including research into such fields as artificial intelligence.”

two people smile in front of a lake and tree — Laura (NHS’03) and Mike Yaeger (B’03) first met as first-year students at the New South residence hall.

A New South love story

Laura and Mike Yaeger met as first-year students in 1999. “I met Mike in New South before classes even started,” recalls Laura. “We immediately became friends and both he and Georgetown have been threaded throughout my life ever since.”

After graduation, the two Hoyas eventually married and had three children. Their eldest is named Copley, after Georgetown’s Copley Hall, where the couple shared their first kiss.

“A large part of this gift is motivated by my wife and my appreciation to Georgetown for our family,” shares Mike, who serves as treasurer of the Board of Governors of the Georgetown University Alumni Association. “I owe my education, career path, and family to Georgetown.”

caricatures of the couple — A caricature of the couple at Alumni House, painted even before their marriage. The couple have been together since their first year at Georgetown and now share three children together.

“Thanks to our support of the Alumni House renovations in 2005, you can see a caricature of us on the Founders Wall,” he continues. “In our caricature, Laura and I are standing in front of Dahlgren Chapel’s water fountain. We aren’t married yet, but in the drawing, it looks like we are already husband and wife. It was meant to be.”

Tagged