VCOM 2024 Annual Report

Pat and Nancy Artis: A Legacy of Giving Back

G rowing up, H. Pat Artis and Nancy Eisenhart Artis were raised in families of limited means. Despite that—or indeed, because of it—both Pat and Nancy learned from a young age to give back to their communities. From giving away flowers and vegetables grown in the family garden to fixing up appliances for families in need, giving was a part of the family culture for both. That drive to give back has been a defining characteristic of their lives. Their philosophy is to “find a need and fill it.” This takes many forms, from serving on boards to providing financial gifts to organizations that matter to them. For instance, Pat Artis is on the board of VCOM-Virginia and Nancy has served on the Board of Visitors at Radford University, her alma mater, as well as the Radford University Foundation Board of Directors. Today, she’s a member of the Artis College Dean’s Advisory Council at the university.

The couple remembers attending one of VCOM’s first commencement ceremonies, and at the time, Pat thought, “They’re certainly producing a lot of doctors!” In the years since, they have had the good fortune to know many VCOM students—in fact, they do all they can to help to encourage students from local colleges and universities to consider medical school at VCOM. When asked about how their personal experiences with healthcare influenced their interest in VCOM, their answer was simple: Dr. Elliott Freed, a VCOM-Virginia alumnus from the Class of 2011. “[Dr. Freed] has a fundamental ability to understand the people he is treating, rather than simply diagnose a problem,” Pat observed. They felt that if Dr. Freed was the product, they wanted to learn more about where he was educated. Over the years, the Artis and Freed families have become close friends.

Left to right: Cole Faulkner, Class of 2026, Caitlyn Sneed, Class of 2024, Nancy Artis, Pat Artis, Christopher Conley, Class of 2025, and Nicholas Wright, Class of 2026

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