An artist by training, Jack Doehring specializes in portraiture. His goal is to offer a true rendering of his subject, a task more difficult than it might at first seem.
“When you’re drawing someone, you’re not simply copying them; you have to tell their story,” he said. “And giving the canvas life requires you to put a part of yourself into it, as well.”
It’s an apt metaphor for Doehring’s latest creative project: making a six-figure gift to California State University, Northridge to establish scholarship and research funds honoring his late mother and aunt. In doing so, he is capturing a sense of who they were in life and what they stood for—and he is fine-tuning his portrayal by adding his own perspective on how they would want to be remembered.
To extend her legacy of caring and accomplishment, Doehring set up the Roseanna Purzycki Memorial Scholarship for Nursing Endowment to support students pursuing their nursing degrees from CSUN’s College of Health and Human Development. Doehring said nursing felt like a particularly appropriate focus for a fund named in memory of his mother, who died of breast cancer in 2012.
“My mom received incredible care when she was struggling with her disease, and it seemed fitting to use a portion of my gift to honor some of the caregivers who are dedicating their lives to helping people like her,” he said.
Choosing CSUN for support also was a way to honor his mother.
“Since my mom was a first-generation college student, I was looking to invest in an institution that reflected her story and could have a major impact on the students going there,” Doehring said. “With its large first-gen population and the ways it helps change the lives of its graduates, CSUN was clearly that place.”
Thanks to Doehring’s generosity, the College of Health and Human Development also houses the Peggy Searight Memorial Scholarship for Environmental and Occupational Health Endowment. Named after his mother’s youngest sister, who also passed away from cancer the same year as Doehring’s mom, this scholarship fund helps support students interested in human health and industrial hygiene.
“My aunt worked at an auto plant in Michigan, and she understood how important it is to have an awareness of the health effects our workplaces have on us, as well as to advance standards for workplace safety,” Doehring said. “I hope this scholarship equips students to champion positive developments in this arena.”
A final portion of Doehring’s gift seeded the Environmental Science Fund, which distributes donor dollars to students and faculty in CSUN’s new bachelor’s program in environmental science — part of the Department of Geological Sciences in the College of Science and Mathematics — to further research related to environmental challenges such as water quality, wildfire management, and soil contamination. This year, the endowment supported the work of a graduate student examining the influence of chemicals and biologic agents on our water system.
“As an avid backpacker and hiker, I can see firsthand the ways in which our natural environment is changing and the stressors that are accelerating those changes,” Doehring says. “I believe this is something that also would have been of major concern to my mom.”
Doehring is also contributing to CSUN’s Giving Day 2026 on March 4 and 5. He has pledged to donate $1,000 for the Roseanna Purzycki Memorial Endowment for Environmental Research in the Department of Geological Sciences once 10 donors give to the fund.
Recently, Doehring was rereading thank-you letters he received from recipients of the funds he established. He said hearing their stories reinforced his commitment to making additional gifts to CSUN in the coming years.
“To know that my mom and aunt are now part of these students’ stories gives me a real sense of peace. They were both forces for good during their lives, and that’s continuing even now that they’re gone,” he said. “I’m excited, through them, to be able to help support and inspire students to complete their education, and I’m looking forward to working with CSUN to build these funds and broaden their reach.”
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