The Giancarlo Iosue Story of Love and Hope Inspires NICU Nursing Scholarship
By Office of the President | Apr 8, 2025
There is perhaps no experience more heart-wrenching than watching a newborn struggle for survival in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The hum of machines, the beeping of monitors, the stillness between alarms—every second is stretched between fear and fragile hope.
For Terry and Agostino Iosue, this was their reality when their son, Giancarlo, was born prematurely, weighing just 900 grams. Their NICU journey was filled with moments of anxiety but also profound gratitude for the nurses who guided them—offering not just medical care but comfort, strength, and humanity when it was needed most.
That journey came full circle at the recent College of Nursing Convocation and Pinning Ceremony when Terry Iosue stood before graduates and faculty to share her family’s story. She spoke with deep emotion about the moment she was rushed into an emergency cesarean section, the fear that gripped her when Giancarlo was taken to another hospital for specialized care, and the heartache of being separated from her newborn son.
During those early, uncertain hours, Terry remained behind to recover, her arms empty and her mind racing. In that moment of despair, Lori Escallier, Ph.D., RN, CPNP-CP, FAAN—now Dean of the College of Nursing—offered a small but profound gesture: a Polaroid photo of Giancarlo. That image became a lifeline. It was her first glimpse of her son and her first thread of hope. To this day, Terry keeps that photo as a reminder of the care and compassion that carried her family through their darkest hours.
Against the odds, Giancarlo survived and thrived. He grew into a brilliant, compassionate young man—fluent in four languages, musically gifted, curious, and driven. He traveled the world, achieved academic success, and lived with a heart full of promise. But just as his life had begun in uncertainty, it ended with devastating suddenness, leaving behind a loss no parent should ever have to bear.
Out of that heartbreak, Terry and Agostino chose to create something meaningful. They established the Giancarlo Iosue Excellence in NICU Nursing Scholarship to honor their son’s extraordinary life and the nurses who made it possible. Their gift is a powerful tribute to the strength of the human spirit and a commitment to ensuring that future NICU nurses receive the training and support they need to continue this lifesaving work.
This year, two exceptional students, Luke B. Christy and Alexis Machado, were awarded the scholarship. Their dedication to neonatal care and compassion for the tiniest and most vulnerable patients reflect the very essence of Giancarlo’s legacy. Their future in NICU nursing will be shaped by the hands and hearts of those who came before them and inspired by the story of a little boy who defied the odds.
Through their generosity, the Iosue family has transformed grief into purpose. Their story reminds us that while we cannot always choose the challenges life brings, we can choose how we respond—with love, hope, and the unwavering belief that even the smallest life can leave the most significant impact.
Tags: Nursing, Scholarships, Awards