​New endowed scholarship creates lasting support for Fairmont State nursing students

Fairmont State alumna Kim Toothman and her husband, Don, have made a generous gift to the Fairmont State Foundation to establish the Kimberly Lannan Toothman Endowed Nursing Scholarship. Rooted in gratitude, service, and a deep connection to West Virginia, the scholarship reflects a lifetime shaped by nursing, education, and community. This scholarship will provide support for nursing students at Fairmont State University for generations to come.

​For Kim, nursing is more than a profession – it is a calling that defined some of the most meaningful years of her life. Her career as a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) nurse created lasting bonds with colleagues, physicians, parents, and even former patients. “I’m very blessed to have worked as a nurse,” she shared. “By creating the scholarship, my hope is to give opportunities to others so that they may have similar life experiences.”

Supporting Fairmont State was a natural choice. The couple grew up in West Virginia near Fairmont, and Kim is a proud Fairmont State graduate. “Go Falcons!” she added enthusiastically. The university played a pivotal role in shaping her confidence and sense of possibility. Once a shy student from a small West Virginia town, she recalls how being accepted into Fairmont State’s nursing program changed her life trajectory. “I learned that I could dream big and actually achieve it,” she said.

That belief carried her far beyond the classroom. Kim went on to serve as a neonatal ICU nurse, flying in helicopters across North and South Carolina to transport critically ill premature infants for specialized care. The experience cemented her passion for her profession and underscored the profound impact skilled, compassionate nurses can have on families during their most vulnerable moments.

Although their careers and lives took them out of state, the Toothmans remain deeply connected to West Virginia. “We will always be West Virginians first and foremost,” the Toothmans shared. That enduring pride informs their hope that scholarship recipients will not only find joy and fulfillment in nursing but will also consider building their careers in West Virginia, strengthening healthcare across the state.

“We are deeply grateful to Dr. and Mrs. Toothman for their extraordinary generosity,” said Fairmont State University President Mike Davis, “Their gift will help prepare skilled, compassionate nurses who are essential to the health and well-being of our communities. The impact of this scholarship will extend far beyond our campus, strengthening healthcare in West Virginia and wherever our graduates serve.”

The Toothmans’ commitment to nursing is also deeply personal. Their daughter Taylor was born prematurely at just 27 weeks, weighing only 2 pounds, half an ounce, into the very NICU where Kim worked. Thanks to exceptional care, she not only survived but thrived. Today, Taylor is a dentist and orthodontist. “Yes, a dentist named Toothman!” her parents joked. The experience reinforced the life-changing power of compassionate, well-trained healthcare professionals.

To nursing students and recipients of the Kimberly Lannan Toothman Endowed Nursing Scholarship, Kim offers heartfelt encouragement: “Though grades are very important, they are not the sole determinant of the type of nurse you will be. Compassion and enthusiasm are not graded. Skills will improve with practice as long as there is a will to be an excellent nurse. Don’t give up – always move forward.”

​Through this endowed scholarship, the Toothmans are investing in more than education. They are creating a lasting legacy of care, resilience, and opportunity – one that will empower Fairmont State nursing students to dream big, serve boldly, and make a difference for generations to come.