There are many ways we celebrate giving at Pima Foundation.
Sometimes it’s through an evening gathering, filled with community members who believe in opportunity and the power of education. Sometimes it’s through shared stories, quiet conversations, and moments of reflection on the impact we’ve made together.
And sometimes, it’s through a single voice saying thank you.
One of those voices belongs to Jennifer Crowe.
Jennifer is a recipient of the Jenny DeHaven Coomler Program Fund, a scholarship created not only to support students, but to honor a life, a legacy, and a passion for care that continues to live on through others.
Jenny DeHaven Coomler’s story is one of determination, compassion, and purpose. After earning her degree in business from the University of Arizona and building a career in human resources, Jenny felt called to something more. While working full-time, she returned to school at Pima Community College to pursue nursing, committing herself to a second career rooted in helping others.
As a nurse, Jenny became a fierce advocate for her patients. She ensured their voices were heard, mentored those around her, and brought both skill and heart into every space she entered. After an unimaginable and courageous eight-month battle with cardiac sarcoma, Jenny passed away in May 2023.
In her honor, her parents, Rita and Robert Coomler, longtime supporters of Pima Community College and Pima Foundation, established the Jenny DeHaven Coomler Award and Program Endowment Fund.
This fund was created with intention.
It supports students who, like Jenny, are pursuing nursing as a second career. Students who are in their final semester of the Nursing AAS program. Students who are so close to the finish line, but may face financial barriers that could stand in the way.
Since its establishment, the fund has already supported 13 students, helping ensure they can complete their programs and step into careers in healthcare, ready to make a difference in our community.
Jennifer Crowe is one of those students.
In her final semester, Jennifer received support from the Coomler Fund, support that allowed her to focus fully on completing her degree, without the weight of financial uncertainty. In her words, it made all the difference.
In the video shared alongside this story, Jennifer expresses her heartfelt gratitude to Rita and Robert Coomler. Her message is simple, but powerful, because of their generosity, she is able to move forward, to finish what she started, and to step into a career where she, too, will care for others.
This is what giving looks like.
It is legacy turned into action. It is generosity meeting determination. It is one family’s love creating opportunity for countless others.
At Pima Foundation, we honor giving not just by celebrating it, but by sharing the stories that come from it. Stories like Jenny’s. Stories like Jennifer’s. Stories that remind us that behind every scholarship is a life being changed.
To the Coomler family, and to all who choose to give, thank you.
Your impact lives on in every student who crosses the finish line.
To learn more about the Jenny DeHaven Coomler Fund, click here.
