LCC Foundation names Richard Nau, MD, as Benefactor of the Year
The Lower Columbia College Foundation has named Dr. Richard Nau as the 2025-26 Benefactor of the Year. Benefactor honorees have a history of providing financial support to the foundation and/or significant volunteer service to the college. Most notably, contributions from honorees have substantially impacted college programs, students, and the community.
“It is with distinct pleasure that we announce and honor Dr. Richard Nau as this year’s Lower Columbia College Benefactor of the Year,” said Steve Fuller, LCC Foundation Board Chair. “His gifts reflect his pride in the community and highlight the critical importance of higher education,” he added.
Dr. Richard Nau’s journey from a small-town upbringing in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, to a career in medicine is rooted in service. Dr. Richard Nau is a distinguished Eagle Scout and veteran. He earned degrees in geochemistry and geophysics from Penn State University before completing his medical degree at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. During the Vietnam War, Dr. Nau entered the Army as a Second Lieutenant while in his final year of medical school. Over his nine-year military career, he rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. While completing his pathology internship and residency at Brooke Army Hospital in San Antonio, Texas, he concurrently served as a teacher and director for the hospital's cytotechnology program.
While living in San Antonio, Dr. Nau and his former wife adopted two children, son Mark and daughter Jennifer. In 1974, he moved his family to Longview. Dr. Nau worked in private practice as a certified specialist in pathology and taught lab technologists in Longview through an education program run by St John’s Hospital. His career in the local community spanned 23 years. Although not officially affiliated with LCC, Dr. Nau's unwavering commitment has made him a vital benefactor for the college and our local community. While his philanthropy includes projects like the Richard Nau Hospice House, his most significant contribution is his devotion to the Student Success Fund, an initiative that provides emergency resources to ensure students facing financial hardship can continue their education. Inspired by former LCC President Chris Bailey’s 500-mile fundraising walk in 2015, Dr. Nau’s landmark contributions of over $600,000 helped establish the Student Success Fund as a permanent endowment. Moved by the resilience of students needing a small "hand up," his generosity and leadership sparked a community-wide movement. This has culminated in a $1 million legacy fund dedicated to supporting future generations of LCC students. Dr. Nau’s support ignited a community-wide movement, growing the fund into a $1 million legacy that guarantees students a future where education isn't cut short by financial crises.
"I want to leave the world a better place than how I found it," says Dr. Nau, a personal philosophy that drives his investment in the community. In 2024, LCC recognized this dedication by naming the Nursing Simulation Laboratory on the second floor of the Health Science Building in his honor.
"LCC is grateful for the opportunity to honor Dr. Nau for his contributions and is honored to recognize the importance of his contributions to education and our local community. His generosity will have a profound and lasting impact for generations to come," said LCC Interim President Dr. Kristen Finnel.
Dr. Richard Nau will be honored at a Foundation Celebration in Fall 2026.
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For more information, please contact Sheila Timm, 360-442-2130 or stimm@lowercolumbia.edu