Philanthropist, visionary, entrepreneur. Those are just some of the ways the late Pete Nicholas has been described by those who knew him. But it was his generosity and dedication to his alma mater for which he is remembered at Duke. He and his wife Ginny graduated from Duke in 1964 and continued to support the university in many ways over the next six decades.
Nicholas founded Boston Scientific Corporation and led the biomedical/biotechnology engineering firm and multinational manufacturer of medical devices for 20 years. Although he lived in Boston for more than 30 years and later retired in Boca Grande, Fla., he and his wife often visited Cameron Indoor Stadium to cheer on their beloved Blue Devils.
Nicholas, for whom the Nicholas School of the Environment and the Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability were named, was a member of the Duke University Board of Trustees from 1993 to 2005 and served as chair from 2003 to 2005.
“With great foresight and imagination, Pete encouraged and supported Duke to be bold in our vision for environmental leadership,” said Toddi Steelman, then dean of the Nicholas School of the Environment, after Nicholas died in 2022 at the age of 80.
Over the years, he volunteered in many roles, including as chair of the Trinity College of Arts & Sciences Board of Visitors. Both Pete and Ginny Nicholas served as co-chairs for the steering committee of the Campaign for Duke, which raised more than $2 billion for the university between 1998 and 2002.
The most recent example of the family’s extraordinary philanthropic support to Duke is a $25 million gift in 2022 to establish the Presidential Climate Action & Innovation Fund in support of the Duke Climate Commitment.
In 2021, Nicholas was awarded the University Medal – Duke’s highest honor for service.
