Cindi Beadle Memorial Fund

Ten percent of all subscription revenue from JOBS THAT WORK will go toward The Cindi Memorial Fund at the University of North Alabama. This fund helps nontraditional nursing students cover unexpected expenses that could keep them from finishing their degrees, getting good middle-class jobs, and filling Alabama’s nursing shortage.

The fund honors the memory of Nick’s mother, Cindi Beadle. Facing an uncertain future after the sudden death of Nick’s father, she went back to college to achieve her lifelong dream of becoming a nurse—20 years after she graduated from a small rural Alabama high school.

It took the better part of a decade to complete her degree. Not because of lack of ability, but because of systems not built for a single mother of two. Her greatest fear was the unexpected expense. A broke-down car, a sick kid, or a day when childcare fell through.

When she finally got her license at age 45, she quickly became a beloved member of the North Alabama nursing community. She was known for her attention to detail, forthrightness, and compassion, providing extraordinary care to people often struggling through the worst moment in their lives.

The Memorial Fund is meant to pave a smoother path to economic mobility than the one available to Cindi. It prioritizes covering things like housing, medical expenses, and childcare to help older students and students with children finish their degrees.