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The Warburton family's dedication to education

As the Great Depression loomed, Ralph Warburton walked into the Hoover Vacuum Co. seeking a job. Instead, he walked out with a college loan from the company’s founder—and another step toward his dream of attending medical school.

Recognizing immense potential in Ralph, W.H. “Boss” Hoover, founder of the North Canton, Ohio company, opted to invest in Ralph’s career as a physician, setting him on a path to medical school at what was then Western Reserve University. Now, nearly 100 years later,
that initial seed funding has grown into a legacy of giving.

A lasting impact on health sciences

Inspired by the opportunity that Dr. Ralph Warburton, MD (MED ’33), received, his family has continued their support by creating endowments aimed at empowering future generations of healthcare professionals.

Over the past decade, they have established the Ralph T. and Esther L. Warburton Scholarship in Medicine, the Bonacker-Warburton Scholarship in Dental Medicine, and the Lewis-Schiltz Scholarship in Nursing. Already, more than 130 awards have been granted to 69 CWRU students attending the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, School of Dental Medicine and School of Medicine.

And recently, the Ralph T. and Esther L. Warburton Foundation, led by Phillip Warburton, Dr. Warburton’s son, and his wife, Sally Bonacker Warburton, increased its total endowment support to �Ӱ���Ƶ from $6 million to $8.5 million.

Family connections

The scholarships honor the legacies of Phillip’s parents, Dr. Ralph Warburton and Esther Lewis Warburton, and Sally’s parents, Dr. Herbert Bonacker, DDS (DEN ’33) and Elisabeth Schiltz Bonacker. Not only were Phillip and Sally’s fathers alumni of the medical and dental schools, respectively, but both of their mothers attended the Mt. Sinai School of Nursing, which was then affiliated with the university.

Following graduation, Esther helped Ralph establish his medical practice in North Canton, where Dr. Warburton went on to care for patients for 60 years. Meanwhile, Herbert married Elisabeth after she served as a flight attendant—a role requiring nursing skills due to the risks of early air travel. Dr. Bonacker specialized in reconstructive dentistry during World War II before becoming an accomplished practicing dentist, eventually earning the prestigious Pierre Fauchard Academy Award.

“All four of our parents were centered on career and family,” Sally Bonacker Warburton explained. “They did not seek attention but knew how to bring out the best in others and wanted to encourage excellence in those around them."

A visionary gift

Landry Cowles

Thanks to the work of the Ralph T. and Esther L. Warburton Foundation, the parents’ legacies live on in students like Landry Cowles. A first-generation college student from rural Ohio, Cowles was unsure whether higher education, much less medical school, was financially possible. But the Ralph T. and Esther L. Warburton Scholarship in Medicine made her dreams reality.

“Coming from a lower-income economic background, financial security was critical to me when choosing a medical school,” said Cowles, a rising fourth-year medical student. “One of the main reasons I selected CWRU was the Warburton Scholarship and the best financial aid package.”

For Kyle Stagg, �Ӱ���Ƶ’s nurse anesthesia program was a top choice because of its “exceptional reputation for

Kyle Stagg

academic excellence and innovation in healthcare education,” he said. But returning to graduate school—especially as he and his wife were growing their family—was a significant decision, both personally and financially.

Receiving the Lewis-Schiltz Scholarship in Nursing, however, allowed him to “fully engage” in his time at CWRU instead of having to seek part-time employment.

“Additionally, the scholarship has provided me with the flexibility to spend more quality time with my growing family, a balance I once thought would be impossible during graduate school,” said Stagg, who welcomed his second child in May. “This support has truly made a difference in both my personal and professional journey.”

George Hudak

George Hudak, a rising third-year dental student from Akron, had long dreamed of becoming a dentist but worried about taking on the debt of high-interest loans. But the Warburton-Bonacker Scholarship didn’t just ease his financial burden.

“It also gives me a sense of encouragement knowing that someone believes in me enough to invest in my future,” he said. “It strengthens my motivation to work harder and to one day give back in the same generosity.”

Phillip and Sally know the impact of their work would be meaningful to all four of their parents. “It’s a wonderful way to preserve their legacy,” Sally Bonacker Warburton said, “and share their story with future generations.”

Strengthening regional healthcare

For Sally and Phillip, this expanded commitment is not just to grow their family’s legacy. It’s to improve the future of their communities. Warburton scholarships are generally aimed toward middle-income students in Ohio’s Summit and Stark counties who lack financial resources to attend college.

Sally and Phillip, who have lifelong ties to the region, aim to prevent “brain drain” from the area and strengthen local healthcare by encouraging graduates to stay and practice in their hometowns.

“This initiative creates a strong support system for medical care in Stark and Summit County for many years to come,” Phillip said.

“The Warburton family’s impact is immense,” said President Eric W. Kaler. “They’re not only investing in high-quality education for students who need and deserve it, but they’re investing, long term, in their communities.”