In September 2001, the Worcester State University nursing community lost one of its brightest stars. Jill Ann Bilodeau was a junior in the nursing program, known by peers and faculty alike for her fierce determination and an unwavering career goal: she was going to wear the uniform of a Life Flight nurse, saving lives aboard the UMass/Memorial emergency helicopter.
While a tragic motorcycle accident cut Jill’s career plans short, her impact is still deeply felt at Worcester State. Today, twenty-five years later, her legacy continues to shape the local healthcare landscape by helping new generations of nurses enter the Central Massachusetts medical community. What began a quarter-century ago as a grief-stricken effort by family and friends to honor her memory has blossomed into the Jill Ann Bilodeau Memorial Nursing Scholarship—now one of the university’s largest and most impactful student awards.
Scholarships can be created in many ways—from a single significant gift to the generosity of an entire community. The Bilodeau scholarship represents the power of collective giving. Over the last 25 years, the fund has grown dollar-by-dollar and check-by-check. Led by Jill’s father, Bob Bilodeau, and mother, Linda Bilodeau O’Mara, it was built by local educators, classmates, extended family, and community members who refused to let Jill’s passion fade.
It all began with a $500.00 scholarship. Shortly thereafter, Jill’s family, including siblings Tara and Cory, set out to raise as much money as possible to increase the award. And they were able to do that through eight charity golf tournaments, two wine and beer tasting events, and thanks to generous support of many friends and relatives.
This steady, grassroots advocacy has allowed the fund to grow to an extraordinary scale, distributing two $5,000 scholarships every single year to deserving Worcester State nursing students. This fall, the reach expands even further as three $5,000 scholarships will be awarded for the first time.
An immense amount of credit for that growth belongs to Jill’s father, Bob Bilodeau. Over the decades, Bob has served as a relentless champion for the fund, constantly fundraising and advocating to maximize the financial distribution to students, ensuring the endowment actively changes lives rather than quietly sitting in a bank account.
At the time of the fund’s inception, Jill’s mother, Linda Bilodeau O’Mara, captured the simple, profound heart of the project: “We wanted to set up this fund so that others who dream of becoming a nurse can receive help in pursuing their dream. We feel this is something that Jill would have wanted.”
Twenty-five years later, that instinct has been vindicated dozens of times over.
“When we first started this, the pain was so raw, and we just wanted a way to keep Jill’s beautiful spirit alive,” Linda said more recently.
“To sit here 25 years later and see her name attached to $10,000 in aid every single year is deeply moving. It proves that her dream never really stopped; it just took a different shape.”
Bob Bilodeau attends the annual Scholarship Brunch with two recipients of the scholarship he helped create in his daughter’s memory.
Over the years, reading the letters from the students who received this help has provided a profound comfort, Linda added. “They tell us about their struggles and their passions, and in every single letter, I see a piece of my daughter. Jill would be so incredibly proud to know she is still helping them clear the path to becoming nurses.”
The true impact of the scholarship becomes especially apparent at Worcester State’s annual Scholarship Donor Brunch, where the past and future of nursing sit across the table from one another. Over the years, Bob and his wife Kathi have developed a profound bond with the scholarship’s recipients—students who share the very same grit and dedication that Jill possessed.
Bob and Linda Bilodeau meet past scholarship recipients.
“We didn’t have a massive corporate donor or a million-dollar estate to start with; we built this dollar by dollar, tournament by tournament, through the sheer love of a community that refused to forget her,” Bob said. “Sitting across from these students at the annual brunch puts everything into perspective. You see their dedication, you hear their stories, and you realize this isn’t just money sitting in a bank account. It’s actively changing the trajectory of their lives. Keeping Jill’s memory tied to active, living support means her legacy is making a difference in the world, one nurse at a time.”
Among those transformed trajectories is Carol Stolts ’06, who received the scholarship two years in a row while balancing her own education while her son also was enrolled at the university.
“I was so proud to receive the scholarship,” Carol wrote in a note of gratitude. “It made a profound difference for my family as we struggled to put me through college while also supporting my son, who was just a year behind me at Worcester State. I only hope that I have made your family proud by becoming the best nurse I can be and by mentoring others to do the same. Your family’s kindness and Jill’s legacy will always be remembered.”
This story appeared in the 2026 Donor Impact Statement.