Mostardi Family Fund
The Mostardi Family Fund was established in 2020 by Dr. Richard Mostardi and Sharon Mostardi, J.D. to benefit the nurse anesthesia program at The University of Akron College of Health Professions.
Dr. Richard Mostardi has led an interesting life and career. After graduating from Kent State University with a bachelor’s degree in 1960, he joined the National Football League’s Cleveland Browns as a defensive back. He also played for the Minnesota Vikings from 1962-63. Following football, he earned his master’s degree from Kent State and his Ph.D. from The Ohio State University in 1967. Dr. Mostardi spent time as a graduate assistant at Ohio State working with Dr. Charles Billings on the Apollo space suit. He traveled to Milan, Italy for a post-doctoral fellowship, working there for one year. Upon his return to the U.S., Dr. Roger Keller offered him a job at The University of Akron, where he worked for nearly 40 years. Dr. Mostardi served an additional 10 years as adjunct faculty in the Williams Honors College until officially retiring in 2018.
Sharon Mostardi graduated with her bachelor’s degree (summa cum laude) in Elementary Education in 1991 from The University of Akron. After staying home and raising their daughter, Mariah, Sharon returned to University and earned her Juris Doctor degree in 1999. Sharon worked at Summa Health System, where she and Richard first met, for 24 years as a vascular ultra-sonographer.
Richard and Sharon’s children, Dana, Cara, Richard Jr., and Mariah, are all University of Akron graduates. Richard’s son, Greg, graduated from The Ohio State University.
The Mostardi Family Fund honors the family’s long tradition of support for the University and its mission of service to students and the community. Richard, who received a full athletic scholarship, has always held a deep concern for students unable to afford tuition to attend college. He notes that he would have been unable to attend college himself were it not for his football scholarship.
As a student, the majority of Dr. Mostardi’s academic career was spent in the biology department, where he interacted with a wide variety of students and developed an affinity for students studying anesthesia, whom he had come to know as being bright, compassionate people. His affinity for anesthesia students is also due, in part, to his daughter Mariah’s career path. Dr. Mostardi played an instrumental role in starting the program at the University.
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