Alumna Catherine S. Billington '83 Bequest Creates Enduring Legacy for Nursing Students
June 22, 2026
SEU Nursing students enjoy a beautiful day outside Henderson Hall.
Saint Elizabeth University has received an historic bequest from the estate of longtime benefactor Catherine Sillinski Billington ’83 and her husband, George F. Billington. The gift will fully endow the Catherine J. Billington ’83 Sillinski-Billington Nursing Award Endowment, providing lasting support for generations of nursing students.
Catherine, a proud SEU alumna and longtime supporter of healthcare education, entered eternal life on July 26, 2025. She and George supported the Billington/Sillinski Nursing Award through annual gifts for approximately three decades. Presented to a nursing student during the fall of their senior year, the award recognizes achievement and promise in a profession to which Catherine remained deeply committed.
Her husband, George, who entered eternal life in 2015, served as president of Elizabeth General Medical Center and was a member of the New Jersey Hospital Association. A graduate of New York University and Columbia University, he was also a member of Phi Beta Kappa and a U.S. Army veteran of the Korean War.
Through this extraordinary planned gift, the Billingtons’ commitment to nursing education will continue in perpetuity, helping Saint Elizabeth University prepare compassionate and highly skilled nurses to serve their communities.