Widow Donates $1 Billion to Cover Tuition for NYC’s Poorest Area Forever

Widow Donates $1 Billion to Cover Tuition for NYC’s Poorest Area Forever | June 30, 2024

Dr. Ruth Gottesman is a former professor at Einstein University in the Bronx. Having recently lost her husband, she made a generous contribution to cover tuition for students attending the Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

Dr. Ruth has a history of achievements at Einstein, dedicating years of her life to the institution. She took a job in 1968 as “Director of Psychoeducational Services,” eventually becoming the chair of the board of trustees. She studied learning disabilities and even developed a screen test. However, none of her deeds are seemingly more incredible than her decision to donate $1 billion to help cover tuition fees for future students. It is one of the largest donations ever made to a U.S. school, and likely the largest ever made to a medical university.

She lost her husband David Gottesman, affectionately known as Sandy in 2022. The 96-year-old had done some incredible things in his lifetime, including bestowing his wife with a gift that she generously passed along to help students cover their tuition. “He left me, unbeknownst to me, a whole portfolio of Berkshire Hathaway stock,” she recalled to the New York Times. “Do whatever you think is right with it.”