Rye Philanthropist's $1 Billion Donation Called 'Transformational'

RYE, NY — Montefiore's Albert Einstein College of Medicine will have free tuition for all medical school students in perpetuity thanks to a billion dollar donation from a Rye philanthropist with deep ties to the school.

When Dr. Philip Ozuah, President and CEO of Montefiore Einstein, announced that Albert Einstein College of Medicine has received a transformational gift from Ruth L. Gottesman, Chair of the Einstein Board of Trustees and Montefiore Health System board member, cheers filled the room filled with students. Then, those gathered learned that this historic gift, the largest in history made to any medical school in the country, will ensure that no student at Einstein will have to pay tuition ever again.

"This donation radically revolutionizes our ability to continue attracting students who are committed to our mission, not just those who can afford it," Dr. Yaron Tomer, the Marilyn and Stanley Katz Dean at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, explained. "Additionally, it will free up and lift our students, enabling them to pursue projects and ideas that might otherwise be prohibitive. We will be reminded of the legacy this historic gift represents each spring as we send another diverse class of physicians out across the Bronx and around the world to provide compassionate care and transform their communities."

The donation is seen as transformational for the school's ability to attract a talented and diverse pool of students who may not otherwise have the means to pursue a medical degree. The school said the historic gift will create generations of healthcare leaders who will advance the boundaries of research and care, free from the burden of crushing loan indebtedness.

But, the students won't need to wait generations to see those changes start to take effect.

All current fourth-year students will be reimbursed for their spring 2024 semester tuition and, effective beginning in August of this year, all students moving forward will receive free tuition at Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

School officials noted that Albert Einstein College of Medicine was founded in 1955 with a mission to welcome all students, without restrictions. This gift will see that mission more fully realized by by removing the financial restrictions for those without the means to afford medical school.

Gottesman joined Einstein’s Children’s Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center (CERC) in 1968. At a time when learning problems were often unrecognized and misdiagnosed, she developed widely used screening, evaluation, and treatment modalities that have helped tens of thousands of children.

In 1992, she started the Adult Literacy Program at CERC, the first of its kind, which is still in operation. In 1998, she was named the founding director of the Emily Fisher Landau Center for the Treatment of Learning Disabilities. Gottesman earned her bachelor’s degree at Barnard College and her master’s and doctoral degrees from Teachers College, Columbia University. She is Clinical Professor Emerita of Pediatrics (Developmental Medicine) at Einstein.

Over the course of her 55-year association with the College of Medicine, Gottesman’s dedication and philanthropic vision have helped change the face of Einstein. She and her late husband, David S. Gottesman, have been longtime donors to key Einstein research and education initiatives.

“Each year, well over 100 students enter Albert Einstein College of Medicine in their quest for degrees in medicine and science," Gottesman said of the history-making donation. "They leave as superbly trained scientists and compassionate and knowledgeable physicians, with the expertise to find new ways to prevent diseases and provide the finest health care to communities here in the Bronx and all over the world. I am very thankful to my late husband, Sandy, for leaving these funds in my care, and l feel blessed to be given the great privilege of making this gift to such a worthy cause."

Einstein officials said that the gift will create a lasting legacy that won't soon be forgotten.

"Ruth Gottesman’s extraordinary and unprecedented gift gives new meaning to selfless determination and transformational philanthropy," Dan Tishman, Chair of the Board of Trustees of Montefiore Einstein, said. "She has always been an inspiration to her fellow board members and the entire Montefiore Einstein community. She will have the lasting gratitude of all who choose to train and learn here."