“The Albert Einstein College of Medicine will be tuition-free.” These are the words that Ruth Levy Gottesman said to an auditorium full of medical students at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. The college received a $1 billion donation from Gottesman, one of the largest monetary donations in United States history.

Albert Einstein College of Medicine is located in the Bronx, New York. The college was founded by Samuel Belkin in 1955 and was the first medical school to be opened in New York City since the 1800s. Its original class size was 53 men and 3 women. As of 2024, the school’s total population is 1,232.

Gottesman was originally a professor at the college and is now on the board of trustees. She made her $1 billion donation to relieve many aspiring doctors of the burden of tuition. Gottesman did this with the help of her late husband, David Gottesman, who she was married to for 72 years until he died in 2022. Mr. Gottesman was known as a businessman, billionaire and philanthropist. He founded First Manhattan, an investment advisory and wealth-planning business, and worked under Warren Buffett. Buffett is known as one of the most successful investors in US history, as well as the co-founder and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, a well-known holding company.

As the United States student loan debt rises to $1.727 trillion, averaging around $40,000 per person, the average medical student loan increases by nearly 600%. Gottesman’s donation ensures that every medical student who attends Albert Einstein College will be relieved of the financial burden that comes with this vigorous field.

Gottesman joined the college in 1968, specifically as part of the Children’s Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center (CERC). Through this program, Gottesman helped over 10,000 children with learning disabilities excel in life and school. In 1992, Gottesman continued to help those with learning disabilities by beginning an adult literacy program. The program focused on teaching adults who were unable to get help or education when they were younger. Over her 55-year tenure as a professor at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Gottesman was able to add clinical skill centers, open institutions for research and fund multiple research projects with her late husband.

After stepping down from teaching, Gottesman joined the board of trustees in 2002. By 2003 she was elected vice-chair, and from 2007-2014 she served as chair until she retired from the position. However, she returned to the position of chair of the board of trustees when her late colleague Roger Einiger passed away in 2020. Gottesman has remained in this position ever since.

Gottesman, now 94 years old, continues to impact and contribute to the community around her.