Education
Hunter College receives historic $52 million donation
Billionaire Estée Lauder heir Leonard Lauder made the gift to the school, the most ever given to a CUNY institution, for a new nurse practitioner program.
Leonard Lauder (left), his wife Evelyn (center) and Hunter College President Jennifer Raab attend the 2010 Hunter College High School Commencement. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)
Billionaire Estée Lauder heir Leonard Lauder made a whopping $52 million donation to Hunter College, the largest ever to the institution, or to any CUNY school. The gift will go towards creating the Evelyn Lauder Community Care Nurse Practitioner Program, named after Lauder’s deceased wife, who graduated from Hunter in 1958.
Hunter, New York’s largest public nursing school, is looking to boost its nurse practitioner master’s degree program.
Leonard Lauder, in a statement released by Hunter, said his wife loved the school and was a proud supporter throughout her life. He added that the money was donated in her honor to support “education of nurse practitioners who will be leaders in advancing the health of New Yorkers.”
Hunter College President Jennifer Raab told The New York Times the donation would help “provide higher-quality care for people who would not otherwise have access to it.”
Lauder, in making the donation, also made a shoutout to Raab. “I am very pleased to congratulate President Raab on her leadership, and thank her for her unwavering commitment to helping every Hunter student achieve success.”