By establishing the Schwartz Discover Grant for Undergraduate Student Research and other experiential learning funds at Rochester, this alumni couple has made a difference in thousands of lives.

Each fall, dozens of students gather for a poster session on the Ģ����ý’s River Campus, sharing research they’ve spent months exploring—from engineering innovations to social science discoveries. For many, it’s the first time they’ve seen themselves as real researchers. And for most, the opportunity wouldn’t have been possible without the generosity of Richard “Dick” Schwartz ’63, ’66 (MS) and his late wife, Vicki Proschel Schwartz ’62.

“It’s an amazing experience to stand in a room full of undergraduates who are thrilled to talk about what they learned over the summer,” says Dick. “That kind of feedback is powerful.”

So powerful, in fact, that Dick and Vicki have increased their support every year for the Schwartz Discover Grant for Undergraduate Summer Research program, which began in 2022. Their goal: to help students engage in research early, giving them the confidence and experience to pursue opportunities that will enrich their lives and careers.

Ģ����ý 70 grant recipients each year receive up to $5,000 to help cover cost-of-living expenses during the summer. The funding allows them to fully focus on research, which often requires 40 hours of dedicated work per week.

Lilli Tamm ’25, a biochemistry major graduating this spring, says receiving the Schwartz Discover Grant for the summer after her sophomore year marked a turning point in her life. “Thinking back to the researcher I was becoming then, I could only spend a few hours each week dedicated to research during the academic year,” she explains. “Then, when I received the Schwartz Discover Grant, I could spend the summer dedicated to my research and really became a full-time scientist.”

And become one she did. That research project spanned three semesters and gradually narrowed to focus on cell membrane proteins—vital structures that influence how the body functions and responds to disease. Receiving the Schwartz Discover Grant opened the door to a competitive summer internship in pharmaceutical research following Tamm’s junior year. The experience also helped her stand out as the University’s 2024 Astronaut Scholar, a national honor recognizing the country’s top undergraduate STEM researchers. Ultimately, it culminated in her acceptance into a PhD program at Stanford University in cellular and molecular physiology.

Deep and lasting impact

Dick and Vicki Schwartz at the Schwartz Discover Grant Research Showcase, 2023

The Schwartz Discover Grant program is just one way Dick and Vicki have shaped the undergraduate experience. Over the years, they’ve established a variety of funds to support immersive learning in research, internships, the arts, and community engagement. In 2002, the couple established a student scholarship, which they later enhanced with additional funding and renamed the Proschel/Schwartz Meliora Scholarship—further amplifying support for students with demonstrated financial need

“Dick and Vicki have changed so many lives,” says Emily Rendek, director of the University’s Office of Undergraduate Research. “With all the programs they’ve supported, they’ve made experiential learning possible for thousands of students, creating pivotal opportunities that benefit our students right now. They’ve had a direct role in the future of research, scholarship, creativity, and engagement in a variety of scientific and technological areas as well as the humanities.”

For the couple, supporting experiential education has always been rooted in a shared belief that learning happens everywhere, not just through lectures and labs, but through collaboration, curiosity, and real-world application. That philosophy continues to guide their giving: help others, see the impact, and do good right now.

A legacy of learning and service

Schwartz Discover Grant Research recipients with Emily Rendek (first row, far left) and Vicki and Dick Schwartz (first row, far right), 2023

Dick says his own values of service and education were modeled by his parents, especially his father, a surgeon with the Department of Veterans Affairs. “My dad chose a medical career path with regular hours because it gave him more time to dedicate to our family and to those activities he believed in,” he says. Vicki’s parents, both teachers, also emphasized the power of education to transform lives.

As undergraduates, both Dick and Vicki were deeply involved in campus life. Dick spent his summers interning in a variety of settings, including Tropel, a Rochester-based startup founded by his professor, optics legend . For his second summer internship, he joined a friend in San Diego to assist with optics projects at the University of California. After that, Dick interned at an aerospace technology company in Boston. By the time he earned his master’s degree from the Institute of Optics, Dick had also interned with Xerox—setting the stage for a smooth transition into full-time work and a 30-year career in research and development there.

“Those internships were invaluable to me,” he says. “They gave me confidence, expanded my networks, and gave me a chance to apply what I’d been learning in a professional setting. Vicki and I always wanted others to have these kinds of vital opportunities, which is why we’ve established them.”

Vicki, whose roots were in the humanities, earned her degree in English with honors, completed a master’s in teaching at Harvard University, and then taught high school English for several years. The couple’s distinctive academic paths helped shape an approach to philanthropy that will benefit students in both STEM and the arts for years to come.

Philanthropy as a shared commitment

Giving back was always a personal decision and a shared commitment for the couple, who had two children together, Steven and Douglas, and were married 57 years at the time of Vicki’s passing in 2023. “Every year, we’d look forward to meeting students who participated in the programs we supported,” Dick says. “We loved hearing their stories, why they chose the University, and what they hoped to do in the future.”

Today, Dick continues their legacy through a donor-advised fund (DAF), which offers flexibility and transparency. It allows him to support the causes he and Vicki have cared about the most while staying actively involved in choosing when and how to give.

In addition to their philanthropic support, Dick and Vicki spent decades as volunteer leaders at their alma mater, serving on reunion committees and class councils as well as the Lifelong Learning Advisory Council and the University Libraries National Council. They have also been members of the University’s Wilson Society, which honors and celebrates those who have established life-income plans or named the Ģ����ý as a beneficiary of their estate, and the George Eastman Circle, the University’s leadership annual giving society. Additionally, Dick serves on Hajim’s National Council and the Rochester Philanthropy Council and has chaired or supported many nonprofit organizations throughout the Rochester community.

Throughout all his involvement, Dick’s greatest joy comes from seeing tangible outcomes: students exploring their potential, the University offering transformative programs, and communities made stronger in the process. “It’s a win-win-win,” he adds. “Students benefit, the University benefits, and society overall benefits. Plus, I get the joy of knowing I helped make a difference.”

Gift supports faculty excellence and innovation and completes the distinguished professorship part of the Wyant Challenge.

Joanne Y. Law at the University’s 1998 Commencement ceremony

Joanne Y. Law ’98 (PhD), an inventor and optical engineer, has established a new endowed fund—the Joanne Y. Law Distinguished Professorship in Optics—at the URochester’s . Her generous $800,000 gift will be amplified by an additional $1.2 million from the Wyant Challenge, a historic initiative launched in 2022 by the late optics pioneer James C. Wyant ’69 (PhD), trustee emeritus, and his wife, Tammy.

“I believe in science, research, and education, and I am deeply committed to supporting them all—especially now when the need is so great,” says Law. “Earning my PhD at the Institute of Optics shaped my career and life, and I am profoundly grateful for the education and opportunities I received because of that. This is my way to pay it forward.”

“We are thrilled that Joanne has established this gift,” says Wendi Heinzelman, dean of the Hajim School of Engineering & Applied Sciences. “She joins a distinguished group of benefactors and dedicated leaders committed to making a lasting investment in the institute—advancing education, pushing the boundaries of research, and creating a meaningful impact on society. We are grateful to Joanne for her generosity.”

Heinzelman emphasizes that the Wyant Challenge and the matching gifts made through it will empower top-tier faculty to address the leading challenges in the field and the increasing need for skilled optics graduates. These professionals will contribute to advancements in precision manufacturing, national security and aerospace, biomedical imaging and diagnostics, renewable energy, and other industries.

Established in 2022 through a $12 million gift from the late optics pioneer James C. Wyant ’69 (PhD), trustee emeritus, and his wife, Tammy, the Wyant Challenge is transforming the Institute of Optics. As the largest gift in its history, funds from the challenge and matching gifts, including Law’s contribution, will increase the number of full-time faculty at the institute from 20 to 30 over the next decade. The challenge will ultimately support 10 endowed professorships—five for distinguished faculty and five for early-career scholars—along with a visiting professorship and a staff position. This growth will support the institute as it plans for its 100th anniversary in 2029.

Law’s generosity marks the fifth and final distinguished professorship to be funded through the Wyant Challenge. Additionally, two early career professorships have already been established through it. To date, the challenge has generated an additional $5.2 million in new donor funds. When completed, matching gifts will account for $8 million, bringing the total impact of the challenge to $20 million.

“Through this challenge, I can help future scientists and engineers have the same opportunities I had to learn, grow, and contribute to this important field,” says Law. “I am excited that this professorship will attract top talent and bring a positive spirit to scientific research.”

Noting that the Wyant Challenge presented a compelling opportunity to make a difference in alignment with her values, Law adds, “Because the challenge offered matching funds, I was able to establish this professorship at this point in my life. It helped me meet the financial requirements to create an endowed professorship.”

“It is especially meaningful to me to see a former student invest in the institute like this,” says Tom Brown, the director of the Institute of Optics and a Mercer Brugler Distinguished Teaching Professor. “Joanne’s generosity, along with the collective support of the Wyant Challenge, allows us to invest in faculty excellence in a way that will positively impact many generations of graduate and undergraduate students.”

Ģ����ý Joanne Y. Law

Law attended the Ģ����ý in 1994 as a Sproull Fellow, conducting research on vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers under the guidance of Professor Govind P. Agrawal. After receiving a PhD in optics from the Institute of Optics, she moved to California, where she spent 16 years in industrial research and product engineering at Therma-Wave, Agilent Technologies, and Nanometrics. Her work focused on optical design and system analysis for semiconductor metrology.

In addition to the newly established distinguished professorship, Law has supported the University’s Student Emergency Fund, which began during COVID-19. In 2021, she created the Law Optics Scholarship to further her commitment to helping others reach their full potential. She plans to continue with charitable giving to science advancement and education as a long-term goal.

Beyond science, Law spends time crafting art with a 5W diode laser at home and sharing her creations with the community. She enjoys giving back through her artwork.

The gift is part of the Wyant Challenge, a fund designed to boost optics faculty by 50 percent within a decade.

Richard Zuegel and Barbara Blake (Zuegel) model the “bachelor’s gown” as featured in the May 1957 issue of Rochester Review.

Barbara Zuegel ’57 has established the Zuegel Family Professorship in Optics in honor of her late husband, Richard Zuegel ’57, and in recognition of her family’s ties to the URochester. Her generous gift will be matched by the Wyant Challenge, a $12 million fund established in 2022 by the late trustee emeritus James C. Wyant ’69 (PhD) and his wife, Tammy, to create 10 new endowed professorships at the�� within 10 years.

Barbara’s gift marks the first fully funded early-career professorship and the fifth professorship inspired by the Wyant’s matching challenge fund. The Zuegel Family Professorship is designed to support a promising new faculty member engaged in research and development related to laser science, technology, or engineering. It will help fill a vital pipeline of innovative and dedicated scholar-researchers, ensuring a lasting impact on both the institute’s future and the broader optics industry.

“We are deeply grateful to Barbara for her tremendous generosity,” says Wendi Heinzelman, dean of the Hajim School of Engineering & Applied Sciences. “An early-career professorship like this, focused on laser science within the Institute of Optics, will inspire the kind of teaching and research that can transform industries, improve lives, and address some of society’s most pressing challenges, from creating new energy solutions to driving technological breakthroughs that improve our quality of life.”

“When the opportunity arose to join the Wyant Challenge, I saw it as a chance to further important research and support the institution that has meant so much to our family,” says Barbara. “Three generations of Zuegels—starting with Rick and me—attended the University, so I have a deep appreciation for it and for education, having spent my career in it. Naming this professorship on behalf of our family underscores its importance in our lives.”

Says Tom Brown, the director of the Institute of Optics and the Mercer Brugler Distinguished Teaching Professor, “Thanks to Barbara and the Zuegel family, the Institute of Optics is in an excellent position to build a faculty that will inspire the next generation of optics students, especially future leaders in laser science and engineering. As we celebrate our centennial in 2029 and look to the next 100 years of optics at Rochester, I especially appreciate investments in early career faculty. Barbara’s gift is significant—it helps bring in faculty who will work to continue the institute’s rich legacy, and to build a community that improves our University, our country and our world.”

“My mother has dedicated her life to education and our family has always recognized the importance of helping people reach their potential,” says Jon Zuegel, ’96 (PhD), the Laser and Materials Technology division director, a distinguished scientist at the University’s , and a professor of optics. “This professorship is an extension of what both my mother and father have always done—supporting excellence and providing opportunities to advance the public good. I am proud of and inspired by her generosity, confident that it will make a real difference in the future of laser science and optics. I know that this gift would make my father very happy.”

Barbara’s gift aligns with the University’s leadership in these areas. In 2023, the National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded the University a $1 million Regional Innovation Engines Development Award grant to begin developing the next generation of lasers and laser applications. Lasers are found in medical devices, telecommunications, manufacturing, and fusion energy research. They drive advances in precision medicine, enable the backbone of global communications, revolutionize industrial processes, and hold the potential to unlock clean energy solutions.

The NSF grant brings together a variety of institutional, industrial, and business partners that will lay the groundwork for an innovation and economic hub built around the Science, Technology and Engineering of Lasers and Laser Applications Research (). The effort promises to position Rochester as a national leader in the field, addressing significant gaps in the US education system. “Few universities can play the kind of crucial role that we can in these areas,” adds Jon, who works closely on the project with Tom Brown.

The Zuegels have a deep connection to Rochester—the community and the institution—and a strong commitment to science, photography, and education. Barbara and Rick met at the University as undergraduate students. After graduating with his general science degree, Rick worked at Kodak for 32 years. He was an avid nature photographer and a dedicated leader in the Kodak Camera Club, serving in various roles, including president. He also held leadership positions in regional photography associations and was a founding member of the North American Nature Photography Association, where he chaired its first two internationally attended conferences. A sought-after teacher, lecturer, and photo judge, Rick also shared his passion through travelogues inspired by his and Barbara’s extensive travels.

Barbara, a history major, was a librarian for the Greece Central School District for more than 20 years. Together, they had three children: Stephen, a mechanical engineering major from the Class of 1983; and twins Jim and Jon. Jon earned his PhD from the Institute of Optics and his daughter, Hannah, continued the family tradition, graduating from Rochester in 2017 with a bachelor’s degree in studio arts and minors in chemistry and business.

Adds Barbara, “The Wyants had great vision establishing this funding challenge. They made it possible for others like me to participate and make a bigger difference, together.”

Burger’s latest gift continues her legacy of philanthropy and engagement, establishes a new directorship, and launches a pilot undergraduate research program.

Rochester Trustee Barbara J. Burger ’83—a respected leader in energy transition, corporate and non-profit board member, thought leader, speaker, and community builder—has made a $2,000,000 commitment to support research, innovation, and the student experience at the URochester. Burger’s philanthropy builds on a series of gifts she has made to the University, aligning her lifelong dedication to fostering exceptional education, research excellence, and the success of faculty and staff—cornerstones of the University’s 2030 strategic plan. This gift is a continuation of Burger’s years of support, furthering the impact of her overall philanthropy while exploring new areas of discovery.

Burger’s gift will specifically provide $1,000,000 to establish the Barbara J. Burger iZone Directorship. Her commitment to iZone began in 2015 when she made a lead gift of $1,000,000 to River Campus Libraries to create the space. Named in her honor, the Barbara J. Burger iZone is a collaborative creative problem-solving environment that opened in 2018, providing students with resources to explore ideas and develop innovative projects that drive social, cultural, and community impact.

Burger’s latest gift will also provide more than $250,000 to launch the Barbara J. Burger Chemical Sustainability Scholars pilot program. Open to chemistry and chemical engineering majors after their first or sophomore year, the pilot program will provide a new pathway for exploring professional interests during a 15-month research project.

Having dedicated her career to the energy industry, Burger is keenly interested in energy transition, focusing on improving the energy system’s access, reliability, and affordability, and reducing its impact on communities and the environment. This pilot program at the University, she says, will provide an opportunity for students to address this issue directly. Additionally, $750,000 will be allocated to a general fund, reserved for future designation to support initiatives that align with the University’s priorities and Burger’s philanthropic goals.

“Barbara’s multifaceted gift highlights her unwavering advocacy for education and innovation, and underscores her dedication as an alumna, volunteer leader, and trailblazer in science and technology,” says Sarah C. Mangelsdorf, Ģ����ý president and G. Robert Witmer, Jr. University Professor. “We are tremendously grateful for her ongoing partnership and her tireless pursuit of excellence.”

Says Burger, “When I was a student here, people invested in me, sharing their time, knowledge, and financial resources. This is a key driver in me helping the next generation. Today, I have the opportunity to give back, both philanthropically and through my ideas, energy, and the relationships I develop within the Rochester family.”

A history of impact

Burger has been a longstanding supporter of the University, contributing significantly to enhance the student experience, making gifts that complement and amplify one another. For instance, her $1,250,000 gift two years ago doubled the number of students receiving the Barbara J. Burger Endowed Scholarships in the Sciences. It also provided funds for iZone to support staff and student professional development, technology, and student-centered programs. Additionally, her 2022 gift launched a five-year within the University’s River Campus Libraries, offering 22 students hands-on experience in areas like publishing, event programming, marketing, and curriculum design, all under the mentorship of library staff.

Burger’s significant influence as a University philanthropist began in 2006, when she, along with other chemistry alumni, faculty, staff, and friends, established an endowed professorship in honor of Professor Emeritus Andrew S. Kende. A few years later, she became the lead funder to a second professorship named for a mentor and key figure in her life, Professor Emeritus Richard S. Eisenberg. Over the years, Burger has also generously given to the Department of Athletics and Recreation. This includes significant support for the Timothy G. Hale Endowment for Competitive Excellence in athletics, a fund that benefits the University’s cross country and track and field programs. As an undergraduate, Burger participated in both sports as well as on the field hockey team.

“Barbara’s deep interest in student success and in providing opportunities for learners to flourish in and out of the classroom is a testament to her commitment to academic excellence,” adds Nicole Sampson, University provost. “She is completely dedicated to creating experiences and opportunities that advance discovery and innovations across many fields, and to inspiring meaningful outcomes for students, faculty, staff, and the entire University community. Her focused and far-reaching support is truly inspiring.”

A distinguished career

Barbara J. Burger is a Chevron “graduate” where she finished as the vice president of innovation and president of Chevron Technology Ventures. During her career, she held leadership positions across the company’s businesses as well as a wide range of civic and industry organizations.

Today, Burger remains focused on the challenges in energy transition, equity, and access to education. She has built an advisory and director portfolio with firms including Bloom Energy, Heliogen, Milestone Environmental Services, Emerald Technology Ventures, Energy Impact Partners, Marunouchi Innovation Partners, Syzygy Plasmonics, and Epicore Biosystems. She also proudly serves as the board president of the Houston Symphony.

Burger is an alumna of the URochester, where she serves on the Board of Trustees and chairs the University Libraries National Council. In addition to establishing the Barbara J. Burger Endowed Scholarship in the Sciences and the Barbara J. Burger iZone at the URochester, she supports graduate women in chemistry who will pursue careers beyond academia and serves on the Resnick Sustainability Institute Strategic Advisory Board at Caltech. She holds a bachelor’s in chemistry from the URochester, a PhD in chemistry from Caltech, and an MBA from UC Berkeley.

Update: Learn about the inaugural cohort of Barbara J. Burger Chemical Sustainability Scholars in this May 7, 2025 Ģ����ý New Center story.

Gift recognizes the couple’s commitment to research excellence and honors her late husband, University Trustee Emeritus Hugo Sonnenschein ’61, ’17 (Honorary)

Rachel Mossi, Leah Schraudenbach, Hugo Sonnenschein, Beth Sonnenschein, and Amy Venetianer

Elizabeth “Beth” Sonnenschein ’61, ’62N has established the Hugo Freund Sonnenschein and Elizabeth Gunn Sonnenschein Research Endowment in Mathematics within the Ģ����ý’s School of Arts & Sciences. Her generous $1 million gift honors her late husband, University Trustee Emeritus Hugo Sonnenschein ’61, ’17 (Honorary), an acclaimed economic theorist and academic leader, and recognizes the couple’s shared commitment to research excellence.

Specifically, the new Sonnenschein Research Endowment in Mathematics will equip faculty and students with resources to integrate ideas from diverse disciplines—including physics, economics, engineering, and DNA biology–to drive solutions to challenges best addressed through mathematics collaboration.

“We are tremendously grateful to Beth for this gift and to Hugo for his scholarly impact and dedication to Rochester,” says Duje Tadin, interim dean of the School of Arts & Sciences. “Because of Beth’s vision and support, future generations can carry on Hugo’s legacy and apply mathematical concepts to advance transdisciplinary innovation.”

“This gift is a way to honor my appreciation for the role Rochester played in our formative years, and Hugo’s years as a board member and volunteer,” says Sonnenschein. “He loved math, Rochester, and the institution of higher education—he dedicated his life to all of this and more.”

Hugo Sonnenschein

Sonnenschein adds that Hugo majored in mathematics at Rochester, and, during his senior year, he found a reference in an economics journal that inspired him and became the basis for his lifelong work: the idea that important economic concepts could be modeled and hence better understood, using mathematics. For him, she underscores, it all started at Rochester.

Paul Funkenbusch, chair of the mathematics department, underscores that mathematics is foundational to many disciplines, often driving discoveries in engineering and the sciences and moving us toward solutions to such global issues as sustainable energy, cryptography, public health, and economic systems. “Because of this gift, the department will always have dedicated resources to help faculty and students pursue high-reward projects, giving them the freedom to study difficult questions and problems that span these areas and beyond.”

Hugo and Beth met during their first year at the University and married one year after graduation. Their three daughters, Rachel Mossi, Leah Schraudenbach, and Amy Venetianer were mathematics majors in college and, like their parents, have applied lessons learned from math into their careers and daily lives.

Alexander A. Levitan ’63M (MD) and his wife, Lucy, have given nearly $10 million—more than any living donor—to support the medical experience of students from around the world

Lucy Levitan and Alexander A. Levitan ’63M (MD)

Inspired to make education and research experiences possible for students at the URochester’s School of Medicine and Dentistry (SMD),��—a retired internist and oncologist—and his wife, Lucy, have given nearly $10 million to the school. Their philanthropy makes them the largest living donors in SMD’s history who have supported the medical experience of students from around the world through scholarships and fellowships.

But for the Levitans, supporting students goes far beyond financial assistance. They offer friendship, advice, and mentorship, long after the students have earned their degrees. They save every communication sent, attend their weddings and other major life events, and even travel abroad to meet the families of the international students whose lives they’ve changed.

Just ask Akosua Korboe ’16M (MD), the inaugural recipient of the . As a student from Ghana, Korboe was ineligible for federal loans without a US citizen co-signer. Thanks to the Levitan Scholarship, she was able to pursue her dream of attending medical school. Today, she is an accomplished internist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

“Without the Levitan’s support, I would not have been able to attend medical school,” says Korboe. “And although they aren’t my biological family, they feel like they are to me. “They have become family, pouring into me in countless ways, instilling values, believing in me, and always providing me with love and support. I’m forever grateful.”

Generosity brings generosity

Support from others has inspired Levitans to make education and research experiences possible for 19 students to date and many more to come. “Education has been the most valuable experience of my life,” says Al, who was a scholarship student at SMD and at Cornell University. “Without the generosity and the example of others, I never would have earned my degrees and I never would have had the life nor the career I’ve had.”

The couple started supporting SMD in 1976 with gifts to SMD’s annual fund and the Class of ’63’s reunion fund. Their specific support of students began in 2006, 43 years after Al’s graduation from medical school.That’s when they made a gift of $125,000 to establish the Levitan Scholarship. They have continued to contribute generously to that fund, growing its value and reach. In fiscal year 2023, they added an additional $5.2 million, ensuring that a Levitan Scholar graduates and joins the medical school each year, in perpetuity.

“The Levitan Family Endowed Scholarship stands out not only for its size but also for being the sole need-based full tuition and living expenses scholarship at the school, with a special focus on supporting international students,” says David Lambert, MD, senior associate dean of SMD. “These international students are not eligible for the kinds of support that US students can get and without the scholarship could not attend medical school.”

A legacy of giving and learning

The Levitans with Akosua Korboe ’16M (MD)

Al and Lucy also established the Alexander and Lucy Levitan Endowment for Medical Student Research Fellowships with a gift of $1.7 million. Because this fund exists, three medical students every year can take a year out of their four-year SMD curriculum to participate in a research program under the direction and mentorship of an established physician-scientist or basic scientist.

“Many of our alumni have shared that these experiences were career-transforming,” adds Lambert.

The family knows this from experience. Al’s father, Sacha, received financial support from the French government when he emigrated from Russia to France and attended college and medical school there. Later, Al’s family traveled the world due to his father’s work with the World Health Organization.

Al and Lucy named funds at both SMD and Cornell as ways to recognize the importance of scholarship support and international experiences and to honor Al’s father and the couple’s late daughter, Lara, who lost her battle with cancer in 2019.

“The story of Al and Lucy is one of inspiration and compassion, a testament to the power of giving and its potential to change lives,” adds Mark Taubman, MD, Ģ����ý Medical Center CEO and dean of SMD. “Their philanthropic legacy will forever resonate within the medical school, empowering future generations of students to realize their dreams and make a difference in the world of medicine and research.”

In turn, the couple gets to enrich their own lives with connections to people they view as members of their extended family.

“We are tremendously grateful for the support given to us,” says Lucy. “We have always wanted to give back in a similar way—to provide access and opportunities to talented, deserving medical students from around the world. As a result, we have met so many brilliant young people who will do great things in their lives and careers.”

After years of giving, Gwyn Hankinson, a breast cancer survivor, and her husband, Garth, add to their support of Wilmot with a major philanthropic gift in 2022

Gwyn Hankinson at the Wilmot Information Desk

Twenty-one years ago, Gwyn and Garth Hankinson got the news they’d been hoping to hear: they were going to have a baby. They were thrilled—not knowing that soon their lives would turn upside down.

“I’ll never forget the phone call that came a few days later,” says Gwyn. “the biopsy showed ‘abnormal results.’ I was in shock.” Further testing confirmed that Gwyn had invasive breast cancer and needed immediate treatment. She was just 33 years old and two months pregnant.

Gwyn and Garth quickly started researching options, knowing that her pregnancy would make things more complicated. Gwyn called everyone she knew who had any experience with cancer, including her mother in North Carolina who was just completing her own breast cancer treatment.

Within a few days, the couple had an appointment at the Wilmot Cancer Institute Comprehensive Breast Center. Gwyn learned that she could get treated while pregnant and that she and the baby would likely have a positive outcome. The couple was impressed by Wilmot’s research-based approach to breast cancer. They also liked that Gwyn could receive all of her care close to home at the URochester Medical Center, including high-risk OB/GYN support.

“It was a stressful time,” says Gwyn. “But we got through it thanks to Wilmot and many very helpful people.”

Gwyn’s cancer treatment took place in 2002. During that time, one last unexpected event took place: Her baby was born seven weeks early. Gwyn had been visiting a friend in Connecticut when she suddenly went into labor. Garth hurried to make the five-hour drive and arrived 15 minutes after the birth.

Today, Owen is a healthy, 21-year-old business major at SUNY Geneseo, and the couple’s other son, Henok, is a high school junior with hopes of playing college hockey.

“Wilmot means so much to us,” Gwyn says. “In a sense, they gave us our son. It was a place that gave us hope.”

“I owe my family and the life we have today to Wilmot,” adds Garth. “This is why we have supported and been involved with the institute for so long.”

A Major Commitment

Left to right: Henok, Gwyn, Garth, and Owen Hankinson

As a young couple in 2003, the Hankinsons wrote their first check to Wilmot for $100.

That support and their gratitude have blossomed over the years, financially and in other ways.

When Owen was a baby, for example, family members held a fundraising dinner that resulted in $3,000 for breast cancer research at Wilmot. The couple’s own annual donations have rarely missed a year since those early days.

In 2021, Garth took on a leadership role at Wilmot by joining its Advisory Board. By then, he had become chief financial officer at Constellation Brands, and was happy to contribute ideas and knowledge drawn from his professional career. The couple also attends and supports Wilmot’s Discovery Ball, the cancer center’s largest annual fundraiser.

And, for the past seven years—throughout the COVID-19 pandemic—Gwyn has volunteered at the information desk at Wilmot’s primary location on the URMC campus. She greets patients, answers questions, and offers a friendly face.

“I love coming here,” she says. “It’s just a privilege to be in an emotional space with someone who’s going through cancer.”

In 2022, the couple made a major philanthropic commitment to Wilmot to recognize the institute’s vital role in changing the course of breast cancer research and care, and the impact WCI has had on their own family. The couple’s $250,000 gift supports Wilmot’s Discovery Fund, which helps advance research, provide world-class oncology care, expand clinical trials for patients, and train future clinicians and scientists.

“If anyone asks us for cancer guidance we tell them to do their research and make decisions based on what’s right for them—cancer is so personal,” Gwyn advises. “We also tell them about our experiences at Wilmot and the important work being done there. We’re proud to be associated with such a vital resource in our community.”

“Everyone at Wilmot was there for us 20 years ago—from the oncologists to the nurses to the office staff,” adds Garth. “We are now in a fortunate position to give back to the institute, to show our gratitude, and to do our part to help others have access to the exceptional, empathetic care and support we received.”

This story also appears in the summer issue of Wilmot’s Dialogue magazine.

— Kristine Kappel Thompson, spring 2023

Five minutes with David Figlio, Provost and Gordon Fyfe Professor of Economics and Education

As provost and chief academic officer, what do you see as the University’s top opportunities and challenges?

A university’s role is to enable boundless possibilities for people within its community. That’s why our goal from an academic perspective must be to make sure our students, faculty, and staff find that this is a place not only to study and work but to truly thrive.

The University’s new strategic plan—which we will communicate more about early next year—aligns with this thinking. In it, we will outline how we will create conditions for people to achieve their highest aspirations. Central to this is figuring out the infrastructure needed to do that and looking at what’s getting in our way.

What can you share with us now about the strategic plan?

We will focus on the University’s deep, broad, and wide excellence as a scholarly and creative hub. First, we must make sure that the areas where we have established distinctions, as well as emerging ones, are as strong as possible. We also need to identify new areas where we can be particularly consequential.

Second, we must continue to create, preserve, and disseminate knowledge and develop robust educational programs. This means considering what could be possible if we had no constraints. We need to be the model for the 21st century for the residential research university so that our graduates can continue to flourish and lead.

A third area involves our relationship with the City of Rochester and our region. We benefit from a vibrant, healthy, and successful Rochester, and as the region’s largest employer and with our myriad partnerships, we play a large role in contributing to Rochester’s success. Our strategic plan embraces this relationship.

What is the University doing to recruit a diverse faculty?

Smart institutions are addressing this, for instance, through cluster hires, which involve hiring multiple faculty members who have complementary academic interests at the same time. They can help recruit one another, become a cohort, and can take away some of the pressure felt by a lone underrepresented person in a unit. We need to do more of this.

We also must address what universities often do, which is trying to diversify faculty by hiring those who have been traditionally underrepresented at the entry level. Suppose that most of an institution’s faculty from historically marginalized communities are all junior people? What kind of dynamic and culture does that create and sustain? Junior faculty have less influence than those with more years in the profession. I endorse not only cluster hiring, but also making sure we hire underrepresented faculty at all career stages and across all fields.��

As an education and health policy expert, what has your research revealed that readers might find surprising?

I started studying the relationship between early health and educational outcomes about a decade ago. I tracked over one million kids from birth through elementary and secondary school and found that the higher their birthweight, no matter what the birthweight, the better their later educational outcomes. Birthweight can also be an indicator of maternal health during pregnancy, and it can be a proxy for other aspects of fetal development.

For instance, I looked at gestational exposure to environmental toxicants. It turns out that low birthweight affects not only overall health but also cognitive development. This is because the blood-brain barrier is most porous during gestation. So, if you are exposed to toxic waste in your environment in utero, those toxins will go straight to your brain. One lesson from this is that we can’t think about our health and cognition as being separate. We need to think about human wellness holistically. At Rochester, we have people looking at human flourishing from so many different dimensions. This is something that drew me here.

What are your favorite kinds of books to read?

I love reading fiction featuring people who feel caught between worlds. Among my favorites in this genre is Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, a novel about a Nigerian woman attending a PhD program in the U.S. who is always walking a tightrope of sorts, trying to find her place within every potential community with which she might affiliate. Another novel I read more recently that touched on very different themes but that affected me in similar ways is Crossroads by Jonathan Franzen. I couldn’t put either book down.

These books are relatable: We are all trying to figure out who are we, what we stand for, who our people are. They confront the messiness that is part of our human condition. They remind me of the importance of the humanities, too—we all live in societies, work in organizations, exist in families, and we spend so much of our time engaging with other people. Much misunderstanding happens when we fail to consider a situation from another person’s perspective. I find that there is no better way to explore this, and to put myself in someone else’s shoes than to read narratives.

An alumnus and longtime donor, Fred Schindler reflects on the gift he and his wife made to establish the Frederick J. and Marion A. Schindler Cognitive Neurophysiology Lab, supporting research on autism and development disabilities.

From left: Sophie Glover, Marion A. Schindler, Frederick J. Schindler ’57, Mark Taubman, MD, Ed Freedman, PhD, John Foxe, PhD. View a and interview.

Frederick J. Schindler ’57 graduated from the Ģ����ý with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry. He went on to earn a PhD in biophysics from the University of Pennsylvania and spent 40 years working in chemical product research and development before launching a second career as a science teacher at Hill Top Preparatory School in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. The school is known for providing life-changing learning experiences for bright students with performance-based learning differences. Through teaching, Schindler met his wife Marion, an educator and former English department chair at another Philadelphia-area school.

Now fully in retirement, Schindler has pursued a self-study of scientific literature related to behavior and mental health, with an emphasis on “brain training” interventions for attention deficit disorders, autism, and age-related dementia. Following a discussion with , and , of the Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience in 2019, Schindler made a gift that funded two proof of concept research projects: “Adding Autism and High-Density Electrophysiology to the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study,” to further develop these novel and strategic areas of the overall study at Del Monte.

and the were proud to name the in May 2022, in grateful recognition of the Schindlers’ generosity and their passion to support research that will enable neuroscience-based interventions for autism.

Why name the Cognitive Neurophysiology Lab?

Marion and I are very encouraged by the research that is being done here and by the leadership and scientists who are doing that work. It goes beyond the Department of Neuroscience, making connections across the Ģ����ý as a whole. So that’s very rewarding to see. Previously, we established a for the benefit of the , and we are now adding to it with our gift to the Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience. This CRUT is professionally managed and diversified and provides us with a steady income stream for the rest of our lives. From a financial planning point of view, it’s been an excellent way to give. And I think that’s a win-win for everybody.

I’m very appreciative to the University staff for listening to my interests and helping me align them with my giving. Once I heard about The , it was very natural to support the project.

In addition to the CRUT, we also made a cash gift for the University’s immediate use, and we’re hearing some of the results of that project already.

Frederick J. Schindler ’57, Interpres student yearbook

When you reflect on your time at the URochester, are there distinct aspects of your education that you have brought forward into your career?

During my senior year in high school, I thought I was a real hotshot in my local community. I was getting good grades and all. Then I participated in the Westinghouse Science Talent Search and realized how little I knew. It was an epiphany that set me on the path of lifelong learning. I received a scholarship to attend the URochester, and for those four years I learned all I could about chemistry, physics, and biology. I had an intense focus on my studies, while being supported by wonderful professors and graduate assistants.

My record at Rochester led to a PhD fellowship in the prestigious biophysics program with Britton Chance at the University of Pennsylvania. During my graduate school years and my career in chemical research and development, I brought forward that same intense focus on continuous learning. I enjoyed working on challenging projects.

The Ģ����ý gave me a real leg up in my career.

What was it like making a shift from your career in research to teaching science to kids with special needs?

I felt like a complete rookie since I had never worked with kids, let alone those with special needs. I was not what you might call a natural teacher. However, I quickly learned that the kids did not care how much science I knew, they just wanted to know how much I cared for them. I had a lot of support from the parents, administration, and other faculty. The students ranged widely in their academic capability from a little below average to some extremely bright students. All of them had some type of significant learning or social difficulty. I tried to teach science at a high level to those students who were excelling, but I was also very patient and accommodating.

I had a large classroom and store room in the basement that was completely separate from the other classrooms, with an outside door facing a wooded area. This all made it easier to teach using engaging hands-on demos and activities. We did robotics. We did aquaponics. We did an engineering competition each year. It was wonderful to see the students grow. It was a demanding, but very rewarding job for me for 13 years.

It sounds like you and Mrs. Schindler have a shared commitment to helping young people with autism. How did you become passionate about researching autism and developmental diseases?

Our specific interest in autism developed through relationships with Hill Top School. Of course, we all have our personal stories of relatives and friends who have these types of difficulties. My wife, Marion has had, in addition to her teaching experience, a lifetime of supporting two sons who were identified as having “immature brain development” back in the ’60s. Today, they would have a more specific diagnosis. Back then, what made it especially tough was that the prevailing attitude was to blame the parents. So at least we’ve come a long way from that.

Despite the best efforts of parents, teachers, physicians, and therapists, genetic and developmental differences often remain obstacles to success in higher education and the workplace. I saw this first-hand at Hill Top. What is needed is improvement in cost-effective therapies with the potential for reversing or compensating for genetic or developmental differences, and I want to learn broadly about these possibilities. We all know that the brain can be changed through therapy and mindfulness. Imagine if we used technology to actually look at those brain signals? How could we use this information to help a person adapt?

What impact do you hope this research will have in the field?

Researchers from the Frederick J. and Marion A. Schindler Cognitive Neurophysiology Lab gather around Frederick and Marion Schindler after the lab’s dedication.

I am very optimistic that the contributions from this laboratory will be tremendous. But certainly, I recognize what a difficult problem it is and the challenges that are involved in going from the basic science to clinical practice or classroom interventions. I applaud the effort that Dr. Foxe’s group is making to engage high school students in neuroscience. I still think that a school is the ideal place to assess best practices for identifying approaches for assisting students with autism. I am encouraged that there are possibilities, and I look forward to learning more about them.

The lives of family members inspire an engineer to improve health care in Africa.

Mercy Asiedu ’14

Mercy Asiedu ’14 knows all too well the staggering human toll that results from the lack of basic health care in developing countries.

“Diagnostic and preventative medicine is really lacking,” says Asiedu, whose own family members in Ghana have paid the price. “People die and we don’t even know why.”

One of her aunts died, apparently of pancreatic cancer, because her illness went undiagnosed. Another aunt died when nobody noticed she was aspirating while in childbirth. A grandmother succumbed to diabetes because of the lack of proper monitoring and shortages of medications.

“That’s what inspired me to go into medical devices and diagnostics,” says Asiedu, a postdoctoral research scientist at MIT, whose efforts to address health care problems in sub-Sahara Africa earned her an inaugural Patrick J. McGovern Tech for Humanity Changemakers award from the Computer History Museum earlier this year.

The award will support two start-up companies Asiedu has launched. Both use advances in machine learning to provide preventative and diagnostic health care to chronic disease victims in sub-Sahara Africa.

One of the companies, Calla Health, is about to market an FDA–cleared, low-cost, portable cervical cancer screening device, the Pocket Colposcope, for use by midwives or community health workers. Asiedu developed AI-based algorithms for the device as part of her PhD research to enable automated risk assessment. Asiedu is also leading efforts to develop and commercialize a version of the cervical cancer screening device that women can use to screen themselves.

The other company, GAPhealth, cofounded with Bintou Kaira, a chemical engineer from Gambia, is developing a data-driven, personalized mobile app designed to make it easier for patients with noncommunicable diseases to monitor their symptoms and connect by telehealth with doctors when they need help. The mobile app, inspired by both cofounders watching their mothers struggle with diabetes, is set to be piloted in Ghana and Gambia this year.

Asiedu was born and raised in a small village near Kumasi, one of Ghana’s largest cities, where her father, an agricultural research scientist, and her mother, a former IT specialist, were employed.

In junior high school, Asiedu aspired to be a fashion designer. However, at her mother’s urging, she pursued a science track in high school because of the better career opportunities it offered. “I found that I really enjoyed it,” Asiedu says.

She initially planned to stay in Ghana to attend medical school. The Zawadi Africa Education Fund scholarship, however, gave Asiedu an opportunity to apply to select undergraduate programs in the United States. The biomedical engineering program at Rochester caught her eye because of its high ranking and because of the support of all-tuition-paid Renaissance and Global Merit scholarships that the University offered. Despite her uncertainties about studying in the US, she followed her mother’s advice and accepted.

Asiedu found an academic home in the Department of Biomedical Engineering. She soon switched her focus from medical school to biomedical engineering, with a focus in biomechanics and medical devices.

Amy Lerner, an associate professor of biomedical engineering, “was one of the most amazing mentors I have had—just very thoughtful and approachable with how she worked with her students, which is something I really appreciated as an undergraduate and even more so now.” Asiedu says.

Drawing on the lessons she learned from her coursework in biomechanics and her senior design project at Rochester, Asiedu began developing the cervical cancer self-screening device as part of her PhD research at Duke University. She worked from concept through prototyping and had opportunities to conduct clinical trials in Peru and Ghana. She is pursuing her postdoc at MIT to further understand how new machine-learning techniques can be applied to large medical data sets, which will help her companies.

Asiedu is currently taking a six-month maternity leave from her postdoc. Her baby boy is the first child for Asiedu and her husband, Jonah, a former research scientist at Duke, who also now works for a start-up company.

As a woman and person of color, Asiedu is doubly representative of large segments of the population who remain underrepresented in STEM fields.

At Duke, she was founder and president of the African Graduate and Professional Students Association, which created mentorship programs for minority and African undergraduates. She also gives talks to high school students about her experiences, encouraging women and minorities in particular to consider science and engineering.

Her advice: “Dedicate time to studying what you are passionate about but also be kind to yourself. When you are in fields like biomedical engineering or pursuing a PhD, and you find it really challenging, you are tempted to think, because you are a minority, that you are the only person going through those challenges. But you should realize that most people in those programs find them challenging. You just have to make it through by keeping the end goal in mind. Having a support group and community that can encourage you to keep going when the going gets tough is especially important.”

This article originally appeared in the fall 2021 issue of Rochester Review magazine