Carrying the Torch
Visionary Donors
Empowering NYU to Fulfill Its Goal of Transforming Our World Through Education
Albert Gallatin envisioned this university as an institution accessible to all, and scholarships are key to making his paramount goal a reality. The four gifts showcased here will enable deserving students to pursue their passions regardless of socioeconomic background and, in turn, to contribute to solving society’s most vexing challenges. The gifts also help NYU stay at the forefront of innovation and maintain its reputation as a center of academic and research excellence. Simply put, these acts of extraordinary generosity are cause for both gratitude and hope for the future.
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THE BENEFACTOR
Anne E. Tasca
THE RECIPIENT
Stern School of Business
THE VISION
Anne E. Tasca (STERN ’88) has made a landmark $53.6 million gift that represents three remarkable milestones for NYU Stern: the largest single gift in the school’s history, the largest total giving amount from a woman donor, and the largest total testamentary commitment ever received from a single donor by the school. Tasca’s gift will go primarily toward funding student scholarships at the undergraduate and MBA levels with a focus especially on global study and immersive travel to foster learning through an international lens. The gift will also endow a faculty chair in the name of her father, economist and American diplomat Henry J. Tasca.
“Education goes beyond just being an important goal for bright young students—it is the bedrock of our society and the foundation of our future,” says Tasca. “I am thrilled to be providing talented students access to the extraordinary and life-changing opportunities that will come from an education at the Stern School and will enable them to become the shapers of tomorrow.”
In honor of Tasca and her unprecedented bequest, and independent of the many scholarships that will eventually be funded by her generous gift, NYU Stern will, in each year from the 2023–24 academic year, award four new scholarships in Tasca’s name, two each in the undergraduate and MBA programs.
“There is only one word to describe Anne’s generosity, and that is ‘breathtaking,’ ” says Raghu Sundaram, dean of NYU Stern. “We are deeply honored that she has chosen to make this truly exceptional gift to the Stern School. She is leaving a legacy that will provide generations of future Tasca Scholars access to the power of education and the ability to pursue it along with their dreams.”
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THE BENEFACTORS
Thierry Sender & Lana Sze
THE RECIPIENT
Tandon School of Engineering
THE VISION
When Thierry Sender (TANDON ’91, ’96) and Lana Sze (TANDON ’91, ’94) first crossed paths at the Polytechnic Institute, their various shared experiences including being immigrants and first-generation college students formed a strong bond. Despite pursuing different academic disciplines—Sender in aerospace engineering and Sze in electrical engineering—they even shared a few classes. In 1993, they took their relationship a step further and got married.
As the years passed, Sender and Sze found themselves on unanticipated career paths—Sender as the director of the Internet of Things at Verizon and Sze involved in various start-ups and investment banks. Although they had not maintained ties with their alma mater since its merger with NYU to form the NYU Tandon School of Engineering, they were driven by a strong desire to positively impact students from similar intersectional backgrounds.
Motivated to make a difference, Sender and Sze chose to reconnect with NYU Tandon and immerse themselves in student mentorship and career advising opportunities. They also funded a scholarship specifically tailored for engineering students who are the first in their families to attend college. Through the support of Sze and Sender, numerous future first-generation students facing financial hurdles will be able to accept their admission offers and thrive in their engineering studies.
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THE BENEFACTORS
Greg Albanis & Richard Harrison
THE RECIPIENT
LGBTQ+ Center
THE VISION
Greg Albanis’ (WSUC ’78, WAG ’80) NYU connections are vast. Not only is he a dual-degree alumnus himself, but his parents met at an NYU club for Greek Americans, and many aunts, uncles, and cousins also attended the university. However, it’s his positive impact on generations of students during his 35-year tenure as a beloved NYU employee—culminating in the senior director of university events role, where he oversaw commencement—of which he’s proudest.
When Albanis and his husband, Richard Harrison, decided to make a commitment to the university in their retirement, they knew they wanted to further Albanis’ wonderful impact on students and tie in their lifelong dedication to LGBTQ+ rights. They decided to endow the LGBTQ+ Student Emergency Fund—now known as the Greg Albanis and Richard Harrison LGBTQ+ Student Emergency Fund—so that students facing difficult circumstances in their personal lives would forever be supported.
Albanis and Harrison’s generosity will impact students in perpetuity, enabling those navigating challenging situations to overcome adversity and achieve their dreams. When asked what inspired their support, Albanis said, “It is so important for alumni to give back. Being at NYU was transformative for me, and NYU will always be part of my DNA.”
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THE BENEFACTOR
The Max Stenbeck Charitable Trust
THE RECIPIENT
NYU Entrepreneurial Institute
THE VISION
The NYU Entrepreneurial Institute is proud to announce the launch of the Max Stenbeck Venture Equity Program, which aims to help NYU founders committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in entrepreneurship learn the fundamentals of fundraising.
While raising capital is a challenging task for any entrepreneur, the process is especially difficult for women, nonbinary people, and people of color. Thanks to the generosity of the Max Stenbeck Charitable Trust and the leadership of Sophie Stenbeck (CAS ’04), the program aims to provide NYU entrepreneurs committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion with knowledge to assess whether venture funding is a fit and, if so, equip them with tools and empower them to develop a successful fundraising process in the future. Through a series of workshops, emerging NYU entrepreneurs will learn about investment mechanics, soft skills, and deal terms. Both during and after the program, participants will have the opportunity to meet investors and other advisers through office hours and coaching. The $2 million gift was made in honor of the legacy of entrepreneur and philanthropist Max Stenbeck, who was a passionate believer in technology for good and an advocate for equal opportunities and for the rights of vulnerable children