Paying it Forward: How Ellen B. Fuhr is Empowering Jewish Women at Hunter College
When Ellen Fuhr attended Hunter College as a first-generation college student in the 1960s, the institution was still over a decade away from charging tuition.
鈥淚t was a city college, and it was free,鈥 Fuhr recalled. 鈥淎nd if it wasn’t free, I wouldn’t be going to college. There was no way my parents could afford any tuition.鈥
Today, tuition at Hunter costs thousands of dollars and doesn鈥檛 include other expenses like books, housing, or meal plans. And while Hunter is still one of the most affordable public universities in the country, Ellen knows that 鈥渕ost affordable鈥 doesn鈥檛 necessarily mean 鈥渆asy to afford.鈥
鈥淓ven students who receive scholarships are often still working through college,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 remember one young woman who received my scholarship held a job all through her undergraduate degree and all through medical school. Her father passed away while she was in college and she only had her mother, and she worked so, so hard. And if anyone deserved help, it was her.鈥
Ellen knows this struggle personally. As a daughter of an immigrant family, Ellen was raised with strong Jewish faith, determination, and resilience. As an undergraduate, Ellen worked tirelessly 鈥 juggling her studies, multiple jobs, and the challenges of making ends meet in New York City. Her perseverance paid off, leading to a long, fulfilling career as a teacher at Fort Hamilton High School in Brooklyn.
Ellen never forgot the challenges she faced in college. That鈥檚 why, in 2019, she decided it was time to give back. 鈥淚 wanted to ease the way for other young Jewish women like me,鈥 she said. Her generosity has made a profound impact on Hunter Hillel and its students, helping to address food insecurity, fund scholarships, and support a welcoming community.
鈥淓llen filled an enormous need,鈥 says Merav Fine Braun, executive director of Hunter Hillel. 鈥淪he provided a lifeline to so many deserving students.鈥
With the guidance of her financial advisor, Marc Coopersmith of RBC Wealth Management, Ellen used strategic gifts like qualified charitable distributions from her individual retirement account (IRA) and a donor-advised fund to maximize her impact. Most recently, Ellen partnered with 精东影业 to establish a named scholarship ensuring that her legacy of generosity will continue to uplift and empower the next generation.
The Ellen B. Fuhr Scholarship for Jewish Women at Hunter College offers $5,000 per year to Jewish women at Hunter with a proven record of leadership, entrepreneurship, or volunteerism within their campus or local community. In addition to empowering Jewish women to reach their full potential and to support and uplift future leaders, Ellen鈥檚 hope is that the scholarship will allow these women to pursue their education with less financial strain and insecurity.
To ensure this scholarship lives on beyond Ellen鈥檚 lifetime,聽 Ellen decided to make her commitment to Hillel part of her estate plan. 鈥淚 wanted to make sure it was an ongoing project, because I don鈥檛 see the need ending,鈥 she said. Ellen named Hillel as a beneficiary of her estate. For Ellen, leaving a legacy is more than passing on valuables; it鈥檚 about passing on shared values.聽聽
The students who receive this scholarship often remain in touch with Ellen through deeply personal email and video updates. 鈥淭hey’ve been telling me what they鈥檝e been doing since they graduated, and it’s amazing what they鈥檙e achieving,鈥 she said. 鈥淚t makes me proud to think that they鈥檙e giving back when they can.鈥
Interested in learning more about Hillel鈥檚 supporters? Read their stories and learn more about why they choose to support Hillel.