When Ross Wisnewski and alumnus George Reeves decided to donate $4 million to The Cooper Union last year, they were partly motivated by a sentiment expressed by the renowned physicist Stephen Hawking. Commenting on Einstein’s decision to donate his brain for study, Hawking said he was less concerned with the contours of a genius’s brain than the tragedy of all the geniuses who never had the opportunity to realize their talents. Reeves has had much the same concern since he graduated from Cooper in 1964 with a degree in mechanical engineering. As a recipient of a free, world-class education, he has frequently reflected on the ways his life would have been wholly different had it not been for Peter Cooper and his vision of free education for all. There's ability in everyone, and it's not dependent on race or inheritance or gender, or location of birth, says Reeves. “I think there's still a huge underserved population of really smart kids. And that's what Cooper Union does, is serve them.”

Wisnewski and Reeves, both the first in their families to go to college, were initially going to leave a bequest for the school, but decided instead that now was the right time to make their momentous gift: not only have they been continually impressed with the progress Cooper has made in returning to full-tuition scholarships, they are both troubled by the growing number of American students graduating with extraordinary debt before even entering the workforce.

Wisnewski says, “I'm so delighted at the thought of students who are going to be able to walk out the doors of Cooper without the burden of an incredible debt from their education. They're going to be ready to do amazing things in the world, and it's, it's such a gift to be a part of that.”

The couple knows better than most the world’s deep need for innovative thinking to combat climate crisis. For 40 years they ran an energy consulting firm, George Reeves Associates. (Wisnewski, who is an economist, quips, “My ego turned out to be strong enough to handle that.”) They taught companies how to store and conserve energy in order to use it efficiently. Initially Reeves had worked for the Edison Electric Institute, an association that represents all U.S. investor-owned electric companies, where he worked with customers to maximize their energy efficiency. It was a job that required a great deal of interpersonal acumen, and he credits Cooper with giving him a wider world view than many engineers receive, an education that valued culture as much as technology.  (He recalls taking a course in medieval music that once met at the Cloisters to hear “The Song of Daniel” played on a harpsichord.) Those sorts of experiences helped him connect to his many clients over the years.

Wisnewski, who largely ran the data management end of the company’s business, calls her collaboration with Reeves “a lovely shared experience.” They each controlled separate aspects of the firm, careful not to impede on the other’s domain. Reeves is fond of pointing out a favorite line of his wife’s: “You know why they call it a personal computer, don’t you?” That conscious separation of boundaries made for a highly productive alliance.

While reflecting on their 40 years of married and professional life together, they came to realize that, though they had provided a secure financial future for their children and grandchildren, they also wanted to leave a legacy that reached many others. As business partners, they learned that timing is critical, and they’re convinced that this moment in Cooper’s history—as the school gets ever closer to raising the money needed to get back to full-tuition scholarships—is the right time to give a substantial gift that can have meaningful impact on Cooper’s future. Wisnewski says, “It just is so compelling to us right now, to want to take advantage of all the opportunities and to make a contribution.”

To build on the fundraising momentum, the two have requested that their donation be structured as a challenge grant to keep the Cooper mission going and inspire others to participate. They see their contribution as an expression of their faith in Cooper and all that future generations can accomplish. Wisnewski sums up their excitement about the gift and their hopes that it will spur others to donate: “What I would like is for the emotion that George and I have be matched, the enthusiasm that the leadership has, the commitment that they have for this job, I’d like for that to be matched. It’s such a great cause, such a wonderful institution, so I hope you’ll join us.”

To donate to this challenge, see our giving page here.