Hostos Community College recently announced the creation of the Randi Potack, Dorothy Hausberg and Judith Z. Potack Memorial Endowed Scholarship. This scholarship, established by the college’s 2023 Gala honoree Michael Potack,and his three sons and their wives, Robert (Julie), David (Samantha), and Jonathan (Erica), will ultimately total nearly half a million dollars and fund countless scholarships for students in Hostos’ registered nurse (RN) program — year after year — in perpetuity. It is the largest endowed scholarship gift in the history of the college.
The Potacks’ gift and pledge will also earn a 25% match provided by City University of New York (CUNY) and made possible by a New York State earmark. The matching funds will make it possible to disburse more than sixty $2,000 awards between now and June 30, 2025, while the endowment matures, to students completing the final two semesters of Hostos’ RN program.
Hostos students, who primarily come from households earning less than $30,000 annually, are drawn to the College’s RN program for its high state rankings and the College’s commitment to supporting culturally and linguistically diverse students. Hostos RN students consistently out perform the state average on licensure exam pass rates and have excellent job placement rates. With this associate degree, students can earn an entry-level salary over $70,000.
The importance of nursing education has never been more evident; however, it is estimated that within a decade, New York City will be short roughly 40,000 nurses to perform essential duties. Nursing majors face more challenges than many other students. RN programs require expensive equipment, books, and licensure exams. Particularly in the last semesters of the program, when students are eligible for this scholarship, the scheduling and demands of clinical work often preclude them from continuing previous jobs or taking on new employment. With this historic gift, the Potack family will make a tremendous impact—not just in the lives of Hostos students pursuing an RN, but in the future of healthcare in New York City.
The scholarships honor the memory of three beloved women in the Potack family whose care and concern for others has had a profound and enduring impact not only on Potack family members but also the Bronx community. Michael states, “we are inspired by the effort and sacrifice that so many Hostos students display with the goal of improving access to quality healthcare in the Community and promoting health equity. It is an honor to be able to work with Hostos to promote this important pursuit, in the name of Randi, Dorothy and Judith, whom all shared an incredible empathy and care for anyone they ever knew.”
The Foundation is grateful to the Potacks for their years of partnership and their continued investment in Hostos students and the improvement of healthcare through nursing. A CUNY alumnus himself, Michael Potack understands the importance of accessible higher education. At a Hostos reception, Mr. Potack shared, “I am a product of city public schools and CUNY…and in those days, the tuition for all students was $25 per semester. Unfortunately, those rates don’t exist anymore, which is why for many years I, and my family, have provided funding to support this institution and [its] hardworking students.”
The Potack family has provided scholarships at Hostos for more than a decade. Their support has uplifted dozens of students through several scholarships for nursing students and the Bridge Tuition Support Assistance (BTSA) fund. Erika Francis, a 2024 RN graduate and recent recipient of the current Randi Potack, Judith Z. Potack, and Dorothy Hausberg Scholarship, shared, “I am grateful to the Potack Family for this scholarship, which will benefit me and other nursing students for many years to come. It is because of your dedication and commitment to supporting nursing students that we are able to attend nursing school without the burden of financial stress and excel in our studies. This contribution will have a lasting impact in our lives as students, but also in the broader healthcare landscape, for years to come and for that we will forever be grateful.”
The Foundation and the College are deeply grateful to the Potack family for their belief in Hostos students and their continued partnership.
If you would like to learn more about creating an endowed scholarship at the College, please contact Vice President of Institutional Advancement Colette Atkins at 718-518-4417 or via email at catkins@hostos.cuny.edu.
