Tulane receives $2 million gift from Robert Grossman and Elisabeth Cohen to establish endowed scholarship for outstanding students

A new scholarship fund will help Tulane University attract and retain the best and brightest students for generations to come, thanks to a $2 million commitment from longtime university supporters Robert I. Grossman and Elisabeth J. Cohen.

The gift will establish the Robert I. Grossman, MD and Elisabeth J. Cohen, MD Scholarship, which will provide merit-based scholarship support to undergraduate students across Tulane's schools and colleges.

For Grossman, a 1969 Phi Beta Kappa graduate and scholarship student at Tulane who is widely regarded as one of the most influential academic medical leaders in modern American medicine, the gift reflects a profoundly personal commitment to ensuring that future students have access to the same transformative opportunities that helped shape his life and career.

"Elisabeth and Bob understand firsthand the life-changing difference scholarship funding can make for students," Tulane University President Michael A. Fitts said. "Bob's experience as a scholarship recipient at Tulane helped launch a remarkable journey that would lead him to become one of the most esteemed academic medical leaders of his generation, while Elisabeth has distinguished herself as a pioneering physician-scientist, educator and mentor whose impact has been felt by countless clinicians and researchers. Their extraordinary accomplishments embody the power of educational opportunity."

Fitts added that "the gift will help Tulane recruit the most outstanding students in every field and empower them to pursue opportunities that can have a profound impact not only on the students who receive them, but on society as a whole. I'm deeply grateful for the vision and enduring commitment to Tulane and its students that this gift represents."

The new scholarship fund is the latest expression of the couple's ongoing dedication to Tulane, where they have supported a range of university priorities over the years, most notably the university's study-abroad program.

"This merit scholarship reflects our belief that talented students should have every chance to pursue their aspirations and realize their potential," said Cohen. "Bob and I are impressed with the superior education offered at Tulane."

"Tulane gave me an opportunity as an undergrad that changed the course of my life, and now it's nice to give a little back," Grossman said. "As a scholarship student, I benefited from an education and experiences that widened my horizons, challenged me intellectually and opened doors I never could have imagined.

"We are honored to support future students whose curiosity, determination and leadership will help address the challenges and possibilities of the future," added Grossman, who is an emeritus member of the Board of Tulane.

"Scholarships are often the deciding factor for students choosing among highly competitive universities," said Robin Forman, senior vice president for academic affairs and provost. "And they improve retention and academic success by reducing financial stresses. The Grossman-Cohen Scholarship will help Tulane attract superlative students who will enrich both our campus and whatever professional communities they join after graduation, further enhancing our status as one of the country's leading research universities."

The new scholarship continues a legacy of generosity from Cohen and Grossman, who were recently inducted into the Paul Tulane Society, the university's most prestigious philanthropic recognition, reserved for individuals and organizations whose cumulative giving exceeds $1 million.

In 2015, the couple established the Robert I. Grossman, MD and Elisabeth J. Cohen, MD Endowed Fund for Study Abroad, which supports students participating in Newcomb-Tulane College study abroad programs. Their enthusiasm for global learning opportunities was inspired in part by Grossman's own formative undergraduate experience studying in London through Tulane's Junior Year Abroad Honors Program, an experience that broadened his perspective and helped shape the intellectual curiosity and global outlook that would define his career.

In addition to his Board of Tulane service, Grossman has served as a member of the President's Council, the School of Science and Engineering Board of Advisors, and multiple reunion committees. In 2024, he was honored with the Tulane Alumni Association's Distinguished Alumni Award.

From 2007 to 2025, Grossman served as chief executive officer of NYU Langone Health and dean of the NYU School of Medicine, leading a period of historic growth and transformation that helped establish NYU Langone among the nation's premier academic health systems and elevating the medical school to national prominence. In 2019, the school was named the NYU Grossman School of Medicine in his honor. He currently serves as executive vice president to the board of trustees of NYU Langone Health.

Cohen is a distinguished ophthalmologist, educator and researcher who retired as a clinical professor in the Department of Ophthalmology at the Grossman School of Medicine. During her career, she has trained generations of clinicians and researchers, published more than 300 peer-reviewed papers and earned numerous honors for her contributions to medicine and education.

Cohen served on the editorial board of the Archives of Ophthalmology from 1994 to 2013 and became a member of the American Ophthalmological Society in 2009. In 2015 the Cornea Society awarded her the Castroviejo Medal, its highest honor.