NYU Langone Health and the NYU Long Island School of Medicine (LISM) in Mineola, New York, have announced a $200 million gift from Home Depot co-founder Kenneth Langone and his wife, Elaine.

The gift from the NYU Langone board chair and his wife, both Giving Pledge signatories, will enable the medical school to offer full-tuition scholarships to all students regardless of need in perpetuity and pivot the school’s curriculum to focus on primary care. The school, which opened in 2019, will be renamed the NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine after Robert Grossman, NYU Langone CEO and dean of the NYU Grossman School of Medicine in New York City, which became tuition free in 2018 with the support of Kenneth Langone and other contributors.

According to NYU Langone, the full-tuition scholarships will eliminate more than $200,000 in future debt for medical students at LISM, where tuition is more than $59,000 a year. Eighty-five percent of the school’s graduates remain in New York for their training after graduation.

“With this gift, LISM will continue to attract the brightest minds from diverse backgrounds, fostering a new generation of healthcare professionals who will make significant contributions to improving the health and well-being of our communities,” said NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine dean Gladys Ayala. “Our students have the opportunity to receive a world-class education without the burden of overwhelming student debt.”

“Our goal has always been to offer exceptional opportunities to the most talented students,” said Grossman. “The focus on primary care at NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine also allows them to meet a critical need in our local communities and have a real impact.”

(Photo credit: Getty Images/sturti)