Jay Paul estate leaves $1 Million to NYU Meyers

NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing’s Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing (HIGN) received a one-million-dollar gift from the estate of Jay R. Paul. Paul was a long-time supporter of the Institute thanks to HIGN Executive Director & Clinical Professor Tara Cortes whose leadership inspired his interest and philanthropy. With a mission to advance age-sensitive and equitable healthcare for older adults, HIGN’s goal is to shape the quality of healthcare for all older adults and the Institute has been a leader in this space at the NYU Meyers College of Nursing for more than 25 years.

This generous gift will be used in two ways. Funds will be used to award two scholarships annually to undergraduate nursing students in the HIGN nursing elective course program who wish to pursue a career focusing on geriatric nursing. These students will conduct special projects with HIGN and receive mentorship from Meyers faculty with geriatrics expertise.

The gift will also be used to support HIGN’s ongoing national and global programs and projects that provide specialized geriatric education for faculty, clinicians, and community members in acute, long-term care, and community and home settings. Faculty in nursing and medicine have used the resources of HIGN for more than two decades to advance their knowledge and practice in quality care of older adults. Recent work with senior workers has driven improvements in learning about the needs of community-living older adults in senior centers.

Joseph Robert “Jay” Paul was born in Montreal and earned a BA in Fine Arts from McGill University. He then moved to New York to begin a distinguished career in advertising.

With residences in New York City, Bridgehampton, and Naples, Paul had many friends who were touched by his kindness and good nature. He had particular joie de vivre and loved music and ballroom dancing. Throughout his life, he was a great patron of the arts. His philanthropy also extended to medical institutions. Along with his generous support of HIGN, Paul supported St. Vincent’s Hospital in Rye, NY, American Heart Association, East End Hospice, Southampton Hospital, and Lighthouse for the Blind.

Paul’s legacy for giving back to causes he cared about will live on through the important work of HIGN.