Gallaudet Today Magazine
Spring/Summer 2021
Sandra “Sandy” Goldstein, ’69, was a teacher for 48 years, working at several schools, mostly in the Chicago area. In July of 2017, Sandra announced her retirement to Gallaudet’s Office of Alumni Relations, saying, “Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.”
At the time of her retirement, not many people knew that she had been diagnosed with cancer. She passed away the following March at the age of 72. In 2019, some of Sandra’s former students hosted a memorial service for her in Chicago, with Tom Adamo, ’85, leading the traditional Jewish service.
Three years after her passing, Sandra’s trustee reached out to Gallaudet with some news: she had identified Gallaudet University as a beneficiary for her trust, bequeathing the University $1.3 million. The trust, intended to protect her assets and to ensure that she was provided for during her retirement, is proof that Sandra had thought carefully and strategically about how to maximize the impact of her savings not only for herself, but for the place she loved—Gallaudet.
Media: Sandra “Sandy” Goldstein, ’69 Teacher
“Sandra was a loyal supporter of Gallaudet for many years,” said Nicholas Gould, ’09, Executive Director of Institutional Advancement. “With her gifts, she would sometimes include a handwritten note remembering a cherished memory of her time at Gallaudet, which were a wonderful reminder of what makes Gallaudet so special.”
Goldstein was once known as “Sandy, a real redhead.” During her Gallaudet days, she was also known as a Delta Epsilon sister, an actor in the Gallaudet Theatre production of “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” a volleyball player, and treasurer for many student organizations.
In those moments, as Goldstein once said about Gallaudet, she discovered herself. She is also remembered fondly as a strict, but compassionate, math teacher to her students, and for her work as an active member of the Chicago (Illinois) Chapter of the Gallaudet University Alumni Association.
Media: Sandra’s Tower Clock Senior Picture
“Sandra’s surprise gift for Gallaudet really shows her selfless alumni spirit and her love for the University,” added President Roberta J. Cordano. “We are tremendously grateful.”
Today, Sandra’s gift stands as the largest bequest from any individual alumni in the university’s history. She joins Gerald “Bummy” Burstein, ’50 & H-’86; Bernard N. Bragg, ’52 & H-’88; and spouses J. Sterling, ’59, and Lucie Moffatt White, ’59, in bequeathing more than $1 million. Her bequest is also Gallaudet’s largest unrestricted gift ever, enabling remarkable flexibility for Gallaudet in spending the funds. Plans to maximize the impact of Sandra’s gift and honor her legacy are currently underway.
Media: Sandra with a group of students
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“With her gifts, she would sometimes include a handwritten note remembering a cherished memory of her time at Gallaudet, which were a wonderful reminder of what makes Gallaudet so special.”
– Nicholas Gould, ’O9
Executive Director of Institutional Advancement
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Source: Gallaudet University
