It all began with a secret gesture of love–a roll of bills tucked inside a modest chandelier above a small dining room table in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn.
May Sperling Marcus, a Polish immigrant, secretly funneled money from her grocery allowance to ensure her grandson, Eric Marcus ’80, could enjoy student life at Vassar beyond the basics.
Today, this quiet act of generosity has inspired a legacy gift that will empower future generations of Vassar students to travel for research opportunities.
Through the May Marcus or “Grandma May” Traveling Fellowship Fund, Eric is honoring his grandmother with an estate gift that reflects the same thoughtfulness and opportunities she gave him.
A Grandmother’s Secret Support
In 1976, Eric arrived at Vassar with limited financial means, scraping together enough money to pay Vassar’s then $5,000 tuition with student loans, various scholarships, VA survivor benefits (from his late father), and summer and work-study jobs.
Eric’s grandfather contributed $25 a month for living expenses, but May didn’t think that was enough. Keeping it hidden from her husband, she cut corners on her food budget and saved $50 a month (nearly $300 today). She hid the money in the lamp and then slipped the bills to Eric’s aunt, who would send him a check.
The extra money allowed Eric to leave his usual Saturday studying routine in the Thompson Library for a night out at the Mug or to attend the winter formal (where he danced with friends to the music of the Count Basie Orchestra).
He fondly remembers the joy of having additional money to travel to Studio 54 in Manhattan or dancing the night away at the Deja Vu gay disco across the Hudson River in Highland.
A Shared Love for Travel
Spending a junior year semester abroad in Copenhagen was transformative for Eric, sparking a lifelong love for travel. He would later share that passion with his grandmother, taking her on trips to Paris and London (when she was 89 and 90, respectively), creating cherished memories before she died at the age of 102.
“When I thought about leaving money to Vassar, it felt completely natural to honor my grandmother’s legacy and at the same time benefit generations to come,” he said. “And I thought the best way to do that was to help Vassar students pursue research that took them beyond the campus.”
Combining his passion for travel and desire to honor his grandmother, he made the planned gift to establish the fellowship fund, which especially supports students pursuing research related to sexuality and gender expression.
After graduating from Vassar with an independent major in Urban Studies, Eric built a career as an acclaimed journalist who worked at CBS News, authored a dozen books, and now produces the Making Gay History podcast, which brings LGBTQ history to life through the voices of the people who lived it, as well as a podcast for the Fortunoff Video Archive for Holocaust Testimonies at Yale University called Those Who Were There.
A passionate advocate and media commentator for causes including LGBTQ rights and history, Eric has created a fund that will support research on issues he cares about deeply.
A Lasting Legacy of Love
To Eric, the gift is deeply personal. May was his biggest cheerleader, never missing a book signing or public event, and fully embracing Eric’s husband, Barney, like a beloved grandson.
“It gives me great pleasure to pay forward my grandmother’s generosity and love by leaving a bequest to Vassar,” he said. “I feel confident that Grandma May would be pleased that her wish to help me live a fully rounded life while a student at Vassar inspired me to help future generations of Vassar students expand their horizons.”
As he looks forward to returning to campus for his 45th Reunion, Eric encourages classmates to seriously consider including Vassar in their estate planning to leave a lasting impact, perhaps being inspired by the legacy that May Marcus started by saving a little extra to transform her grandson’s college experience.
POSTED: May 13, 2025