On May 13, 2026, Washington University in St. Louis announced it had received a $200 million commitment to fortify its newly established School of Public Health. The landmark investment, the largest in WashU history, will help the nation meet current and future public health challenges. The gift is being made by the Bursky Family Foundation, established by Andrew M. Bursky, chair of the WashU Board of Trustees, and his wife, Jane M. Bursky, both alumni and longtime supporters of the university. The school will be named the Andrew M. and Jane M. Bursky School of Public Health and is the first of its kind launched since the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Bursky Family Foundation’s gift, made through With You: The WashU Campaign, will drive immediate growth, including faculty hiring, scholarships and new research initiatives, while advancing a broader effort to rethink how public health is taught, studied and applied. It builds upon decades of philanthropic support by the Burskys, focusing squarely on accelerating discovery and translating research into real-world impact.

Launched in January 2025, WashU School of Public Health is being built in real time, influenced by a post-pandemic era and designed to address the conditions that affect how people live and stay healthy.

Public health is confronting a period of rapid change, shaped by emerging health threats, rising chronic disease, mental health challenges and persistent gaps in access to care. At the same time, advances in biomedical research, data science and communication are reshaping how communities understand and respond to health challenges in an increasingly interconnected world.

Andrew Bursky is co-founder and managing partner of Atlas Holdings LLC, a Connecticut-based private company operating in the manufacturing and distribution sectors.