Why I Give: Dr. Joe Rush’s Support for UNCF, HBCUs and Student Success
Dr. Joe Rush’s reason for giving is simple: he gives because he can. After inventing and selling what he calls “Wikipedia for doctors,” he found himself in a position that allowed him to be philanthropic. A member of the UNCF President’s Society, Rush credits a word of caution from his accountant—“Don’t wait until you’re dead to give all your money away”—as the best advice he’s ever received. It inspired him to start giving while he was still able.
Rush chooses to direct much of his generosity toward education access initiatives. He believes in the power of education to improve society and is motivated to provide future generations the opportunity to choose college as a path for intellectual growth and to open doors to success. His desire to counter the threats facing historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) led him to donate to HBCUs through support of UNCF scholarships and invest in student success.
In 2022, HBCUs were experiencing an alarming number of bomb threats. Rush says he was disgusted after reading about the intimidation tactics. He chose to offer support in a way that decentered the perpetrators and focused wholly on the people most impacted—the students and faculty at the universities. It was this intention that brought him to UNCF. “So I thought, let me just make a donation to help cover some of the costs of the disrupted schools,” he recalls. Because of that experience, Rush has continued to be an ardent patron of the Black college fund movement through UNCF.
Rush is a committed supporter of education, viewing it as a valuable investment that will have resounding effects for the students he is helping. “A good education, particularly paired with a good degree, pays dividends, and I hope that someday [these students] will be able to put other children through school,” he explains. Rush’s actions speak through his support of public schools in his district and his financial sponsorship of six college students. So, for him, donating to UNCF was a natural fit.
Rush’s upbringing influenced his altruism for people in need and shaped his views on the most effective way to complete a college education. His father often charged patients less than other doctors and always prioritized their well-being. While this generosity sometimes meant the family had limited financial resources, it also modeled for Rush the value of service and responsibility. As one of 12 children, he paid for most of his own education by working on weekends and during the summer, stashing his savings in a coffee can. His parents did not allow their children to work on school nights during high school or while college classes were in session, knowing that balancing work and studies could make it harder to succeed. Rush graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and minors in chemistry and physics. He went on to earn a master’s degree in engineering and eventually graduated from medical school. Through his support of UNCF scholarships, Rush gives some of today’s students the opportunity to focus on their education, just as his parents once encouraged him to do.
As Rush puts it, “Education not only creates better citizens but also more productive ones, ultimately strengthening society.” To help bring people together, he believes we should focus on teaching people how to analyze societal issues logically, rather than simply arguing about them. By supporting education access initiatives and helping a wide range of students access higher education through UNCF, he is putting his beliefs into action and working to build the informed society he envisions.