AU alum bequeaths $2.4M to support cyber scholarships

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – A $2.4 million estate gift from the late Victor Rattner will provide funding for student scholarships in the School of Computer and Cyber Sciences at Augusta University.

The Lillian P. and Victor Rattner Computer Science Scholarship Endowment will support tuition, room and board, books and other college fees, reducing the financial burdens associated with higher education and allowing student recipients to better focus on their studies.

Both Rattner and his mother, Lillian, believed in helping others. Because Rattner chose to provide an endowed gift, this scholarship will benefit students for generations in perpetuity.

Rattner earned a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1969. His plans for graduate school in North Carolina were cut short after a diving accident left him quadriplegic.

Rattner went on to enroll at Augusta College, a legacy school of Augusta University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science in 1986 and his Master of Business Administration degree in 1994.

Following a successful career in the information technology industry, Rattner retired.

He died in 2020 at age 72, but not before designating this estate gift to support computer science students – particularly those who have physical disabilities.

Having recognized that computers helped empower him to work beyond his physical challenges, Rattner wanted to provide similar opportunities for others.

“Victor Rattner’s story is a true embodiment of the values we hold dear at Augusta University. His dedication to his studies and his determination to excel in the face of adversity is a shining example for our students,” said Alex Schwarzmann, PhD, dean of the School of Computer and Cyber Sciences. “This endowed scholarship fund will not only honor Victor’s memory but also extend his legacy by providing opportunities for deserving students to pursue their dreams in the field of computer science.”

Get information about the criteria of this student scholarship or give to the Lillian P. & Victor Rattner Computer Science Scholarship Endowment.

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