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Bruce S. Stuart ’95 and William Y. Ho Scholarship An Expression of Couple's Passion for Region, Education

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Bruce Stuart ’95 and Dr. William Ho have a love for education, the Capital Region, and providing opportunity for future generations. Their namesake endowed scholarship encompasses all three.

The Bruce S. Stuart ’95 and William Y. Ho Scholarship will support Albany Law School students for years to come.

 “We're both very excited about this scholarship. We hope this is going to be able to provide support to individuals at an important time in their lives. We believe very strongly in the power of education and the focus of our charitable giving is on providing educational opportunities for others,” Stuart said.

“Planning for the future is important and we’ve begun planning for our legacy to some degree. This is an important way for us to leave something for the next generation and help others move forward toward their educational goals,” Ho said. “We have both had wonderful opportunities in undergrad and graduate school. We're eager to be able to help others have the same."

Stuart is a senior vice president, financial advisor, and an executive financial services director at a San Francisco office of Morgan Stanley Wealth Management. He is also an author of six books. Ho is the chief medical officer at RAPT Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on creating therapeutics to treat cancer and inflammation.

Though the married couple is based on the west coast now, the east coast holds a certain fondness to them. They both attended undergraduate school here, Stuart at Cornell and Ho at Princeton. On their first date on New Year’s Day in 2009, they found a connection to the Northeast beyond their rivaling Ivy League institutions.

Stuart’s classmate from an Albany-area high school happened to be one of Ho’s closest friends at Princeton.

“That moment really helped us connect,” Stuart said.

“It changed the perception of this sort of abstract person or personality I was on a first date with to a real person connected to a part of my current life. It was a fun coincidence,” Ho said. “It always makes me think fondly of the area.”

William Ho and Bruce Stuart '95
William Ho (left) and Bruce Stuart '95 (right)

The couple is also passionate about supporting initiatives that foster diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Stuart has served as a member of Morgan Stanley’s National Diversity and Inclusion Council and currently is part of their Pacific Coast Pride & Ally Council.

As a same-gender couple, the ability to include both of their names on the scholarship formally sends an important message to others.“It shows that we're making progress in this area and I'm very proud as representatives of the LGBTQIA community to be able to do that. It really means a lot,” Stuart said.

Stuart recalls great memories from his law school experience, including his participation on Albany Law Review, serving as a co-founder of the Albany Law Literary Review, and time with his father, Vernon Stuart ’51.

“He loved the law school. One of his favorite things to do while I was a student was to attend events there with me and my mother, Suellen. It was really special to share that with him.  We had a strong bond,” Stuart said.

Stuart’s grandfather, Max Zuckerman ’26, was also an Albany Law graduate.

“It was such an amazing educational experience for me. And it gave me so many opportunities to explore different areas I wouldn't have considered. The hope here with this scholarship is that we can provide that same opportunity for someone who has financial need and who is in a situation where this could make a transformative difference in their lives,” Stuart said. “One thing about growing up in Albany and the Capital District is that it’s an inspirational and welcoming place. We have such a fondness for it and the really special people who live there.”