During For Ever Better: The Campaign for the University of Rochester, Eric T. Lincke ’54, ’57M (MD) has given $1.5 million to establish the John F. Randolph Professorship in Mathematics within the University’s School of Arts & Sciences. The endowed gift honors Randolph—Lincke’s late mentor—and provides vital, permanent support for faculty in the math department. It also played a key role in recruiting Maria “Masha” Gordina, a distinguished mathematician, researcher, and leader, who has been named the inaugural holder of the professorship and chair of the department.
“This gift is truly a game-changer,” says Sam Thomas ’00, the Robert L. and Mary L. Sproull Dean of the School of Arts & Sciences. “It will strengthen our program and ensure that future generations continue to benefit from an exceptional academic experience. We are immensely grateful to Dr. Lincke for his vision and generosity, and we are thrilled to welcome Professor Gordina to Rochester.”
“I’m proud to honor Professor Randolph in this way, to give back to the department that he led during such a formative time in my life, and to support the kind of teaching and leadership excellence I experienced as a student,” says Lincke.
Gordina underscores her excitement for her future at URochester. “I was drawn to the University for the opportunity to make mathematics a connector across its research initiatives, as it is a foundational language for understanding many phenomena,” says Gordina, the John F. Randolph Professor in Mathematics and chair of the Department of Mathematics. “I’m deeply grateful for Dr. Lincke’s generosity—and it is such an honor to be the first holder of this professorship.”
Randolph’s daughter, Rebecca McBride, emphasizes how much this recognition would have meant to him. “I know my father would be thrilled, moved, and amazed to be honored in this way. Mathematics was his life, and he loved teaching,” she says.
Initially created in 2015 as a bequest intention during The Meliora Challenge, this professorship reflects Lincke’s enduring commitment to his alma mater. By completing his gift during the For Ever Better campaign, he will be able to witness its impact in his lifetime.
“Endowed gifts like this professorship provide a steady source of funding we can always count on,” adds Thomas. “At a time when federal research support is declining, this kind of investment is especially critical. It strengthens the math department, our school, and the University as a whole, helping us remain competitive. And because Dr. Lincke chose to fund this bequest now, we can put these resources to work immediately.”
Lincke often credits Randolph with providing the foundation for his career. What began as a professor-student relationship grew into a mentorship that nurtured his curiosity and broadened his perspective. Even as Lincke pursued medicine, Randolph’s influence instilled a lifelong appreciation for mathematics and learning.
“Professor Randolph gave me far more than math—he taught me intellectual rigor, and he inspired me,” Lincke says. “It’s my privilege to give back in his name. Philanthropy makes departments better.”
Born in Rochester, New York, Lincke graduated as valedictorian of John Marshall High School and entered the University of Rochester on a full scholarship, initially intending to pursue pre-medicine coursework. In his college admissions essay, he expressed the guiding principle that would define his career: “I want to aid humanity.”
As a first-year student in a mathematics course, Lincke met Randolph, the department’s new chair. Randolph encouraged Lincke to take advanced classes and even invited him to proofread and test problems for a trigonometry textbook manuscript. Their conversations often extended beyond coursework to broader reflections on Rochester and life, cultivating a lasting passion for mathematics.
Though Lincke considered majoring in mathematics, he ultimately pursued medicine, earning early admission to the University’s School of Medicine & Dentistry. He went on to train at Dartmouth, Rochester General Hospital, and Memorial Hospital in New York City before serving a two-year tour as a Navy surgeon in Washington state. In 1962, Lincke moved to Marquette, Michigan, where he practiced for nearly 30 years at Marquette General Hospital, building a distinguished career as a cardiac surgeon.
After retiring in 1998, Lincke pursued other interests with the same precision and curiosity that defined his medical career. He studied watch and clock repair, founding Lincke’s Time Shop, where he became known regionally for his craftsmanship. He also returned to his first academic love: mathematics. At Northern Michigan University, he completed nearly every advanced math course offered. “I took those classes just for me,” he adds, noting how they rekindled the intellectual spark first lit by his mentor at Rochester.
In addition to this now fully funded gift, in 2015 Lincke established two other bequest intentions. One will support the School of Medicine & Dentistry, and the other—the Eric and Constance Lincke Endowed Scholarship—will establish an undergraduate scholarship to support students interested in healthcare professions. “My late wife and I set that up with the intent to help good, deserving students have the opportunity to attend Rochester,” he says.
Lincke is a member of the George Eastman Circle, the University’s leadership annual giving society, and the Wilson Society, which honors and celebrates philanthropic individuals who have established life-income plans or named the University as a beneficiary of their estate.
Philanthropy and engagement are critical to the future success of the University. Learn how you can support For Ever Better: The Campaign for the University of Rochester. To make a difference, contact Ashley Smith, Executive Director of Advancement for the School of Arts & Sciences.
—Kristine Kappel Thompson, February 2026