Investing in history students

By Madeline Marriott ’24

Gordon J. and Ruth M. Macdonald P’89, GP ’19,’22 created the Macdonald-Matthes Endowed Professorship in the History Department

Gordon J. and Ruth M. Macdonald P ’89, GP ’19,’22 believe that good professors make good colleges. 

Relationships with professors are what made the college experience special for their daughter, Paige Macdonald-Matthes ’89, and their grandchildren, Haley Matthes ’19 and Alexander Matthes ’22.

“I had wonderful professors in both the history and international affairs departments,” Paige Macdonald-Matthews, who is now a partner at Obermayer Rebmann Maxwell & Hippel LLP in Harrisburg, recalls. “I’ve maintained connections with many of them to this day, and what’s really cool is my children got to take classes with some of those same professors, specifically Profs. Peleg and Weiner, during their time at Lafayette. That’s a unique opportunity, and I think it speaks to the unique academic environment at Lafayette.” 

This experience inspired Gordon and Ruth to establish the Macdonald-Matthes Endowed Professorship in the History Department. 

“For Paige and for our grandchildren, the foundation of their careers came from the quality of their Lafayette education,” Gordon says. “We trust Lafayette’s educational system, and we see the good work they do to integrate into the city of Easton and the developments they’ve made to the campus. By supporting excellence in teaching, the College will grow, and that’s what we want to help it do.” 

Ruth studied commercial art at Franklin School of Professional Art in New York City. She then worked for the Norcross Greeting Card Co. and became the graphic designer for Rutgers College of Agriculture, working on its promotional material and bulletins.  

Gordon completed his studies at Rutgers College of Agriculture before joining the Army. After retiring from the service, he earned his master’s and Ph.D. at Rutgers before completing a post-doctoral fellowship in endocrinology at the University of Wisconsin. He then spent 10 years teaching anatomy and physiology at Harvard Dental School and Harvard Medical School before spending the final 29 years of his career teaching anatomy and histology at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. He retired in 2022. 

His interest in history goes deeper than just his family’s studies at Lafayette—he recently traced his lineage back to the Kingston-Rhinebeck area of New York and was inducted as a Son of the American Revolution (SAR) in 2025. 

“My grandmother married into a New York state Dutch family that had settled in Kingston in 1619,” he says. “Kingston was the capital of the Dutch holdings in New York state, and that family is my connection to the American Revolution. Paige and her daughter can now be Daughters of the American Revolution, and my grandson can join the SAR.” 

“You have to understand the past to be able to see the future,” Gordon adds. 

The pair makes additional charitable contributions through the Gordon J. and Ruth M. Macdonald Foundation, and has also established a professorship at Harvard Dental School. 

Through their connections to the College, Ruth and Gordon have formed long-lasting relationships with students, alumni, and the administration. 

“A unique component of Lafayette is the welcoming community,” Paige says. “I’ve always been touched by how my friends and their extended families have embraced and supported each other. My friends have even forged friendships with each other’s parents! This is a group who otherwise would have never met, yet have come together over their love for Lafayette.”