In August 2021, Dr. Nicole Archer received a life-changing letter revealing a $100,000 inheritance from her former art history professor, Cris Hassold. Archer, along with about 30 other former students scattered across the U.S., had taken classes at New College of Florida under Hassold, an eccentric and demanding teacher whose unconventional approach to education and life left an indelible impact on them. While her behavior could be intimidating—she was known to humiliate students and lived as a hoarder—those who got close to her described her as brilliant, nurturing, and fiercely loyal.
Over 50 years of teaching, Professor Hassold developed deep, lasting relationships with a select group of students, whom she referred to as her “children.” She invited them to informal dinners, pushed them to think critically, and offered unwavering support for their ambitions, often becoming a surrogate family figure. Despite her reclusive habits and cluttered home, which many students eventually helped clean, her bond with them was grounded in mutual respect, intellectual rigor, and personal encouragement. Students like Archer credited her with giving them the freedom to envision a life without constraints, especially those who felt misunderstood or unsupported in their own families.
After retiring at age 85 and dying in 2020 during the pandemic, Hassold’s final gift came as a surprise: she had quietly amassed a $2.8 million estate and bequeathed most of it to 31 of her former students. The money was distributed based on their closeness to her and perceived financial need, with individual gifts ranging from $26,000 to over $500,000. Many recipients used the funds for essential needs like surgeries, home purchases, and debt relief—seeing it as both financial support and a final gesture of love and faith from their professor.
The story of Cris Hassold is ultimately one of paradox and legacy. Though she lived frugally and often in solitude, she invested everything—emotionally and financially—in her students. Her posthumous generosity revealed the depth of her care and underscored her role not just as a teacher, but as a lifelong mentor and protector of her chosen family.
For more information see Hank Sanders “A Professor’s Final Gift to Her Students: Her Life Savings,” The New York Times, May 11, 2025.
Special thanks to Lewis Saret (Attorney, Washington, D.C.) for bringing this article to my attention.
https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/trusts_estates_prof/2025/05/a-professors-final-gift-to-her-students-her-life-savings.html