Rubin & Cynthia Gruber

Both Rubin and Cindy grew up in households with grandmothers who kept a tin can in the kitchen, which served as a collection vessel for money that would go to charitable causes. If they didn’t have money to give, they would volunteer their time and talent, realizing the importance of giving back.

Education and healthcare are two causes that fire up the entrepreneurial heart and spirit in Cindy and her husband, Rubin. “When Rubin and I retired, we looked to see where we wanted to make a difference,” said Cindy. “Both of us had the sense that if we opened the door a crack, something bigger may happen. If there was a bit of interest, we would open the door wider to see how we could make a bigger difference.”

Education and healthcare are two causes that fire up the entrepreneurial heart and spirit in Cindy and her husband, Rubin. “When Rubin and I retired, we looked to see where we wanted to make a difference,” said Cindy. “Both of us had the sense that if we opened the door a crack, something bigger may happen. If there was a bit of interest, we would open the door wider to see how we could make a bigger difference.”

In 2019, Rubin and Cindy Gruber gave a $1 million gift to establish The Rubin and Cindy Gruber Sandbox and to support student scholarships through their endowment. Housed within the S.E. Wimberly Library at FAU’s Boca Raton campus, the 3,400 square-foot Gruber Sandbox is a transformation of previous office space to a state-of-the-art exploration lab meeting the modern academic needs of students. The Sandbox is designed to serve scholars across the University, directly engaging them in the fast-advancing field of artificial intelligence.

“The Sandbox idea evolved four to five years ago, after I saw it as a different way for students to learn,” said Rubin. “It started with buying new computers and evolved into mentoring students. Now, I’m involved with the Sandbox on a day-to-day basis, focusing on collaboration and how this can enhance FAU in a bigger, broader way.”

For Cindy, the idea of students collaborating, developing relationships, and having interactions that kindle growth of ideas is significant. She loves seeing students engaged in the real world, enjoying a different way of learning, and escaping the isolation of phones and laptops. She points out that after college, success always will involve collaborating with other people.

The Gruber’s message to others deciding where to leave their mark is this: “FAU holds so much potential and deserves even more recognition. There are so many ways to be involved. For anyone thinking about it, I encourage them to peek their head in the door and open their window of opportunity.”

Do not try to save the whole world or do anything grandiose. Instead, create a clearing in the dense forest of your life and wait there patiently, until the song that is your life falls into your own cupped hands and you recognize and greet it. Only then will you know how to give yourself to this world so worth of rescue.

- Martha Postlethwaite pastor and author