The Doctors Who Opened the Door

Dr. Samuel and Dr. Joyce Busch

Dr. Samuel and Dr. Joyce Busch were pioneers in medicine and
compassionate stewards of the communities they served. Together, they built lives dedicated to healing and to lifting up the students who would follow in their footsteps.

Joyce grew up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where as a child she insisted on playing "doctor" rather than "nurse" during neighborhood games, even when the boys resisted. That early determination carried her to Roosevelt
University, where she studied biology and chemistry in preparation for medical school.

Sam, from Pennsylvania, planned to join the military after high school but was encouraged instead to enroll at Eastern Michigan University. After
earning his degree, he served in the Army as a physician assistant, where medical staff recognized his talent and urged him toward a medical degree of his own.

In 1952, Sam and Joyce both enrolled at Howard University, met as lab partners, and married just six weeks later. Sam specialized in gynecology and obstetrics. Joyce pursued pediatric medicine, and the couple moved to Petersburg, Virginia in 1967 to open a shared medical practice, becoming the first Black doctors serving the area in their specialties.

Despite facing racism, Sam and Joyce served the community with unwavering expertise and kindness, delivering and treating over 5,000 babies during their careers. They raised two daughters, Sheryl and Susan,
who forged their own careers in medicine and education.

Many donors support HBCUs or their alma maters — honoring legacy, strengthening communities, and helping students pursue their educational futures.

To honor their journeys and support students like themselves, Sam and Joyce established scholarships at their three alma maters: Roosevelt University, Eastern Michigan University, and Howard University, through an
endowed fund at the Community Foundation. During their lifetimes, they gave more than $300,000 in scholarships to these schools, awarding roughly $30,000 in grants each year.

Sam passed away in July 2023, and Joyce followed in August 2025. To ensure their support for students would continue well beyond their lifetimes, they gifted nearly $3 million through their estate to their fund at the Community
Foundation. In 2026, that fund distributed more than $108,000 for
student scholarships at the three universities; support that will now continue in perpetuity.