Will Sussman
William Sussman (born 1998) is an American political commentator. He is best known for being the lead plaintiff in Sussman vs. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, in which he alleged the school violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by allowing alleged antisemitism on campus during the 2024 pro-Palestine student encampments. The lawsuit was dismissed in January 2026.
Early life and education
Sussman grew up in Suffolk County Jewish household and was raised by two doctors. He graduated from Miller Place High School in 2017 and was the valedictorian. His father has hospitalized during the COVID-19 pandemic but survived.
While a Democrat, Sussman volunteered as a poll worker.
Sussman attended Yale University, graduating in 2021 with a bachelor's degree in electric engineering and computer science. While at Yale, he started a student branch of the IEEE. After graduating from Yale, he would move on and attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, remaining a student of electrical engineering and computer science as an affiliate of the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. While a member of the Graduate Student Union, Sussman published a commentary article in the Wall Street Journal stating that his union dues were being used for anti-Israel activates, and that he could not object to paying dues due to his beliefs. He would later call for Columbia University students to decertify their union.
Sussman vs. MIT
In June 2025, Sussman became the lead plaintiff in Sussman vs. MIT, and was joined by MIT professor Lior Alon and the Brandeis Center Coalition to Combat Anti-Semitism. The trio requested a jury trial for MIT's alleged "failure to act reasonably" during the 2024 pro-Palestine student encampments and related campus events. The most prominently referenced example of this kind of speech mentioned in the lawsuit came from linguistics professor Michel DeGraff, who stated that "Jewish student life organizations" such as Hillel were funding a "Zionist mind infection." The case alleges that DeGraff violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Sussman was President of MIT's GradHillel group from 2023 to 2024.
On July 9, 2024, Sussman testified before the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce regarding his experiences at MIT. In his testimony, he described himself as a lifelong Democrat, but warned his fellow party members that if the Democrats left behind Jewish members, they may leave the party. He would go on to strongly advocate for the passing of the Antisemitism Awareness Act in different publications.
Incidents related to alleged antisemitic speech and actions by MIT staff caused Sussman to file a claim with the school's Institute Discrimination and Harassment Response office in November 2024. According to Sussman, the office's staff said that they did not consider DeGraff's conduct to be antisemitic and Sussman dropped out of MIT's PhD program shortly after receiving the decision.
A federal judge dismissed Sussman’s lawsuit in January 2026, stating "anti−Israeli sentiment is not, without more, antisemitic messaging."
Career
After departing from MIT, Sussman joined the Manhattan Institute, a think tank. In 2025, Sussman announced that he was becoming a member of the Republican party. Later that year, he stated he would be joining Yeshiva University as an adjunct professor of computer science.
In January 2026, Sussman announced that he was running to represent the 4th district of the New York State Assembly in that year's election. He is running unopposed in the primaries and will be present on both the Republican and Conservative lines for the general election. He is seeking to unseat currently Assembly member Rebecca Kassay, who has represented the district since 2025. He has notably called for the preservation of the Setauket-Port Jefferson Station Greenway Trail, which spurred Kassay to take new action regarding the nature space.
Personal life
Sussman resides in Port Jefferson, New York. He is an avid cyclist.