On Saturday, October 21, over 400 alumni, parents, faculty, staff, and friends gathered in an elegantly transformed Carl A. Pescosolido, Jr. Field House to celebrate the launch of With True Courage, the Campaign for Governor’s. This comprehensive fundraising campaign is the most ambitious in the Academy’s 255-year history.
The campaign is inspired by the family motto of the school’s founder, Governor William Dummer: “With true courage, nothing is impossible.” Head of School Peter H. Quimby, Ph.D. ’85, P’14 says of the campaign theme, “We chose it because we believe that it accurately describes what happens on our campus every day. Our world needs leaders with the courage to keep on learning and face new challenges, the courage to stand up for their ideals, even when they go against the status quo, and the courage to shape themselves and their world in ways that are true to who they are and the values they hold dear. We build these skills in our students every day, and that’s why this campaign is so important.”
The evening included a cocktail hour, a program featuring remarks from school leadership, two senior students and a faculty member, followed by dinner and dancing. During the program, the bold campaign goal of $75 million was revealed - $36 million of which has already been raised. The campaign is expected to span 3-4 more years. “Achieving the objectives of our campaign will change the trajectory of our school permanently,” said Board of Trustees President Jim Pierce ‘72, P’08. He added, “At Governor’s you learn how to think, collaborate, communicate, and succeed. I believe the 15-18 year old time frame is when these things really are learned and internalized, and that is why I love being involved with this school.”
The With True Courage campaign has three focus areas: endowment, annual fund, and capital projects. Growing the endowment will allow the Academy to fund additional student financial aid and support the faculty’s professional development. The annual fund is needed every year to supplement tuition dollars and sustain the school’s programs, curriculum, and campus. Finally, there are four exciting capital projects planned: a new environmental research and classroom building along the banks of the Parker River, a renovated and expanded student center, a renovated foreign language classroom building, and new faculty housing. “At its core, this is a campaign about people. The Academy has been known for generations as a family school, and if we are to preserve this essential quality in the future, we have to invest in our faculty, staff, and students,” said Quimby.
The Academy’s last campaign, Campaign to Carry on the Work, ended in 2002 and raised $50 million. Key initiatives during that campaign included capital projects like a new library and program support.