A Gift with Purpose
Artwork by Thea Dai ’24
AN ANONYMOUS ALUMNA DONATION FOCUSES ON DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, AND JUSTICE
“A sense of purpose to effect change in the world” is a phrase from Castilleja’s mission statement that can be hard to bring into focus. Purpose doesn’t always come easy. It can take time, and often a significant amount of struggle to identify and define. And since the start of the pandemic, even the community members who had found their sense of purpose have been beginning to rethink the ways they wanted to make a difference in the world around them. In response to the enduring impacts of systemic racism that were made more clear by COVID-19, one alumna, who wants to remain anonymous, was moved to make a difference by giving $1 million to Castilleja to seed Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice initiatives (DEIJ) on campus. While we know that access to an outstanding education is something that every child deserves, we also realize that true access to an education isn’t just about where you go to school. It’s also about feeling like you belong. It’s also about seeing yourself reflected in the community. It’s about gaining confidence in the knowledge and skills you bring into the classroom conversations. It’s about finding a clear path toward new opportunities.
6 | Castilleja School
This gift will begin to address all of these elements by focusing on three key initiatives: 1 TEACHING FELLOWSHIP A portion of the funds will be dedicated to creating a fellowship program that serves to increase representation of people of color in the field of education both as teaching faculty and as leaders. 2 EQUITABLE ACCESS TO ACADEMIC RESOURCES We want to assure that all students have access to the resources and opportunities they need to thrive at Castilleja, regardless of economic needs or status. 3 PARTNERSHIPS WITH OUR COMMUNITY We will seek intentional relationships to develop a broader scope for student recruitment and increase representation in STEM for graduates. With the first gift in the school’s history that is dedicated entirely to DEIJ efforts, the donor hopes this is just the beginning. She sees that by giving to Castilleja, she can support the process of creating compassionate and inclusive leaders whose sense of purpose will be guided, just as our recent students have been, by themes like belonging, justice, and dignity.
