Flint Hill School - 2020-2021 Endowment Report

THE BRENDSEL FAMILY GIVES THE GIFT OF EDUCATION THROUGH ENDOWMENT

By Abi Baker ’22

Flint Hill Senior Abi Baker ’22 recently had the opportunity to speak with Alumni Parent Mary Lee Brendsel P ’13, ’15, ’17 and her family about their Flint Hill experience and endowment.

Mary Lee and Jon Brendsel are the parents of three Flint Hill alumni: Natalie ’13, Monica H ’15 and Stephanie H ’17. The Peter Brendsel Family Fund serves as a legacy of their gratitude for Flint Hill that continues to benefit students long after their daughters graduated.

Mary Lee was actively involved as a parent volunteer which gave her additional insight into the Flint Hill experience. As a parent, she witnessed her daughters’ academic growth and felt connected to the strong school community.

This was one reason why it was hard for the Brendsel family to leave a community they loved when they moved to London while Stephanie and Monica were Upper School students. Stephanie was a freshman and remembers “writing a multipage essay to my parents embellishing the reasons we could not move, with leaving the Flint Hill community being high on the list.” Natalie describes how her appreciation of Flint Hill grew after she graduated. She said, “In that moment, I didn’t

realize all the opportunities I had and continue to have because of Flint Hill.”

The Brendsel sisters grew up with a grandmother who was never able to attend college; thus, their grandparents “reminded [them] often how lucky [they] are to have the opportunity to have an education, nevertheless, attend a school like Flint Hill.” Those experiences in their own family were the ultimate motivator for Mary Lee and her husband Jon to establish an endowed fund at Flint Hill so that they could make a long-term investment in the education of others. Natalie says she’s grateful to her grandparents who have given her “the gift of education for a lifetime, and I feel so lucky that the gift can extend beyond my sisters and me.”

Mary Lee added, “If you can change somebody’s life, knowing that the Flint Hill mission is going to continue through them, it makes it all worth it.”

The Peter Brendsel Family Fund provides financial aid for members of the Emerging Scholars (ES) program to attend and thrive at Flint Hill. The mission of ES is “to identify and assist a diverse

group of students who, without preparation and financial aid, could not consider an independent school education. ES provides an intensive program of academic, social, and cultural enrichment; leadership, and life-skill development; as well as sustained support for the entire family.”

Thanks to the financial support provided by The Peter Brendsel Family Fund, a number of ES graduates have had the opportunity to attend Flint Hill over the years.

Headmaster John Thomas also serves on the board of the Emerging Scholars organization. During his leadership, he has experienced firsthand the Brendsels’ “generosity and commitment to providing a transformative experience for young people.”

The Brendsel family’s dedication and commitment to Flint Hill is evident through their endowment. Even years after their time on campus, Flint Hill provides them with a sense of family that they want to share with future generations. We are grateful for their continued support which allows more students the opportunity to enjoy the Flint Hill experience that inspired their generous gift.

Abi Baker is a senior at Flint Hill. She has served as an Admission student ambassador. She currently serves as president of the Young Democrats and vice president of the Model UN. In her junior year, she interviewed Katie Couric regarding feminism in the media after being inspired by a Contemporary Topics in Feminism elective course. Abi has been involved with The View student newspaper and the Yearbook. She now serves as editor-in-chief and co-editor of both publications.

In that moment, I didn’t realize all the opportunities I had and continue to have because of

-Natalie Brendsel ’13