OFFICE OF DEVELOPMENT & ALUMNI AFFAIRS PORTSMOUTH ABBEY SCHOOL IS FORTUNATE to enjoy philanthropic support from a broad range of constituents who share the common interest of ensuring that the School can fulfill its mission of helping young men and women grow in knowledge and grace. This support can take many forms, but it usually falls into one of three categories: 1) the Annual Fund, which provides current use dollars to help fund the School’s operating budget, including importantly financial aid, 2) capital giving, which typically supports the construction or renovation of a building or the grounds, and 3) endowment giving, which through a current or planned gift, provides ongoing support of the School through the interest earned from a permanent fund. While all three are important,
the Annual Fund remains paramount. But many donors choose to make gifts over and above the Annual Fund to one of the other two categories. The newly created William A. Crimmins ‘48 Scholarship Fund for Arts, Athletics, and Civilization is one example of endowment giving. Established in the fall of 2020, the William A. Crimmins ’48 Scholarship Fund honors William “Bill” Crimmins for his many contributions to Portsmouth throughout his long association with the School as a student, teacher, coach, parent, and benefactor. The scholarship reflects Bill’s unwavering commitment to the well-being and success of students, particularly those in financial need, and his support of the Monastery and School over the course of many years. Created by former students and faculty colleagues in recognition of Bill’s exceptional and enduring contributions to Portsmouth, the fund will be used to provide tuition, room and board, and a clothing/travel allowance for candidates who demonstrate the well-rounded character of the student-athlete with the desire and capability to contribute in their own unique way to the Portsmouth Abbey School community. A small travel allowance would include costs for exposure to arts/civilization travel within the School curriculum that recipients of the scholarship might not otherwise be able to afford. Should the fund reach the $1 million mark, the School will award a single scholarship to a recipient who will be known as the Crimmins Scholar. The Crimmins Scholar would be expected to complete a project centered on some aspect of arts or civilization during his or her Fifth or Sixth Form that would then be shared with alumni and the rest of the School community. We thank Jamie MacGuire ’70 for capturing Bill’s story in the following article and hope you enjoy learning more about his fascinating life and unique connection to the School. If you wish to contribute to the William A. Crimmins ’48 Scholarship Fund, please contact the Office of Development & Alumni Affairs at alumni@portsmouthabbey.org or 401-643-1291.
Bill Crimmins, left, coaching the basketball team in 1968, including Tim Tully, Paul Ferrarone, Marvin George and Gill Kerr, all from the Class of 1971
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Matthew P. Walter Assistant Headmaster for Advancement
P ORTSM O U T H A BB E Y S C HO OL
