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THE HIDDEN COSTS | Giving Back the Cadet Way
When choosing a topic for his De La Salle Scholars Independent Study Project, Rafael Visoso ’24 wanted to find a way to give back to the SJC community. During his sophomore year—a time when his family faced financial difficulties and an uncertain future at St. John’s—he made an appointment with President Jeff Mancabelli to ask for help. Mancabelli worked with Visoso and his family towards a financial aid solution. Visoso quickly learned the power of courage—to make an ask and to persevere through life’s difficulties.
During his first two years at SJC, Visoso discovered there are a few hidden costs at St. John’s such as froshmore dance and prom tickets, field trips, and sports kits, and by his junior year, he knew he wanted to focus on creating an endowment to defray the hidden costs of attending St. John’s. Inspired by his experience and his gratitude to Mancabelli and St. John’s, he decided to create a scholarship for students from San Miguel, a DC Lasallian middle school for young men, to offset the hidden costs of their time at St. John’s.
He again sought out a meeting with Mancabelli to pitch his idea. In what would become a reoccurring theme, Visoso took the risk and made the ask—first, asking Mancabelli to be his mentor and second, asking him to be the first donor.
He learned about fundraising, the different funds and their requirements at SJC, and how to research and understand donors. Initially, Visoso planned on making a scholarship fund, but Mancabelli explained that a scholarship is a finite amount, while an endowment would ensure a self-replenishing fund that would grow and continue to exist well beyond Visoso’s time on Military Road. Taking the harder path, Visoso decided to proceed with establishing an endowment—a $50,000 requirement.
Mancabelli proved to be an invaluable mentor. Together, they worked on a donor proposition statement. Visoso learned how to identify donors and set reasonable, flexible goals so the end point feels attainable for both the fundraiser and donor. This technique made his first ask to an alum and former financial aid recipient more manageable.
By graduation, Visoso reached his goal of $50,000 for the endowment. For the first few years, SJC students from San Miguel will receive $2,000 awards from the endowment to defray school fees that fall outside the traditional financial aid for tuition. As the endowment grows, the annual award for San Miguel students will also increase. “The Independent Study Project is a truly amazing opportunity. You can pursue learning in a way that embodies who you are and expresses what you value. For me, I wanted to help others and this project gave me the opportunity to do just that. I learned that success starts with dreaming big but can only come about through small, intentional, and realistic steps.” Visoso will attend the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in the fall.
