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2019 - 2020 REPORT ON PHILANTHROPY
Together, We Are Rising.
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What’s Inside 4 Messages of Gratitude 6 Financial Report 10 Your Generosity, Our Resilience 18 Westminster Fund Giving Highlights 20 Every Gift Impacts Every Moment For Every Wildcat 22 When They Called, You Answered! 23 Young Alumni Leading Through Generosity 24 Reimagining Reunions 28 Campus Plan Rising 30 Putting A Bow On It! 34 Celebrating Our Leadership Donors 36 Board Leadership 40 Thank You!
2019 -20 WESTMINSTER REPORT ON PHILANTHROPY
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4 Messages of Gratitude
6 Financial Report
10 Your Generosity, Our Resilience
18 Westminster Fund Giving Highlights
20 Every Gift Impacts Every Moment For Every Wildcat
22 When They Called, You Answered!
23 Young Alumni Leading Through Generosity
Dear Friends, In a year like no other, your generosity to Westminster proved to be the critical difference in our success. There really is no other way to say it. When we talk about philanthropy as an investment, we are usually referring to a down payment on the future of our students. We imagine the breadth and depth of the experiences we can offer today that will shape and mold them for lives of service—of making a contribution to something greater than themselves. Certainly, your investment this year, as in years past, will pay dividends, as Westminster graduates have a long track record of giving back as both professional and community leaders. Our current Wildcats are more focused than ever on the impact they make today and can make tomorrow. You make that possible for them. But this year was different. In a school year that became an emergency, we did not need to wait to see your investment bear fruit. When a pandemic caused an early exit from campus in March and a transition to a new mode of virtual learning for everyone, the resources we needed were at hand so we could continue our focus on excellence, uninterrupted. When critical issues of racial equity and justice moved front and center for our nation and School, we again had the resources to extend support and create a plan, thinking first about a vision for who we could and should become. Through it all, our construction projects continued, fueled by generous leadership giving. Your investment in Westminster this year allowed us to meet moments great and small from a position of leadership and strength. For that, I am incredibly grateful, and I know I speak on behalf of the entire Westminster community in saying, “thank you.” We tackled each challenge confident that the Wildcat Nation stood behind us both in spirit and in tangible, enabling, sacrificial commitment. That is a difference-maker that sets Westminster apart and causes us all to look to the future with optimism and profound gratitude. Best Wishes,
Keith Evans President
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24 Reimagining Reunions
28 Campus Plan Rising
30 Putting A Bow On It!
34 Celebrating Our Leadership Donors
36 Board Leadership
40 Thank You!
Dear Friends, Growing up, my mom used to remind me that it is easy to be a good person when times are good. It’s when you meet a tough moment that people show you who they are. To say we met a tough moment as we moved into the spring and summer of 2020 would be an understatement. We’ve all heard the words so many times they almost seem overused, but what better describes this sea of challenge we find ourselves immersed in than “unprecedented,” “uncertain,” “uncharted,” and the like? In a recent conversation with senior class officers, they reflected on how Westminster has prepared them to meet challenges head on, with empathy, determination, and curiosity. Examples of their fellow classmates and friends addressing community needs and inequities abound—from making PPE to share with underserved communities to marching to shed light on racial injustice in independent schools and beyond to simply supporting and caring for one another. These are students whose full promise has yet to be fulfilled, yet they are already showing us who they are: leaders of conscience who will continue to be a positive force in the world. They are the green shoots we look for as signs of hope. While the road ahead is long and likely filled with unexpected challenges, your investment in our potential positions us to be equal to the moments we face. And what has this moment taught us about ourselves? To me, this community has effectively demonstrated that it is strong and united around a collective belief: the work we do here matters. This is a community committed to making the world better for all. Together, we are rising. Thank you for the many ways you inspire us through your care and partnership. Gratefully,
Emilie Henry Vice President for Institutional Advancement
2019 -20 WESTMINSTER REPORT ON PHILANTHROPY
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4 Messages of Gratitude
6 Financial Report
10 Your Generosity, Our Resilience
18 Westminster Fund Giving Highlights
20 Every Gift Impacts Every Moment For Every Wildcat
22 When They Called, You Answered!
23 Young Alumni Leading Through Generosity
2019-20 Financial Report 6%
Annual Giving (Unrestricted Gifts to The Westminster Fund and Restricted Gifts)
6%
6%
Auxiliary Programs (e.g. Summer Camps, ASK!)
73%
15%
Tuition
Endowment Income
Administrative
8%
2%
Auxiliary Programs
Financial Aid
63%
Salaries and Benefits
10%
Instruction and Instructional Support
SOURCES OF REVENUE
EXPENSES
11%
Physical Plant Operations and Renewal
Philanthropy accounts for 21% of the School’s operating budget.
Operating Budget $76,000,000
unaudited 2019-20 values
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24 Reimagining Reunions
28 Campus Plan Rising
30 Putting A Bow On It!
34 Celebrating Our Leadership Donors
36 Board Leadership
40 Thank You!
$22,128,563 TOTAL PHILANTHROPIC COMMITMENTS IN 2019-20
3,822 Total Donors $11,483,642
$8,106,988
$1,223,200
$1,314,733
Cash Gifts
New Pledge Commitments
New Estate Plan Commitments
226 First-Time Donors
Tax Redirections in Support of Financial Aid
345
Members of the Pressly Leadership Society
429
Friends Participating in the Georgia Private School Tax Credit Program
2019 -20 WESTMINSTER REPORT ON PHILANTHROPY
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2019 -20 WESTMINSTER REPORT ON PHILANTHROPY
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4 Messages of Gratitude
6 Financial Report
10 Your Generosity, Our Resilience
18 Westminster Fund Giving Highlights
20 Every Gift Impacts Every Moment For Every Wildcat
22 When They Called, You Answered!
23 Young Alumni Leading Through Generosity
Your Generosity, Our Resilience News about COVID-19 became more and more urgent with every moment in early March. Within one week of returning from Spring Break, students were sent home for virtual learning, teachers were reimagining lessons that could be delivered over Zoom, and all but the most essential of events were canceled across the globe. The world as we knew it was rocked to its core. For many weeks, the news only seemed to get worse. Celebrities and public figures were sent into isolation after contracting the virus. The entire restaurant industry seemed to collapse overnight, along with live entertainment, cruise lines, and air travel. Fear was the dominant feeling many of us were left with as case counts and, sadly, death counts rose every day. As these developments signaled an ever-longer detour to Virtual Westminster, which eventually extended through the remainder of the 2019–20 school year, reasons for hope felt sometimes few and far between. While students missed the classrooms, they were grateful for the opportunity to continue learning via our live remote program, Virtual Westminster. While we were no longer able to watch the progress, Campbell Hall, Hawkins Hall, and our renovated Alfred E. Thompson Stadium and Community Plaza continued to rise. When our community faced uncomfortable truths about racial equity and social justice, we leaned on shared trust to confront the areas in which we have fallen short. And, of course, the foundation our community has helped build since 1951 remained strong when the world threw challenge after challenge. It is through our community and the myriad ways it uplifts our students, faculty, and leadership that resilience is made possible. In ways both obvious and hidden, philanthropic support buoyed our students and faculty as the 2019-20 school year became one like no other.
Westminster Goes Virtual An outstanding educational experience is central to Westminster’s mission at any time—even when every convention about what school is and isn’t flies out the window. During remote learning, our faculty and staff worked long hours, sought training on virtual teaching methods, and collaborated with one another to preserve as much of the Westminster experience as possible while keeping our community’s health at the forefront. “I had colleagues taking classes seven days a week to learn the best ways to support their students during this time,” says Dr. Anna Bacon Moore ’89, Director of Student Support.
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24 Reimagining Reunions
28 Campus Plan Rising
30 Putting A Bow On It!
34 Celebrating Our Leadership Donors
36 Board Leadership
40 Thank You!
During Spring Break, before any official orders had been announced, “just-in-case” planning was already in the works. The instructional technology team spent the break preparing extra iPads and chargers for Lower School students who don’t normally take devices home and figuring out how to best digitally connect more than 2,200 people. Our facilities team performed a deep cleaning of the campus and stocked restrooms with soap and sanitizer to encourage frequent handwashing. Our dining partner, FLIK, started packaging food into individual portions before serving. Upon the return to campus after Spring Break, COVID-19 consumed nearly every conversation. Tensions ramped up as classes continued meeting, and the School announced a teacher workday and Beta test of something dubbed “Virtual Westminster” for later in the week. “Preserving the most important aspects of the student experience at Westminster will continue to require responsiveness, flexibility, and more of the agility we have been practicing this year,” President Keith Evans wrote in his email announcing those plans to parents on March 9, 2020. That agility, already in overdrive, was exercised across campus two days later, when teachers reported to empty classrooms while students enjoyed an unexpected day of rest and time for independent work. Uncertainty surrounded every step. But faculty members found strength in one another. “What I remember most alongside this uncertainty is the togetherness and teamwork that it also brought,” says second grade teacher Dorothy Padgett ’07. “Our team was able to rally together and adjust our current teaching to an online format. In the blink of an eye, we were ready to take on this new normal.” At the end of the one-day faculty crash course in all things virtual learning, news came: Governor Brian Kemp asked schools and daycares to close their doors for two weeks. Before our Beta test had begun, it left the realm of contingency planning and became a beginning.
2019 -20 WESTMINSTER REPORT ON PHILANTHROPY
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4 Messages of Gratitude
6 Financial Report
10 Your Generosity, Our Resilience
18 Westminster Fund Giving Highlights
20 Every Gift Impacts Every Moment For Every Wildcat
22 When They Called, You Answered!
23 Young Alumni Leading Through Generosity
Adjusting to a New Normal Even though Westminster didn’t look like Westminster when we all woke up that Friday morning—and for quite some time afterward—our School’s spirit remained. The week was exhausting, but Wildcats met sudden changes with determination. The IT Services team rose to the challenge of providing technological needs. With all 12 IT employees staffing a phone tree, every student or parent who called during business hours spoke to a live person for immediate assistance. For the occasional unfortunate dropped laptop or spilled-on iPad, the team arranged socially distanced handoffs of loaner equipment so devices could be repaired. “This team was so awesome when it came to coming together to come up with a game plan,” says Infrastructure Engineer Montrey Jackson when thinking about Virtual Westminster and its launch. “There was a real mix of exhaustion and pride. It was all hands on deck to make sure everybody had a device and all the devices were working properly.” And with new buildings set to come online for the 2020-21 school year, Montrey was among the team members who came back early to oversee the installation of the infrastructure. Through constant communication with project managers, the IT team had the buildings up and running with high-speed internet, highdefinition projectors, phone systems, electronic room reservation systems, and more when students returned to campus in the fall. From pouring new sidewalks and repairing staircases to installing touch-free faucets all over campus and moving hundreds of temporary desks into classrooms, the facilities team completed a bevy of projects while keeping schedules that helped them maintain social distance. The facilities team continued reporting to campus daily to care for buildings and grounds. Utilizing a modified schedule for social distancing, crews performed the regular maintenance required on a campus with 775,000 square feet of indoor space and more than 180 acres of grounds. They were even able to complete some of the bigger projects that are usually squeezed into long weekends and short bursts of time in the summer months when students aren’t on campus. “We have a crew of about 60 people, and they were justifiably worried at first. We were in constant communication; these are the people who are essential to keeping campus running,” says Project Manager Foroud Azimi.
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24 Reimagining Reunions
28 Campus Plan Rising
30 Putting A Bow On It!
34 Celebrating Our Leadership Donors
36 Board Leadership
40 Thank You!
The team had plenty of new experiences—like purchasing 400 gallons of hand sanitizer from a local brewery and planning for a fireworks show over the practice fields. “We just had to figure out how to do things and make the best of it,” says Victor Panchuk, Director of Facilities. “It was surreal to have the campus be so quiet for so many months.” Life on and off campus wasn’t without difficulties—home internet connections were sometimes spotty, discussions didn’t flow as smoothly, and houses felt chaotic when also called into action as offices and classrooms for entire families. But Wildcats still found moments of delight when with one another. “I have been surprised at how much energy and happiness I get from Zoom meetings! I’ll be all down in the dumps, but then I have class, and being able to interact with the students pulls me up. The same is true for every meeting I have with teachers or grade chairs,” says sixth grade chair and performing arts teacher Susan McMillan. Even when things weren’t perfect, a sense of gratitude grew among the Wildcats. Sixth graders wrote thankyou notes to IT and sent one another digital encouragement. Specialists like learning strategists received more notes of thanks than ever before. One pre-first student and family thanked a teacher with a book about Mae Jemison after the teacher told them how much she admired the astronaut one day in virtual class.
Moving Forward, Together Virtual Westminster continued for more than two months until the end of the school year. New challenges continue to arise in the 2020-21 school year as COVID-19 is still very much a reality. “The Westminster community is strong,” says Michael Carroll ’96, Director of Applications and Data in the IT Services Department. “We all strive hard to achieve our goals. Virtual Westminster was just a new goal for all of us, and we each had a part to play to make this happen. I knew our school would rise up to the challenge to make Virtual Westminster possible. From the IT guys prepping all the devices and being on call to take Help Desk tickets, to the Business Office figuring out ways to keep the operations of the school going, to our teachers who are able to create new lesson plans and keep our students learning all while juggling their own families’ needs, it truly has been inspiring to witness.” Our community’s philanthropic support is equally inspiring. While we, and the world, have yet to emerge from COVID-19, your faith in Westminster throughout the pandemic has empowered our students to believe in themselves and their ability to overcome. This unexpected— and difficult—year has been a time of tremendous growth. Because of it, we cannot help but be changed. The year 2020 has been a defining moment. You helped us define it as one where togetherness, faith, and belief in the power of community gave us strength. While no one knew what the next months would bring, Keith Evans’ words from the announcement of the initial Beta test proved true time after time: “The grace that we offer each other and that binds Westminster together is never more important than at times like these when uncertainty prevails. I am humbled to have seen this grace in every corner of our community over these past few days and hope that it is a source of inspiration to you and your family.” As we reflect on this year like no other, we recognize that you, our community of support, are a significant part of what allowed the School to remain responsive, agile, and gracious while keeping our students at the forefront. Thank you for helping us rise to provide what our students needed, again and again.
2019 -20 WESTMINSTER REPORT ON PHILANTHROPY
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4 Messages of Gratitude
6 Financial Report
10 Your Generosity, Our Resilience
18 Westminster Fund Giving Highlights
20 Every Gift Impacts Every Moment For Every Wildcat
22 When They Called, You Answered!
23 Young Alumni Leading Through Generosity
Senior Year, Drive-Through Style Banners were hung, treats were baked, photos were printed—the students were coming back! Amid Virtual Westminster, the Class of 2020 returned to campus for four drive-through events in April and May to experience some senior milestones while keeping a safe distance. Faculty and staff donned their masks and gloves to say hello and help provide bright spots in a semester that was filled with unexpected changes and challenges. Here’s a peek into what each senior experienced during the events:
Mark Your Milestones From caps and gowns to “mudslides in a bag” to yearbooks to diplomas, each week marked a chance to celebrate the special time that is senior year!
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Check Out the Construction The first week, students’ route through campus took them by campus construction sites to see the progress that had happened.
24 Reimagining Reunions
28 Campus Plan Rising
30 Putting A Bow On It!
34 Celebrating Our Leadership Donors
36 Board Leadership
40 Thank You!
End with a Bang! For the grand finale, students and their families parked at Kent Field to view their senior movie... where they were treated to surprise fireworks after the showing!
Pick up a Sweet Treat “Dessert Thursdays” in Malone Dining Hall are a highlight of everyone’s week—so our dining partner, FLIK, shared in students’ joy by making sweet treats for them to savor.
Wave to Some Familiar Faces Faculty and staff handed out goodies every week, and seniors were met by a long line of teachers, nurses, counselors, coaches, and others cheering and waving posters for the final drive-through.
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Rising Through Community 2019 -20 WESTMINSTER REPORT ON PHILANTHROPY
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4 Messages of Gratitude
6 Financial Report
10 Your Generosity, Our Resilience
18 Westminster Fund Giving Highlights
20 Every Gift Impacts Every Moment For Every Wildcat
22 When They Called, You Answered!
23 Young Alumni Leading Through Generosity
2019-20 Westminster Fund Giving Highlights
$4,155,814 TOTAL WESTMINSTER FUND GIVING IN 2019-20
Total Number of Donors:
319
Donors recognized in the 1951 Circle Donors contributing $1,951 - $4,999 to The Westminster Fund in celebration of the School’s founding year
92
Reunion Giving Volunteers
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3,339
272
Annual fund donors recognized in the Pressly Leadership Society
101
Young Alumni Pressly Society members
Donors contributing $5,000 or more to The Westminster Fund
Alumni donors contributing $1,000 (Class of 2005), $500 (Classes of 2006-2010), $250 (Classes of 2011-2019), or more
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118
Alumni Class Agents
Parent Volunteer Families
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28 Campus Plan Rising
Parent Total
$2,074,412
30 Putting A Bow On It!
34 Celebrating Our Leadership Donors
36 Board Leadership
40 Thank You!
Thank you to our 2019-20 Westminster Fund Faculty Campaign Chairs! Lower School: Sara Shadburn Chapman ’76 and Gabriel Marulanda Middle School: Jennifer Baker Upper School: Tiffany Norman Boozer ’85 and Ana Maria Szolodko
Faculty Participation
100%
Thank you to our 2019-20 Westminster Fund leadership!
Parent Donors
983
Lisa McGahan Trustee Chair Allen Moseley ’87 Alumni Giving Chair Emi Shaffer Gragnani ’95 and Michael Gragnani Parent Giving Chairs Linda and Hank Harris Past Parent Giving Chairs Phyllis and Sidney Rodbell ’64 Grandparent Giving Chairs
Alumni Total
$1,813,577
Alumni Donors
2,198
Every gift to The Westminster Fund enhances the Wildcat experience. See a full list of all 2019-20 donors by visiting www.westminster.net/report-on-philanthropy password: RISING
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4 Messages of Gratitude
6 Financial Report
10 Your Generosity, Our Resilience
18 Westminster Fund Giving Highlights
20 Every Gift Impacts Every Moment For Every Wildcat
22 When They Called, You Answered!
23 Young Alumni Leading Through Generosity
Every Gift Impacts Every Moment for Every Wildcat The fifth annual EveryCat Challenge for The Westminster Fund was a resounding success! In October 2019, the School kicked off a 10-day challenge celebrating the impact of the annual fund on the student experience. More than 2,500 members of the Westminster community came together to make commitments to The Westminster Fund, exceeding our goal of 2,423 gifts—one for every student, teacher, and staff member on campus. Your generosity provides extraordinary learning and leadership opportunities for every Wildcat. Thank you!
A ScienceCat. A ChorusCat. A TrailCat. There’s no limit to the type of Cat a Westminster student can be. The Westminster community learned more about how The Westminster Fund supports every Wildcat by following along with videos and stories on social media and a dedicated EveryCat website throughout the challenge.
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24 Reimagining Reunions
28 Campus Plan Rising
30 Putting A Bow On It!
34 Celebrating Our Leadership Donors
36 Board Leadership
40 Thank You!
The School also celebrated the community’s generosity with surprise pop-up challenges. When the senior parents reached their donor goal, they unlocked a “Dine and Dash” day for the Class of 2020. The seniors were treated to breakfast sandwiches and chauffeured to class via golf carts driven by “celebrity drivers” like President Keith Evans!
“Thank you for providing Westminster with the resources, learning spaces, and encouragement that make even our most ambitious student projects possible.” –William ’20
2019 -20 WESTMINSTER REPORT ON PHILANTHROPY
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4 Messages of Gratitude
6 Financial Report
10 Your Generosity, Our Resilience
18 Westminster Fund Giving Highlights
20 Every Gift Impacts Every Moment For Every Wildcat
22 When They Called, You Answered!
Parent Giving:
When They Called, You Answered! Parents have always played a central role in Westminster’s culture of philanthropy. Parent volunteers for The Westminster Fund ensured that support would remain steadfast even in the midst of a pandemic. Led by eighth grade giving chairs Anne and Charlie Henn ’91 and their outstanding team of class callers, more than 90% of eighth grade parents made a gift to The Westminster Fund in 2019-20—helping the Class of 2024 earn the title of the class with the highest participation for the seventh consecutive year! This sustained participation is inspiring and reflects our parent community’s genuine commitment to Westminster’s mission and providing our students with unique opportunities.
“We hope that our giving—and getting others to give—creates and grows a foundation where more children are inspired to learn and create during some of their most transformative years.” –Elizabeth and Luke Barton P ’24, ’25, ’27
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23 Young Alumni Leading Through Generosity
24 Reimagining Reunions
28 Campus Plan Rising
30 Putting A Bow On It!
34 Celebrating Our Leadership Donors
36 Board Leadership
40 Thank You!
Alumni Giving:
Young Alumni Leading through Generosity A record 101 young alumni—15% more than last year—chose to make leadership investments in today’s Wildcats. This society recognizes graduates of the past 15 years who made leadership gifts to The Westminster Fund, reflecting their extraordinary commitment to their alma mater. We are grateful to these young alumni leaders, as well as the members of the newly formed Alumni Leadership Giving Committee, who work to connect alumni with giving opportunities.
“This school has shaped me to be driven, resilient, and passionate. As I look towards my future education and career, I am so grateful for the experiences and preparation Westminster has granted me.” –Grace ’21 “I give back in appreciation for all the supportive teachers and coaches who helped shape me into the person I am today.” –Ross Conway ’09
2019 -20 WESTMINSTER REPORT ON PHILANTHROPY
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4 Messages of Gratitude
6 Financial Report
10 Your Generosity, Our Resilience
18 Westminster Fund Giving Highlights
20 Every Gift Impacts Every Moment For Every Wildcat
22 When They Called, You Answered!
23 Young Alumni Leading Through Generosity
Reimagining Reunions Coming together with classmates for Reunion Weekend is a highlight of the alumni experience. With in-person gatherings postponed due to COVID-19, alumni still found ways to unite even though they couldn’t celebrate on campus in April. Some gathered over Zoom with Westminster-themed backgrounds or listened to playlists with songs from their high school days. A “Virtual Reunion Care Package” helped keep spirits high! Through it all, our Reunion alumni continued to support the School by generating incredible support that helped us rise to the challenges of the year. ReunionCats stepped up in a big way—the Class of 1995 even became the third class in a row to break the 25th Reunion fundraising record by raising more than $128,000 for The Westminster Fund!
$548,538 Total Dollars Raised by Reunion Classes
A Virtual Reunion Care Package!
1975, 1980, 1995, 2000
Classes Exceeding their Fundraising Goals
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24 Reimagining Reunions
28 Campus Plan Rising
30 Putting A Bow On It!
34 Celebrating Our Leadership Donors
36 Board Leadership
40 Thank You!
1975
Class with the Most Improved Participation
We can’t wait to celebrate the 0s and 5s alongside the 1s and 6s in April 2021! The upcoming Reunion celebrations for 18 Reunion classes include the all-new Reunion Cup, a competition to determine which class has the most Wildcat spirit!
473
Total Reunion Donors
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4 Messages of Gratitude
6 Financial Report
10 Your Generosity, Our Resilience
18 Westminster Fund Giving Highlights
20 Every Gift Impacts Every Moment For Every Wildcat
22 When They Called, You Answered!
Campus Plan Rising In August 2020, Westminster opened spaces that transformed the campus experience, especially for our Upper School students. The historic renovation of Campbell Hall and construction of Hawkins Hall provide opportunities for innovative teaching, interdisciplinary learning, and collaborative studying. The rejuvenation of Alfred E. Thompson Stadium—including the addition of a Community Plaza—creates new spaces for the entire community to gather and cheer on the Cats. Together with the parking deck, and the upcoming Westminster Center, this work represents the most ambitious construction project in the School’s history!
Thompson Rawls ’05, Tom Rawls, Olga Goizueta Rawls ’73, ET, Caroline Rawls Strumph ’08, Matthew Strumph
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23 Young Alumni Leading Through Generosity
24 Reimagining Reunions
28 Campus Plan Rising
30 Putting A Bow On It!
34 Celebrating Our Leadership Donors
36 Board Leadership
40 Thank You!
Westminster Commencement address: “Schools are a window to the future, and, in my mind, no experience is more invigorating than the impassioned pursuit of knowledge and ideas.” Importantly, our partnership with The Goizueta Foundation has enabled faculty to dream and plan about how to use the new space for the last two years. Mark Labouchere, Dr. Stephen Addcox, and Mitchell Griest comprise the Upper School Innovation Leadership Team while remaining teaching members of the history, English, and science departments. One example of innovation already in action? The Innovation Fellows: a cohort of upperclassmen selected to model new ways of thinking, doing, and sharing—and train other students to do the same. Like Writing Fellows, their humanities
A portrait of Roberto C. Goizueta
Celebrating New Spaces for Innovation Hawkins Hall, named in honor of the visionary philanthropy of Susan and Scott Hawkins, has reinvigorated student life in the Upper School—even during the COVID-19 pandemic. The building headlined the first edition of WCAT Weekly News, and students were unequivocal in their excitement for the new spaces to collaborate, investigate, create … and eat! On the second floor of Hawkins Hall, our Upper Schoolers have already found both comfort and inspiration in The Roberto C. Goizueta Innovation Hub. In this series of Upper School spaces, students will practice skills they first encountered through spaces like the Roberto C. Goizueta Innovation Lab in the Middle School and programs like Design Thinking in the Lower School: a pathway of learning experiences that make up The Roberto C. Goizueta Center for Innovation. It is here—in the Roberto C. Goizueta Catalyst Lab, a crow’s nest, two common areas, a faculty suite, and three beautiful classrooms—where our oldest students will problem-find, design, connect, and build in exciting new ways. The spirit of the space brings to life a perspective the late Mr. Goizueta shared in his 1994
“Schools are a window to the future, and, in my mind, no experience is more invigorating than the impassioned pursuit of knowledge and ideas.” -Mr. Roberto C. Goizueta
counterparts who staff the Jones Writing Lab, Innovation Fellows earn academic credit for their service and complete independent research projects. Jack Scalise ’21 reflects: “As an Innovation Fellow, my role is to learn the equipment in the Roberto C. Goizueta Catalyst Lab and teach/inspire others to do the same. I know that in teaching, I’ll also end up developing my own knowledge. The skills I pick up here will be useful in my future, especially with my desire to pursue engineering in college and beyond.” Like all else, this year’s offerings have adapted for realities of school days during a pandemic—but it’s clear that, even now, the spaces have offered new horizons for ideating, prototyping, and iterating ... and our eldest Wildcats are rising to meet them!
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4 Messages of Gratitude
6 Financial Report
10 Your Generosity, Our Resilience
18 Westminster Fund Giving Highlights
20 Every Gift Impacts Every Moment For Every Wildcat
22 When They Called, You Answered!
23 Young Alumni Leading Through Generosity
Putting A Bow On It! Opening Our New Spaces This summer, we were thrilled to celebrate the families whose generosity and leadership investments made our new spaces possible. Due to COVID-19, this called for socially distanced tours, private ribbon-cutting ceremonies, and Wildcat masks! Collectively, these individuals are helping transform the student experience through spaces that catalyze the development of critical leadership skills such as collaboration, innovation, agility, and community engagement. *Please note that donors who aren’t masked in these photos opted to have their deeply felt smiles documented for posterity alongside their family members.
Susan and Scott Hawkins
The Schoen Family
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The McGahan Family
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28 Campus Plan Rising
30 Putting A Bow On It!
34 Celebrating Our Leadership Donors
36 Board Leadership
40 Thank You!
“Since we are part of Westminster and Westminster is part of us, we want to leave a legacy. We have supported Westminster and look forward to the day that our son does his part too.” -Jessie and Tim Xia, P’24, quoted at The Xia Family Classroom ribbon-cutting
The Kellett Family
Mindy and Mike ’74 Egan
Jeff ’85 and Ella ’15 Small
Roz and John Brewer
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Rising Through Generosity 2019 -20 WESTMINSTER REPORT ON PHILANTHROPY
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4 Messages of Gratitude
6 Financial Report
10 Your Generosity, Our Resilience
18 Westminster Fund Giving Highlights
20 Every Gift Impacts Every Moment For Every Wildcat
22 When They Called, You Answered!
23 Young Alumni Leading Through Generosity
Celebrating Our Leadership Donors There is no question that at Westminster, rising is a community effort. We are grateful for generosity at all levels and recognize members of our five giving societies for their leadership in philanthropy. We are proud to share full listings of each society on our password-protected website: www.westminster.net/report-on-philanthropy password: RISING
The Young Alumni Leadership Society
The Cornerstone Society members invest in the
The 1951 Circle recognizes parents, alumni, grandparents,
The Columns Society is the pinnacle of philanthropy at
celebrates young alumni who give back to Westminster by investing at significant levels in The Westminster Fund. By doing so, they support today’s students as they grow into changemaking citizens, guided by dedicated faculty every step of the way.
and friends who give $1,951-$4,999 to The Westminster Fund, enabling Westminster to deliver on its founding promise: to help young people become the leaders our world needs.
The Pressly Leadership Society celebrates donors who made gifts totaling $5,000 or more to Westminster. Members of the Pressly Leadership Society honor the vision of Dr. William L. Pressly, our founding president, through their extraordinary philanthropic commitments.
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development of tomorrow’s leaders by including Westminster in their estate plans. We appreciate our Cornerstone members’ vision and generosity and extend a collective “thank you” from the Westminster community—both present and future.
Westminster, recognizing benefactors whose cumulative investment in the School equals or exceeds $1 million dollars. We are privileged to celebrate visionary donors whose leadership, loyalty, and extraordinary generosity have allowed Westminster to become one of the nation’s leading independent schools.
24 Reimagining Reunions
28 Campus Plan Rising
30 Putting A Bow On It!
34 Celebrating Our Leadership Donors
36 Board Leadership
40 Thank You!
See full listings of the members of each leadership society on our password-protected website: www.westminster.net/report-on-philanthropy password: RISING
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4 Messages of Gratitude
6 Financial Report
10 Your Generosity, Our Resilience
18 Westminster Fund Giving Highlights
20 Every Gift Impacts Every Moment For Every Wildcat
22 When They Called, You Answered!
23 Young Alumni Leading Through Generosity
2019-20 Board Leadership Board of Trustees
Emeritus Trustees
Advancement Committee
Joel T. Murphy ’76, Chair Elizabeth Kilcullen Blake, Vice Chair
James S. Balloun Betsy Barge Birkholz ’69 Lisa Borders ’75 James E. Bostic Jr. David E. Boyd Peter M. Candler ’60 Richard W. Courts II ’55 Ann Draughon Cousins Suzanne LeCraw Cox ’71 Joseph M. Craver F. T. Davis Jr. ’56 Harold A. Dawson Jr. ’82 Virginia Gaines Dearborn ’56 W. Douglas Ellis Jr. Joseph W. Hamilton Jr. Allen S. Hardin Thomas D. Hills ’62 Ronald P. Hogan Barbara Benson Howell W. Stell Huie L. Phillip Humann M. Hill Jeffries Jr. ’73 E. Cody Laird Jr. George H. Lane III (d) J. Hicks Lanier ’58 Dennis M. Love ’74 Gay McLawhorn Love (d) Carolyn Cody McClatchey ’65 Terence F. McGuirk Olga Goizueta Rawls ’73 Margaret Conant Reiser ’73 John W. Rooker ’56 Kenneth S. Taratus L. Barry Teague John A. Wallace D. Scott Weimer James B. Williams George B. Wirth
Rosalind G. Brewer, Chair
Rosalind G. Brewer Samuel G. Candler William Clarkson IV Michael J. Egan ’74 Jason Fritz Rand Glenn Hagen ’95 Jack H. Halpern ’67 Scott D. Hawkins Katharine W. Kelley ’82 Stephen S. Lanier ’96 Janet M. Lavine Sukai Liu David M. Love ’90 Lisa Olivetti McGahan Richard V. McPhail III Allison Bolch Moran ’86 R. Brand Morgan ’94 Floyd C. Newton III ’73 Thomas E. Noonan Rahul Patel William T. Plybon Kelly A. Regal B. Clayton Rolader ’72 Louise Scott Sams ’75 Stephen L. Schoen ’80 S. Stephen Selig ’61 Jeffrey P. Small Jr. ’85 C. Austin Stephens ’93 Dana Weeks Ugwonali Jay Yadav President Keith A. Evans Westminster Fund Representative Allen S. Moseley ’87 Alumni Association Representative Sarah Hawkins Warren ’00 36
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Catherine Humann Callaway ’03 Ross Conway ’09 Jessi Freeman Emi Shaffer Gragnani ’95 Michael A. Gragnani Scott D. Hawkins Amy S. Kistulinec Stephen S. Lanier ’96 Lisa Olivetti McGahan Louise Allen Moore ’92 Allen S. Moseley ’87 R. Davis Noell Tejal K. Parikh Rahul Patel William T. Plybon Jonathan D. Rodbell ’90 Abtin Shahriari Charles A. Smithgall IV ’99 Jennifer Tetrick William P. Tordella Jr. Ex-Officio Members Joel T. Murphy ’76, Board of Trustees, Chair Elizabeth Kilcullen Blake, Board of Trustees, Vice Chair
24 Reimagining Reunions
28 Campus Plan Rising
30 Putting A Bow On It!
34 Celebrating Our Leadership Donors
36 Board Leadership
Alumni Board
Young Alumni Council
Sarah Hawkins Warren ’00, President Wab Kadaba ’87, President-Elect Allen Moseley ’87, Alumni Giving Chair Andrew Blaisdell ’99, Recording Secretary
Beau Allen ’05, Co-Chair Caroline Rawls Strumph ’08, Co-Chair
Beau Allen ’05 Bianca Camac Bell ’94 Charlie Henn ’91 Kennedy Hicks ’01 Dominique Holloman ’97 Ellen Hale Jones ’81 Billy Levine ’88 Walter McClelland ’97 Helen Funk McSwain ’70 Wade Rakes ’98 Susie Soper ’64 Caroline Rawls Strumph ’08 Chris Suh ’95 Anna Driver Wick ’95
40 Thank You!
Stephanie Newton Bedard ’07 Ross Conway ’09 Katie Sturniolo Cruce ’07 Robert deGolian ’15 Sarah Grady ’11 Kealy Hartman ’10 Ellie Lee ’12 Emma Reifenberger ’14 John Gray Seiler ’06 Nigel Walker ’13
Honorary Member John R. Jones Jr. ’74, Board Historian
2019 -20 WESTMINSTER REPORT ON PHILANTHROPY
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“Because of your support, Westminster students and faculty have been able to rise to incredible challenges. The shared values and generosity that define Westminster’s entire extended family—parents, alumni, and friends—have carried the School community through these challenging times, together. They continue to point us, together, towards a bright future.” JOEL MURPHY ’76 CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
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2019 -20 WESTMINSTER REPORT ON PHILANTHROPY
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40
4 Messages of Gratitude
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6 Financial Report
10 Your Generosity, Our Resilience
18 Westminster Fund Giving Highlights
20 Every Gift Impacts Every Moment For Every Wildcat
22 When They Called, You Answered!
23 Young Alumni Leading Through Generosity
24 Reimagining Reunions
28 Campus Plan Rising
30 Putting A Bow On It!
34 Celebrating Our Leadership Donors
36 Board Leadership
40 Thank You!
Celebrate all of our 2019-20 supporters at www.westminster.net/report-on-philanthropy password: RISING
Thank you for helping us
RISE. Your philanthropic support lifts every Wildcat, every day. You give our students opportunities to reach unlimited heights, now and for the rest of their lives. Thank you.
2019 -20 WESTMINSTER REPORT ON PHILANTHROPY
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Office for Institutional Advancement 1424 West Paces Ferry Road, NW Atlanta, Georgia 30327 | westminster.net 404-609-6275