Annual Report 2013 – 14 Dear members of the Westover community,
Your gifts
In the decades to come, I believe we will look back on this time as one of the most exciting and productive in the history of our school. The completion of our Inspiring Women campaign is a seminal moment for us, a testament to the unwavering belief our alumnae, parents, and friends have in our work and our mission, and a springboard to an exciting future. I love to recall that when we first envisioned this campaign we were told that we could, perhaps, raise $12 million. Our ambitious goal was $45 million, $35 million of which was to go directly to endowment. Today we stand at $47.5 million!
inspire
However impressive the amount, it is not the money per se that we celebrate, it is the work that this fundraising makes possible. It is the fine teachers we will be able to attract and retain, the talented and diverse students we will be able to gather, the new and exciting programs we will be able to initiate, the campus changes and improvements we envision. The chart below makes it clear how critical our campaign will be as we look towards our future. We are hard at work on a strategic plan that defines our immediate future and a campus master plan that will support our strategic initiatives. Our work has never been more important. Westover is here because of a critical mission — to create in every girl an understanding of her power to shape her own life and to change for the better the world she will inherit. There is work to be done in that world, and our job is to be sure that the girls we teach understand the scope of that work and, most importantly, have the skills and confidence to take a leadership role in it. You all know that this is my last year at Westover — and it’s still hard to write those words. Many people have asked me how the school may change when I am gone. I suspect there will be changes; I hope there will be changes. I think it was Alfred North Whitehead who said that any school that doesn’t change will “share the fate of all organic things that are kept too long.” But this school, this place has a culture so deep, a mission so sharp, a community so dedicated, that the essence of Westover will remain. All of you are part of that immutable essence. Thank you for all you do to support our work at this exciting moment in our history. We have a clear mission, we have forward-looking plans, and we have the resources to make those plans a reality. This is the century of women, and Westover will lead the way. Sincerely,
Ann Pollina, Head of School
westover endowment comparison with & without campaign 2014
community service Your gifts in memory of Meghan Beebe ’10 inspired an endowment fund that sent 14 students, faculty, and alumnae on a transformational community service trip to Appalachia in the summer of 2014.
scholarship Your class giving supports initiatives like the newly endowed Class of 1968 Open Fields Scholarship, which will assist a student of need with tuition and boarding costs.
academic support Your annual fund giving provides renovations and services like the expansion and renovation of our Center of Academic Support that aids students with time management, organization, study skills, extra help, and a quiet space to complete their schoolwork.
environmental sustainability
2013
Your planned giving establishes endowment funds for programs like the new Environmental Program on Westover’s campus, which supports environmental activities and awareness through academic classes and extracurricular activities.
2012 2011 2010 2009 2008
Annual Fund Giving Highlights
2007 $0
$10m
$20m
$30m
Est. Endowment Without Campaign
$40m
$50m
$60m
$70m
participation alumnae: 41.3 %
Actual Endowment Value
+ 5.3 % since 2013
parents: 44 %
+ 8 % since 2013
friends & organizations: 45.7 %
+ 20.5 % since 2013
faculty & staff: 100 %
+23 % since 2013
gifts
+ 7 % full campaign report coming spring 2015
alumnae: $1,140,244
+ 27 % past parents: $85,815
+ 38 % friends & organizations: $210,532 faculty & staff: $16,484 +40 %