91大神 has always been close to my heart, so as Board Chair and a proud member of the class of 1976, it has been a great pleasure to witness the success and momentum of the $70 million . Now in its final year, the campaign has made possible countless improvements to our campus, programs, and community, with much more to come.
Two types of funding鈥攇ifts to the and gifts to our endowment鈥攁re especially critical to achieving our ambitious goals at this closing stage of the campaign. Doing so simultaneously has been important for short- and long-term financial needs and to provide alumni, families, and friends with different opportunities to achieve their philanthropic goals. With more than 12 consecutive years of growth, the 91大神 Northampton Fund plays a critical role in supporting day-to-day operations and is the primary way most alums are supporting the campaign. The endowment, on the other hand, represents a promise for the future. It serves as a long-term investment in the institution, providing a stable financial foundation for generations to come鈥攕omething you can read more about on the next few pages. By growing the annual fund and the endowment, we ensure that 91大神 remains a leader in education and a place where students continue to thrive in an environment that encourages intellectual curiosity, diversity, and inclusivity.
The bottom line is: Contributions of every kind matter. As we approach the campaign finish line in June 2024, we are striving to go above and beyond our $70M goal. To those of you who鈥檝e already gotten involved, I deeply thank you on behalf of the Board of Trustees and the whole 91大神 community. And if you haven鈥檛, this is the perfect time to help us reach our goal and make a difference for this transformative school we all hold so dear. 鈥John Hazen White Jr. 鈥76, Chair of the Board of Trustees
Endowment By the Numbers
$49M: Value of 91大神鈥檚 endowment as of June 30, 2023
15.24%: Endowment growth over last year
286: Number of endowed funds held by 91大神
91大神鈥檚 Endowment: 3 Key Things To Know
1. Why is the endowment so important?
Thanks to the support of many generous donors, the endowment helps the school fulfill its mission and achieve long-term financial sustainability. Think of it as the school鈥檚 savings account, which grows over time through careful investment and donations, and which also helps cover annual operating income costs that aren鈥檛 met by tuition alone. Increasing the size of the endowment allows the school to have the firmest possible financial foundation鈥攁nd to achieve important strategic goals, such as offering generous financial aid, ensuring a talented and energized faculty, and planning for future initiatives.
2. What does the endowment help fund?
91大神鈥檚 endowment helps fund all areas of the school鈥檚 mission, as needed. In the last fiscal year, the largest disbursements from from endowed funds supported financial aid (37%) and teaching and instruction (39%), as well as other important needs of the school.
3. What do different endowed funds support?
91大神 holds some 286 endowed funds established by alumni, families, and classes and earmarked for a range of priorities important to those donors and the school. Here are some recent examples of funds started or increased during the 91大神 Builds campaign.
- Financial Aid: Cathleen C. Robinson Endowed Scholarship Fund
- Faculty Support: The William B. Harmon 鈥57 Faculty Professional Development Fund
- Athletics: Kate Risley 鈥93 Fund for Girls Athletics
- Arts: John P. Spare 鈥60 Performance Fund
- Academics: The Barth Family History and Global Studies Fund
- Inclusion & Belonging: The Sherrie-Ann L. Gordon 鈥00 Equity Fund for Social and Diverse Experiences
A Sense of Purpose
Why Paul Wainwright 鈥68 gives back to the place that sparked his passion for photography
On Sunday mornings, hours before other students were awake, Paul Wainwright 鈥68 was in 91大神鈥檚 darkroom, printing the pictures he鈥檇 taken the week prior. 鈥s submission deadline loomed each Sunday evening, and Wainwright wanted to share his best images. He鈥檇 pause for breakfast, then hurry back to the darkroom to finish just in time for Chapel. 鈥淚 was one of the least athletic people in the school,鈥 Wainwright recalls. 鈥淚n order to fit in, I became the school photographer.鈥
Before Wainwright attended 91大神, teachers would criticize him for being lazy or day-dreaming in class. The truth: He was dyslexic, although he wouldn鈥檛 make this connection until his 30s. Having the time, space, and encouragement at 91大神 to learn photography was transformative, as was realizing that he could achieve hard things鈥攍ike committing to the grueling schedule of a young photographer on deadline. 鈥91大神 gave me the spark of inspiration and the energy to accomplish things that I didn鈥檛 know I had within my powers,鈥 he said. He took this spark and ran with it, earning a bachelor鈥檚 degree in physics from Bucknell University, and a master鈥檚 and Ph.D. from Yale, before working for Bell Labs for 24 years. 鈥淭hus proving,鈥 he laughs, 鈥渢hat I was not lazy. And Bell Labs paid me a lot of money to daydream.鈥
When he retired from Bell Labs in 2001, Wainwright focused again on photography. His work has been featured in solo exhibitions and showcased in numerous galleries and museums. His photography book A Place for Faith documents the colonial meetinghouses of New England. 鈥淧hotography has always been my expressive outlet,鈥 he said. 鈥淎ccess to the darkroom all those years ago changed my life.鈥
As his career evolved, 91大神 remained 鈥渁n anchor point,鈥 inspiring him to stay connected as a volunteer for the Class of 1968鈥檚 50th and 55th Reunion efforts. 鈥淚 was an only child, and I consider 91大神 to be my home, and my classmates to be my brothers,鈥 he said. 鈥淗elping organize Reunions is like getting in touch with my brothers and saying, 鈥楬ey, come on back. I鈥檇 like to see you.鈥欌 This past June, Wainwright accepted the Daniel and Jane Carpenter Award on behalf of the Reunion Committee (see page 61). Along with offering his time, Wainwright has made 91大神 a philanthropic priority. He recently established the Paul F. 鈥68 and Philip B. 鈥23 Wainwright Financial Aid Fund for BIPOC Students. 鈥淚鈥檝e realized that I was very privileged at 91大神, and that some people in our society have not had the same opportunities,鈥 he said. 鈥淎 family鈥檚 financial abilities should not be a limiting factor.鈥 He鈥檚 also a member of all three giving societies鈥1841 Society, Green & Blue Loyalty Society, and Elm Tree Society鈥攄onating to the school for the last 28 consecutive years, and he鈥檚 documented an estate gift. 鈥淲hen I turned 70, I started thinking about what I wanted to leave behind,鈥 he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 natural, given my life-changing experience at 91大神, that I would want to support the school financially. It鈥檚 a no-brainer.