YOUR
IMPACT 2019-2020
“
I chose Culver because I believe in the mission. One of the things I fell in love with was the idea of developing leaders through different programs that all come together. We aren’t just athletes, or students, or social butterflies; Culver teaches us to find a balance between those and become whole individuals. When I was admitted, it was easy for me to say that I wanted to come to Culver.
DEAN, TROOP A CMA 2021 SUMMER SCHOOL 2019
Thank you...
for investing not only in the success of our students and campers but in the wider impact we can make together through strong academics, leadership and character development that focus on the whole person. You are providing opportunities for young people to grow and learn at Culver before going into the world to serve and lead.
3,224 DONORS
WHAT A YEAR
YOU MADE!
5,935 GIFTS GIVEN
12
$5.65M
$4.79M
raised for the Culver Fund
raised for the endowment
New Eugene C. Eppley Club members
(for planned legacy giving).
HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2019-20 Almost
$1M
was raised from donations that were less than $1,000. EVERY GIFT impacts the daily life of a student or camper.
839
Students in the boarding school represent:
& 23 36 states countries
1,321
Students/campers in the summer represent: & 38 42 states countries
2019-2020 FINANCIAL BREAKDOWN Administrative Compensation and Benefits
26%
Facilities and Utilities
Culver Fund
9%
10%
Other Expenses
11%
Endowment Draw
Summary of Expenses (000’s) 2019-20 actual $63,424
30%
Summary of Revenue (000’s) 2019-20 actual $64,089* Student Programs and Services
Academic and Student Life Compensation and Benefits
35%
Direct results of YOUR gifts to Culver!
18%
Tuition & Fees 54% (net of scholarship/ financial aid/discounts)
Other Income
7%
*A reduction in expenses due to the school’s closure in our fiscal year’s final months resulted in a modest surplus. That surplus will be used to support one-time grants for our families impacted by COVID-19 so they may continue their education at Culver.
SCHOLARSHIPS Each year, with your investment, we strengthen our school and network by attracting a well-rounded and diverse body of students and campers through the distribution of financial aid and scholarships. Here are just a few people whose life path was impacted by your support.
$13 MILLION+ in financial aid and scholarship supported over 390 students in our winter school program. NEARLY
$1MILLION
in financial aid and scholarship was given (for Summer 2019) to support more than 225 students and campers in their quest for a Culver summer experience.
SIX
community-based organizations partnered with Culver to support efforts to diversify our student body.
“Without you, I would not have been able to experience any of this. I am beyond grateful for this opportunity and cannot express enough thanks for giving me such a special gift.”
Matthew, Battery B, Class of 2020
“I am thankful for cabinmates, my counselor, my major, the snacks and delicious food. My classes taught me new things that I wouldn’t have learned without camp. I get to help others as a leader. It’s hard at first, but it gets easier and is so fun.”
Sarah, Woodcraft Butterfly Wing 2, age 11
“Thank you for believing in me and giving me the resources to reach my full potential.”
Anaia, Court Dorm, Class of 2020
450
MORE THAN
FACULTY SUPPORT Our students and campers thrive, in large part, because of the faculty and staff members that teach, coach, mentor, and guide them. Your gifts enable us to hire and retain key faculty and staff committed to educating our students and supporting their leadership and character development.
summer staff support the young people in Woodcraft and Upper Schools (in summer 2019).
108
full-time and part-time instructors (87% with advanced degrees) committed to the Culver teaching model in the boarding school program.
33
faculty and staff in the boarding school graduated from Culver.
67%
year-round Summer Schools & Camps staff graduated from the summer program.
DON FOX, Class of 1975, Leadership Instructor While the four corners of 204 Humanities where I teach are largely unchanged from when I was a student, the layout of the classroom is completely different, and the way an 85-minute class is structured is unlike anything we experienced as students. As I tell my students, many of the challenges they will face in life will be solved around a table of some sort – it could be a boardroom table or their kitchen table. That’s how we approach learning in my classroom today – working together around a table to solve problems and find solutions. By the time students pass through the Gate or the Arch, the vast majority of our students have a strong sense of who they are and the kind of person they want to become. That’s called character, and for the last 126 years, no place has done that better than Culver. This type of interaction is going on in all of the Culver classrooms. I am in awe of many of the people I know as fellow faculty members. Their scholarship, creativity, and commitment to our students is unmatched anywhere today or by any point in our history as a school.
HEIKE SPAHN, Summer School Class of 1986, Director of Woodcraft Camp Camp supports a child’s development of independence. For many kids, attending camp is the first time they have been away from family for an extended period of time. Over the course of a few weeks, campers transform from tentative to self-assured. As they learn to make their bed or pass their first inspection, they become more confident in their abilities. This confidence supports their desire to try new things, embrace new opportunities, make friends with people who are different from their friends at home, develop their voice, and ultimately lead their peers. Over the course of a few years, the transformation is significant and our program capitalizes on this growth. I want every Culver camper to experience the same personal growth and joy that I did at Culver. The Shared Values of the Honor Card – Honesty, Leadership, Self-Discipline, Consideration, Cooperation – are extraordinary guiding principles which can be applied to every circumstance in life. When I am confronted with a difficult decision, or when I am mentoring a staff member or camper, I always go back to the Honor Card. By stressing these values at Woodcraft, we are able to equip children (and staff) with a roadmap to follow when making decisions and working with others.
FACILITIES One cannot live and learn without the space to do so. This past year, donor gifts launched several building projects to support the learning and living environment for our young people in both the summer and boarding school programs. Progress continues on two barracks and an academic building dedicated to leadership development. The successful completion and grand opening of the Brian L. Reichart ’68 Shack provides a place for students to connect, meet, eat, and let off some steam. We are grateful for the gifts directed toward the creation of these spaces and look forward to having them bustling with student activity!
Culver is distinctive with its student-centered, values-based approach to learning, and promotion of the Cardinal Virtues: Wisdom, Courage, Moderation, and Justice. Effective leaders live and lead with these values. Culver embraces the total mind, spirit and body approach to living and learning, remaining committed to helping students and campers become their best selves since 1894. The following stories demonstrate the Culver mission in action.
Max, Current Naval Band student. Woodcraft Class of 2019, CMA Class of 2022
Xavier, Class of 2021
Winner of the Miclot Business Competition in the Ron Rubin School for the Entrepreneur
Despite camp being canceled for Summer 2020, would-be Naval Band first classman Max Gifford wanted to keep Culver Summer Schools & Camps alive. He worked at the Culver Museum to create videos to keep summer students, alumni and alumnae engaged and connected.
“One of the greatest things I’ve learned at Culver is that it’s just like life; there are always ups and downs. Culver has taught me that even though you get knocked down, the real test of character is how you respond to those obstacles and how you get back up.”
Sherry, Class of 2021
Founder and lead advocate for Culver’s Women in STEM Club
Sherry is inspired to take initiative, make connections, and encourage others to excel. Sherry’s work has connected current students to CGA alumnae in STEM and to Notre Dame’s Society of Women Engineers.
Xavier sensed the importance of service to others the moment he arrived on campus. The value the Culver community placed on service, leadership, and generosity overwhelmed and compelled him. His winning plan to create modified utensils for veterans who struggled to eat because of grip challenges developed from a need he saw within his community. Xavier believes that his experience at Culver led him to serve, observe, problem-solve, and create.
2 2 0 2 f o s s a l C , Enzo
Deck 6 workin
g together as a
CGA Basketball Team When the going gets tough, Culver students double down on their leadership and commitment to excellence. The 2019-2020 CGA varsity basketball team displayed perseverance and grit as they worked through a season of rebuilding. Far from falling apart, they kept one another motivated and accomplished a number of the goals they had set for themselves.
team during th e Great Race Bu cket Brigade.
Gigi 2019, Deck 6 CGA Class of 2021
Enzo loves the idea of taking on a different persona and acting as a character. He has many opportunities to do this through his involvement with theatre. Enzo is able to connect his experience as Troop A operations sergeant to his role in theatre.
“It is nearly impossible to be a good leader without knowledge of the task or how the team works together. Leadership lessons learned outside of theatre carry over to theatre because leadership isn’t a job, it’s a lifestyle.”
“Upper School teaches you how to be bigger than yourself. It teaches you how to be a part of a whole and that every little thing you do matters and doesn’t just affect you.” The Great Race, specifically, is a measure of how hard you and your deck have worked the entire year. It fosters a fire in the eyes of every single girl in camp. It promotes a kind of motivation that cannot be replicated.
“
I am part of a legacy that stretches over a century. I am part of Culver’s traditions, but also a leader that is responsible for shaping its future. Culver has given me the opportunities and support I need to become a well-rounded and honorable person, and I hope that I can give back to the Culver community now and in the future.
JENNA, LINDEN CGA 2021
Dear Friends, The stories and statistics shared here are only one snapshot in the broader collage of the great things happening at Culver. In reality, this is a story about you and what you make possible at Culver. As an institution focused on education, leadership, and character development, we recognize the impact our work can have not only on the young people we serve but on the world itself. We are grateful for your partnership and investment in our students and campers. It’s not difficult for many of us to recall our first years at Culver. Since 1894, young people have come from around the globe to learn and grow on campus before going into the world to serve and lead. Leadership, critical thinking, challenge, collaboration, and support are built into every aspect of the Culver experience. Students and campers grow and thrive through the myriad opportunities you bring to life. Thank you for being a part of our team. Thank you for your support of Culver. With gratitude,
Doug Bird ‘90 Head of Schools
THE CULVER MISSION Culver educates its students for leadership and responsible citizenship in society by developing and nurturing the whole individual – MIND, SPIRIT, & BODY – through integrated programs that emphasize the cultivation of character.