Conversation with

Conversation With Chris Czarnik, Director of Advancement

Chris Czarnik has been the De La Salle Director of Advancement since 2006. Under Chris’s leadership, the school successfully completed the 2004 Capital Campaign: Preserving the Legacy. Prior to joining the DLS Family, Chris was the Director of Athletic Development and Head Baseball Coach at his Alma Mater, the University of Detroit Mercy.

How does the school’s mission impact your role in fundraising?

It is especially satisfying to be at a school where our priorities are a direct reflection of our founder. We are fulfilling a mission, not just running a business. St. John Baptist de La Salle was an innovator. He found practical, human ways to help educate children and bring them closer to God. He did this by training the Brothers to provide for the children’s needs. Today, our faculty and staff, both the Brothers and lay people, serve that same role. The quality of people at De La Salle is extraordinary. They make a difference for students in small moments and in those that are more profound. Our parents are engaged. They make real sacrifices to send their sons to De La Salle, and we form a true partnership in educating the boys. “Builders of Boys, Makers of Men” is the motto, not “They’re already men, and we just make them even bigger men.” Parents and DLS partner during a very important transition into maturity. I can’t tell you how many times a parent gives us the feedback that a young man is “all of a sudden doing homework on his own, and that he’s proud of it.” It’s really humbling to witness that transformation.

What role does philanthropy play in Catholic education?

Philanthropy is essential to the future of Catholic education. As the number of Brothers, Priests and Nuns in Catholic schools decline, they are replaced by lay people. This fundamental shift in budget structure has led to the demise of many schools. As tuition prices react to this trend, Catholic schools are in danger of becoming only a place for the wealthy. However, philanthropy can, and I believe will, prevent that at De La Salle. It’s an essential part of the school’s ethos to represent hard-working people from every economic class and to provide help for deserving families that want a Catholic, Lasallian education for their sons. Without that

Brother George Synan Society Dinner

The Annual Brother George Synan Planned Giving Society Dinner was held on March 24. Varsity Football Coach Paul Verska, Deacon Brian Meldrum (‘02) and Senior Zach Giannetti were the featured speakers at this year’s event, reflecting on the different aspects of a Lasallian education.

Chris Czarnik

spirit, De La Salle just wouldn’t be the same place it’s been for generations.

You work with an alumni base that is very enthusiastic about the school.

It’s really something isn’t it? There is a special bond among De La Salle and St. Joe graduates. They are extremely proud of their schools, of being “Brothers’ Boys,” and are committed to making sure the experience is preserved for future generations of Pilots. This pride has a positive effect on current enrollment, because parents realize that once their son attends De La Salle, he enters into a community of graduates that will impact his lifelong friendships as well as his career. It’s powerful.

Planned Giving is playing a greater role in how people support the future of De La Salle.

There’s a misconception that Planned Giving is only for the very wealthy. In fact, we have thankfully received gifts that are very modest, and some that are transformational in their amount. I hear often that people would rather leave some of their hard-earned treasures to De La Salle than to the government in the form of estate taxes. But while tax and financial strategies through planned gifts can provide real benefit for a donor and his family, it isn’t the primary goal for most people. The real focus is to say that in some important way, De La Salle has been an important part of a person’s life, and preserving the future of the school is a meaningful legacy to them or a loved one.

What is the motivation to see the school grow and improve?

St. John Baptist de La Salle challenged the Brothers to make sure students have the resources they need. He wrote, “Christian schools should be in no respect inferior to others; parents who give them preference on moral and religious grounds should not have occasion to regret that their children do not find therein all other educational advantages.” He recognized that environment and learning tools make a difference in the way students and teachers interact. We are focused on fulfilling His mission and extraordinary vision.

Leave a Legacy at De La Salle

To leave a gift to De La Salle in your will, simply share this language with your attorney or financial planner: “I bequeath $_________ or _________% of my estate to De La Salle Collegiate, 14600 Common Rd., Warren, MI 48088.” The Advancement Office can provide more information at 586.778.3356.

Michael Karwoski (‘65), Daniel Kotwicki (‘65), Hank Hughes (‘66), and Paul Zimmer (‘66) gather for a group photo.

Roland Rinke (‘43) and his wife Janice, catch up with Frank Fisher (SJ ‘49).