campaign(2014-15)securedthefundingrequiredtoestablish Desales’first-everoutdoorstadium,renovatesciencelabs,andaddfundstothe newlyestablishedDeSalesFoundation Itwasintheplanningforthiscampaign thattheconceptofcreatingaflexibleacademicandco-curricularspacefirst emerged.Whiletheschool’sfacilitieshaveservedourmissionwell,andhavebeen renovatedandupgradedinavarietyofwaystomeettheacademicneedsofthe times,somuchhaschangedineducation.Programandstudentneedsdemand newlydesignedspace
TheDeSalesstrategicplan–completedin2
Creatinganewflexcenteratthefrontoftheschoolwouldaccomplisha numberofstrategicobjectives.Over800stakeholdersparticipatedinfocus groupsandacommunity-widesurveyinlate2022andthisprocess confirmedthevalueandneedofbuildingthesenewfacilities.Thus,the InnovationCenter,withitsplannedflexibledesign,wasfinalizedasthe primarycomponentof
CalltothePost.
TheTimeisNow
AttheendofOctober2022,inaleadershipeventheldatChurchillDowns,the campaignwasofficiallylaunched.74peoplegatheredtohearaboutthe campaignandhowtheymightjoinincreatingthenextsuccessfulchapterin DeSales’history.Follow-upeventstookplaceinJanuary2023atthehomeof currentparentsMikeandJessicaEckhoffandMarch2023atPatrickO’Shea’son WhiskeyRow.
Sincethelaunch,61DeSalessupportershavepledgedover $2millioninmulti-yearcommitmentstowardstheconstructionofthenew InnovationCenter.Inaddition,8supportershavecommittedover$3.3millionin planned(estate)giftswhichultimatelywillhelptoensuretheschool’slong-term financialhealth.Obviously,thisisagreatstartforthecampaign.Butthereisstilla greatdealofworktodotoreachourboldgoals.
ChurchillDownsEvent
PatrickO'Shea'sEvent
Overthenextseveralmonths,ourfocuswillremainonmeetingone-on-onewith individualDeSalessupporters--alumni,parentsandfriends–whomighthavethe willingnessandabilitytohelpusinthisinitialMajorGiftPhase.Wehavelearnedfrom ourlong-timesupportershowimportantitistothemthatwenotonlysucceedin raisingthemoneyweneedtobuildourInnovationCenter,butalsothatwegetnew alumniandsupporterstojointheminsaying“Yes!”toDeSales.Wearehappytosay that,earlyoninthiscampaign27ofthe61whohavemadepledgesarefirst-time DeSalescampaignsupporters.
Wearehumbledbytheresponseandencouragedto keepmovingforward.Onbehalfofallourstudents, faculty,andstaff,wewishyouawonderfulspring.We lookforwardtosharingournextupdateontheproject timelinethissummer!
