NURTURING INDEPENDENCE AND FOSTERING GROWTH

Sridhar Bogelli and Sowjanya Velchala P ’23 are the proud parents of recent graduate Lakshmi Bogelli ’23. They are also enthusiastic supporters of The Governor’s Fund, the Academy’s annual giving program and a cornerstone of the With True Courage campaign. Together they recognize that by supporting The Governor’s Fund, they are doing their part to support all aspects of the Govs experience, not just for Lakshmi, but for the entire student body.

Lakshmi’s time at Govs was nothing short of transformative. After coming to Govs as a day student, Lakshmi lobbied her parents to let her become a boarding student. They agreed, and were so impressed as she embraced a greater sense of independence and showed a newfound confidence to explore new opportunities and reach out of her comfort zone to find her passions in the classrooms, on the playing field, in the dorms, and as a student leader.

The diverse student body at Govs allowed Lakshmi to make friends from various backgrounds, exposing her to different cultures and perspectives. Meeting international classmates and dormmates broadened Lakshmi’s understanding of the world and enriched her global outlook. “As parents, we saw the supportive community Govs provided to Lakshmi, above and beyond the exceptional academic experience she was having,” said Bogelli and Velchala. “Seeing how much confidence she gained at school gave us confidence in Govs; we knew she was in the right place,” shared Bogelli. Velchala added, “We had heard about the ‘Govs family’ before Lakshmi came to the school, but once she arrived on campus, we fully understood what this meant and how valuable it has been for our daughter and for her classmates.”

For Bogelli and Velchala, giving to The Governor’s Fund is the best way for them to participate in the With True Courage campaign. Their support honors the qualities that define a Governor’s education and that have meant so much to them as parents—a family-like atmosphere that cultivates life-long relationships, academic excellence, and a dedicated faculty who teach and live in an environment that fosters the holistic development of young people.