Page 39 - Priorities #66- Winter 2017

50% of your new role involves Planned Giving. What does that essentially mean?
Planned Giving is an important part of the development program. I will be speaking with our alumni, alumni parents, grandparents and current parents, building relationships that will lead to their considering bequests and charitable trust donations, leaving a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes. The fruit of this program will be growth in our endowment funds.
What led you to the Priory?
In 1990, I was at a turning point in my career in education. As I looked for opportunities for new challenges, a friend asked if I had ever considered moving back to California where I grew up. There was a school in Portola Valley that was looking for an Admissions Director. This would mean a family move and an interesting career change. While my job experience was in fund development, the enrollment challenges of Priory at the time seemed an interesting choice. Yet, there was something I sensed that this Benedictine school had something special about it, its mission. I knew during my visit this was a place where I could make a difference.
You have been at the Priory for 27 years. What are some of the major changes you have seen over the years?
And what has remained the same? Perhaps the most significant change is in the enrollment. In 1990, Priory enrolled 106 boys. Over half were boarders, grades seven through twelve. Coeducation would be intro- duced the following year. The next change was to add a sixth grade and eliminate the Middle School board- ing program. This began the process of stabilizing the enrollment. Another obvious change is the number of monks on campus. In 1990, there were twelve monks in the community. Today there are three. Lastly, as the enrollment grew over the years, Priory was able to enhance its programs in athletics, extracurriculars and academics. Over the years, the school has been able to keep up with the times and provide an innovative and rigorous academic program. What hasn’t changed is the commitment to student-centered learning and balance. All the while, Priory remained true to its Benedictine mission and its core values.
Is there anybody at Priory that you particularly enjoyed working with?
I’d have to say, Father Martin as a travelling buddy. We’ve been to Asia three times together and another time to Mexico. He is always on the go, recording his travels with his ever present camera. During most of my time as Admissions Director, I had the good fortune working with two enthusiastic and competent persons, Carole Mauss and Camille Yost. For fifteen years they provided the glue that held the admissions program together. I cannot thank them enough.
What are your hopes for your future with Priory?
In my new position, I hope I can help to stabilize the Priory’s financial foundation, its endowment. As with any stable institution, its foundation is what will carry it on to the future. Through planned giving, I hope friends will come forward and provide that important legacy. Beyond that, I hope that my work will enable the Benedictine charism to continue, no matter what form that takes. Priory’s legacy is rooted in its mission: “To be a place where every student is known and loved.” I like that.
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