ABOUT
In January 2016, St. Sebastian’s Board of Trustees approved the $55 million Spirit & People Campaign. This ambitious five-year campaign has two distinct, but equally important, components: building the West Campus Center and growing our endowment.
“We have a desire and an obligation to finish building out our campus and to boosting our endowment significantly to preserve, protect, and advance the mission of the School.”
— William L. Burke III, Headmaster
West Campus Center
$33 MILLION
Following a formal Groundbreaking Ceremony in May 2017, Bowdoin Construction Corporation began in earnest on the West Campus Center project. Over two full summers and one full academic year, this beautiful building was completed on time and within budget. The West Campus Center was ready for use by students and faculty in the fall of 2018 and an official opening celebration was held on November 8, 2018.
This magnificent renovation and expansion project, designed by Robert Olson & Associates, has so greatly increased opportunities and improved experiences for our students and those who serve them in more powerfully positive ways than we could have ever imagined.
Adding 49,000 sq. ft. of new construction space and 21,000 sq. ft. of renovated space, the new West Campus Center features:
FOR WINTER SPORTS
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New competition basketball court with an observation deck, providing the School with two full basketball courts
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Six squash courts
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A dedicated wrestling room with two full mats; multi-purpose space in fall and spring
TRAINING & FITNESS
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Athletic Director’s office and meeting room
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Additional locker rooms with showers for our students and visiting teams
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Women’s locker room
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Official’s locker room
SCHOOL-WIDE PROGRAM SUPPORT
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Installation of a new turf baseball/soccer field
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Meeting and performance space for fine arts, athletics, college counseling, and other purposes
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Expanded lobby for events and enlarged Arrows Hall
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Courtyard with tables and chairs for students
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Administrative offices
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Space for school archives and campus store
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Elevator for full access
Endowment
$22 MILLION
In 1990, the School’s endowment was a mere $30,000. Thanks to a transformative $5 million gift from Frank Ward P’96, GP’09,’11 and his wife, Eileen, the success of subsequent campaigns, and the generosity of many donors, our endowment now stands at $44.7 million as of June 30, 2020.
While this growth has been truly impressive, our endowment funds are still well below where they need to be, as we remain, in essence, a tuition-driven School. By continuing to boost endowment significantly, we will be able to compete for the area’s best students and most talented, devoted teachers while positioning the School extraordinarily well for future generations of Arrows.
FINANCIAL AID
A strong endowment is key to providing at least 25 percent of the student body with partial or full financial aid. This high level of funding for students who qualify ensures that the student body will continue to include young people from a variety of socio-economic backgrounds and ethnicities. Having a diverse student body has been a goal of the School since its founding in 1941.
EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING
A healthy endowment ensures that we can hire and retain the highest quality faculty and staff. Our dedicated teachers stand at the heart of what makes St. Sebastian’s the School it is today and is the main reason we have such excellent academic, athletic, and extracurricular programs.
SECURING OUR FUTURE
Having a robust endowment gives the School and the Board of Trustees tremendous flexibility in meeting financial management responsibilities - whether the economy is booming or enduring a downturn. Additionally, the endowment enables St. Sebastian’s to augment current programs and fund new initiatives that enhance the student experience.