3 Key Things To Know
1. Why is the endowment so important?
Thanks to the support of many generous donors, the endowment helps the school fulfill its mission and achieve long-term financial sustainability. Think of it as the school’s savings account, which grows over time through careful investment and donations, and which also helps cover annual operating income costs that aren’t met by tuition alone. Increasing the size of the endowment allows the school to have the firmest possible financial foundation—and to achieve important strategic goals, such as offering generous financial aid, ensuring a talented and energized faculty, and planning for future initiatives.
2. What does the endowment help fund?
Williston’s endowment helps fund all areas of the school’s mission, as needed. In the last fiscal year, the largest disbursements from from endowed funds supported financial aid (37%) and teaching and instruction (39%), as well as other important needs of the school.
3. What do different endowed funds support?
Williston holds some 286 endowed funds established by alumni, families, and classes and earmarked for a range of priorities important to those donors and the school. Here are some recent examples of funds started or increased during the Williston Builds campaign.
- Financial Aid: Cathleen C. Robinson Endowed Scholarship Fund
- Faculty Support: The William B. Harmon ’57 Faculty Professional Development Fund
- Athletics: Kate Risley ’93 Fund for Girls Athletics
- Arts: John P. Spare ’60 Performance Fund
- Academics: The Barth Family History and Global Studies Fund
- Inclusion & Belonging: The Sherrie-Ann L. Gordon ’00 Equity Fund for Social and Diverse Experiences