The long-term health of Lake Michigan Catholic Schools in Michigan’s Great Southwest has been solidified handsomely following a highly successful endowment campaign that ended up raising $800,000 for tuition scholarships and instructional support for teachers in the system, even in the heart of the pandemic.
That’s the word today from the Lake Michigan Catholic School Fund whose campaign was anchored by matching gifts from two local families dedicated to the cause.
It was back in May, you may recall, that LMC graduate Mary Caryl (DaDan) McEvoy and her husband, Paul, pledged to match up to $250,000 for endowed student tuition scholarships. Tony and Jackie Monte, both graduates of LMC, focused their matching gift of up to $150,000 on creating an endowment for instructional support in conjunction with the new Sam and Connie Monte Global Trading and Finance Lab.
To maximize those matching gifts, the LMC School Fund launched the “40 Days for Catholic Education” online fundraising campaign earlier this year. The campaign was originally set to conclude on June 24th – the Solemnity of St. John the Baptist – but ongoing donor enthusiasm prompted LMC to extend the initiative.
Nadia Bucholtz, Director of Advancement for the LMC School Fund, says, “Alumni continued to call and express their support,” and adds, “Everyone agreed that as long as donors continued stepping forward, we would keep accepting donations to maximize the match from the McEvoy and Monte families.”
The funds from the campaign will be divided into two endowments. The MC DaDan/McEvoy Tuition Scholarship Endowment Fund will be established with $500,000 for student tuition scholarships, which will help offset the cost of attendance for LMC students through an annual application process. The Tony and Jackie Monte Financial Lab Teaching Endowment will be established with $300,000 and will provide ongoing, top-notch instructional support for teachers in the Global Trading and Finance Lab. Additional donations to both funds can still be made at any time by visiting this link: https://www.lmcadvancement.org/donate
Bucholtz explains, “These endowments are extremely valuable for the long-term health of the schools,” adding, “The money we raised in this campaign won’t be spent right away. Instead, it will be invested and given the opportunity to grow. Each year, for many years to come, the Fund will be able disperse a set amount to LMC to provide student tuition scholarships and instructional support for the Monte Lab, thanks to the generosity of today’s donors.”
Sarah Jollay, President of the LMC School Fund, says, “Our alumni and donors have expressed their belief in the value of Catholic education through their generous, sacrificial giving,” and adds, “Every single gift means we can make an LMC education even more accessible and provide a more robust experience for our students. On behalf of the Fund, thank you to everyone who donated to the campaign.”
Lake Michigan Catholic is a private pre-kindergarten through 12th grade Catholic school dedicated to nourishing the human spirit – mind, body and soul – through Jesus Christ. You can learn more at http://lmclakers.org.
