MISS HALL'S SCHOOL ANNOUNCES HISTORIC $75 MILLION FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN
Be Bold marks the 125th anniversary of MHS and is the largest fundraising effort to-date for the independent girls' school.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. , Oct. 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Miss Hall's School in the Berkshires announced an ambitious, $75 million comprehensive campaign in support of girls' and women's leadership, teaching excellence, and new buildings and programs on the School's historic campus.
The Be Bold campaign, the largest in the School's 125-year history, was publicly announced Saturday, September 24, at a gala hosted at the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, DC. Aligned with the School's Strategic Design priorities — innovative programs, inclusive and joyful community, faculty growth and collaboration, and a shared commitment to the common good — the campaign has already raised $65 million.
"The goal of the Be Bold campaign is to set Miss Hall's School up for success in its next 125 years," said Miss Hall's Head of School Julia Heaton. "This campaign is reshaping our campus and our program in tangible and inspiring ways, supporting the powerful transformation that happens when a girl is given the time and the space to discover her voice and the gumption to use it. We call that the 'Miss Hall's Magic.' It is when a girl realizes that the leader she admires is not different from her; it is her."
The campaign has enabled the construction of the state-of-the-art STEM facility Linn Hall, a new residence hall, the Class of '57 NCAA soccer and lacrosse field, and the James K. Ervin Tennis Complex. The effort has also funded improvements to the Terry Thompson '64 Humanities Wing, the Elizabeth Gatchell Klein Art Center, and the Margaret Witherspoon Hall dormitory.
Program-related enhancements include creating a Department of Engineering and Technology Innovation; developing a dynamic curriculum of 80+ courses, including pioneering Hallmark courses; investing in professional development, housing, and salaries to attract, hire, and retain talented and diverse faculty; increasing support for scholarships to make a Miss Hall's education available to students of all backgrounds; and establishing an inaugural Dean of Equity and Inclusion position and expanding our commitment to an inclusive community.
"In a global society faced with international crises such as inequality, healthcare, and climate change, we know that women leaders must play a crucial role. By developing the next generation of global citizens," Heaton continued, "we are doing our part to increase the diverse representation of leaders who have the ability to tackle these challenges equitably and with empathy."
Miss Hall's alumnae Jacqueline B. Mars '57 and Robin Brown Woods '58 hosted the campaign launch at the Smithsonian. Graduates from across six decades attended, along with current and former Trustees, former Heads of School, donors, friends, and strategic partners committed to empowering girls, expanding the boundaries of girls' leadership, and disrupting expectations about female leadership. The Renwick's exhibition, "This Present Moment: Crafting a Better World," sparked essential conversations about leadership needed to create change, with Stephanie Stebich, the Margaret and Terry Stent Director of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, giving a keynote address. Other speakers included School President Cherish Buxton '23, Vice President Viola Quiles '23, Miss Hall's Board President Nancy Gustafson Ault '73, Emeritus Trustee Stacey Sotirhos '89, and Be Bold Campaign Chairs Susan O'Day '77 and Jennifer Perkins Speers '71.
"The Be Bold Campaign is changing girls' lives. We are proud of our progress and close to the finish line," said Nancy Ault '73, in her gala remarks. "During the course of the next year, school leaders and Trustees will host important conversations across the globe with alumnae, families, supporters, and friends to lay the groundwork for a bold new strategic design. We're embarking on community visioning for the next 125 years."
About Miss Hall's School
Founded in 1898 — one of the first girls' boarding schools in Massachusetts — Miss Hall's School is recognized internationally for its experiential leadership curriculum, service and internship programs, and inclusive global community. Miss Hall's is committed to its mission of inspiring and encouraging each girl to pursue the highest standards of learning and character; to contribute boldly and creatively to the common good; and to seek a purposeful life based on honor, respect, growth, and personal authenticity. Guided by this mission and sharpened by daily practice, Miss Hall's continuously reimagines girl-centered education to foster a pioneering intellectual spirit and authentic engagement among students and adults. Located in the Berkshires, the School currently enrolls 183 girls in grades 9-12, with students from 21 countries living and learning together as global citizens.
SOURCE Miss Hall's School
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