A CAMPAIGN THEME WITH DEEP MEANING

Since our founding in 1851, Bellarmine College Preparatory has sought to provide students with an outstanding Jesuit education – one that teaches students to think critically, to write and speak persuasively, to listen attentively and compassionately, and to act boldly for the creation of a world that is more just and loving. We proudly lean on this legacy, and continually seek to inspire our students to enhance their leadership skills, innovating to prepare them for tomorrow’s challenges.

Dear Family And Friends Of Bellarmine,

Thanks to years of work by our Board of Trustees and Regents, guided by the efforts of the Physical Resources Committee, it is with a great deal of excitement that we announce Legacy. Inspiration. Innovation. The Bellarmine Campaign: Preparing Today’s Leaders for Tomorrow. Building upon our earlier campaigns that have both bolstered our endowment and built three new buildings on campus, this campaign seeks to build a new Academic Center named in honor of Fr. Jerry Wade, S.J.,’55, which will replace O’Donnell Hall, provide a new residence for our Jesuit community, and continue to build the school’s endowment.

Since the completion of Bellarmine’s last major capital campaign in 2012, the school has continued to improve the campus while adhering to environmental sustainability standards with LEED designed buildings, and a reduced carbon footprint by additions such as a co-generator and solar panels on the gym. A major point of emphasis has also been the sciences, as we have provided more than $5 million worth of upgrades to our James A. Carney Science Center, as well as worked extensively on our curriculum to continue to provide the very best education we can.

This campaign will enable the school finally to upgrade the remaining out-of-date academic facility on campus, O’Donnell Hall. Built in 1966 as a dormitory using cinder block construction, it has always been limited in its academic utility. Now almost 60 years old, the building is in dire need of replacement.

At the same time, the current Jesuit residence, Wade Hall (formerly St. Robert’s Hall), was built in 1954 when the needs of the Jesuit community were much different. This campaign will provide a new home that is appropriate for the Jesuit community of today and the foreseeable future while ensuring a Jesuit presence on campus for years to come. Establishing this new Jesuit residence will enable the new Wade Academic Center to be built in the location of the current residence. This new, 43,000 square foot facility will be home to the school’s Modern and Classical Languages and Computer Science Departments, as well as the offices of Admissions, IT, Adult Spirituality, and the Dean’s offices.

With this transition, we will also create an inviting entrance for the school. This new first impression for visitors, parents, students, and alumni will help everyone to recognize that they have arrived at Bellarmine and are being welcomed to a 21st century outstanding Jesuit school.

Finally, we seek to continue to secure the school’s future, both through direct gifts made to the school’s endowment, as well as by Planned Giving commitments from our supporters. These measures will help to ensure that the school continues to thrive for generations of Bells to come.

We are excited to journey with you on this campaign. Thank you in advance for your prayers and support.

Sincerely,

Chris Meyercord ’88
President