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Fontbonne Hall Academy Receives Largest Gift In School History

Donation will fund a major portion of the renovation of STEM Labs

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Fontbonne Hall Academy has received a major donation.

Fontbonne Hall Academy has received a major donation.

Fontbonne Hall Academy (FHA) announced on Oct. 17 that it received its single largest gift in the school’s history of $250,000 to partly fund the renovation and expansion of a STEM science lab complex on campus. The gift is from The Callaghan & Pierog Family Foundation, whose founder is donating the gift in memory of his sister,

Theresa Callaghan. Theresa was a graduate of Fontbonne’s Class of 1954 and always was proud and grateful for her FHA education. One of the labs will be named in her honor.

The Callaghan & Pierog Foundation has supported FHA programs in the past to expand the use of technology at the all-girls Catholic High School founded in 1937. The foundation’s founder is very excited about the opportunity to help expand the use of STEM labs and programs at a school that is already a leader in STEM. FHA currently has significant college partnerships with schools that promote STEM careers for women, as research suggests that over 62 percent of all careers as of 2020 will involve some form of science, technology, engineering, and math.

Major donation will help fund renovation and expansion of FHA’s STEM lab

Major donation will help fund renovation and expansion of FHA’s STEM lab

Brown University School of Engineering partners with FHA by offering the Brown University Women in Engineering Pre-College Program taught via video by Brown professors to encourage women to seek careers in engineering. Other schools such as Long Island University and St. Francis College partner with FHA to provide pre-college opportunities for learning and career guidance in healthcare, nursing, etc. The foundation founder has said he wants his sister’s legacy of supporting education and opportunities for young women to succeed to continue for many years to come.

“The Callaghan-Pierog Family Foundation was instrumental in helping Fontbonne become a leading school in the use of educational technology 7 years ago. We are just so grateful that they continue to see the need to support women in science. This transformational gift is a turning point for our school and for the future of education of each of our students”, said FHA Principal, Mary Ann Spicijaric.

The lab renovation and expansion will be part of a larger campus effort for facilities improvements making Fontbonne a greater value to current and future students and an attractive option for parents. Fontbonne is hoping this gift will spark many others to support its efforts.

Fontbonne Hall Academy, a college preparatory school for young women, founded on the gospel of Jesus Christ and inspired by the philosophy and charism of the Sisters of Saint Joseph, offers a superior educational program to form and empower women of confidence and compassion.

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