Marymount celebrates record-breaking fundraising

An achievement made possible by the generous support of all of our donors.

The Office of University Advancement is pleased to report record-breaking fundraising in fiscal year 2024 (FY24). In FY24, Marymount raised $7,543,555 in cash and pledges, more than ever in a single year and a 21% increase over the previous record-holding year ($6.2 million in FY '18). A significant portion of the total was raised for campus capital improvements, which will be announced later in the semester. This is the second significant capital gift in the last two years, the first being a $2.8 million gift from the Reinsch Pierce family for building the new Reinsch Pierce Family Campus Hub, which is set to open in November.

"We are thankful to all of our donors who are dedicated to supporting the Marymount community," said Dennis Slon, Marymount's VP of University Advancement. "Their generosity contributes to the progress of Marymount's strategic plan, Momentum, and is instrumental in helping us ensure that all of our Saints have the opportunity to succeed."

The University has received several gifts to provide donor-funded scholarships to students across disciplines. Ben Shaul '08, President of the North Carolina-based John Benjamin Designs, has already given $80,000 on behalf of the Shaul family, to support The Art of Persistence Scholarship. Ben has committed $20,000 per year which is awarded at $5,000 per year for up to four years to Fashion Design or Fashion Merchandising students with financial need and good academic standing. Shaul has also given $10,000 to create an internship fund which supports Fashion Design and Fashion Merchandising students by awarding $5,000 grantsto students participating in unpaid internships across the country.

"Marymount served as a springboard for my career, providing me with great projects coupled with real-world experience to learn from," Shaul said. "Marymount continues to hold a special place in my heart. My family's purpose in creating these scholarships is to help others have similar experiences. We hope no student is ever held back from their dreams due to financial obstacles."

Thanks to the Shaul family's generous support, incoming Fashion Design and Fashion Merchandising students can finance their education and take on new career preparation opportunities nationwide, unlocking new doors into the fashion industry.

As Marymount enters its 75th year, we recognize the contributions of our newest donors who are helping to enhance the Marymount University experience. Recently, the University benefited from the generosity of Brendan and Dana Keegan '95 '08 and their $100,000 pledge to create the Dana Keegan '95 '08 Scholarship Fund and The Dana Keegan '95 '08 and Martha Child Lecture Series.The Scholarship provides financial assistance to two promising interior design students - undergraduate and graduate - who display a unique creative approach to their design. Special consideration is given to students who live locally and commute to Marymount and are managing school and parenthood. The inaugural scholarship recipients awarded in 2023-2024 were graduate students Simone Royster and Christianna Tran. The Dana Keegan '95 & '08 and Martha Child Lecture Series celebrates young, up-and-coming leading interior designers and seeks to engage current students, faculty, alumni, and the greater Washington, D.C., interior design community in an evening of sharing, learning, ideating, and celebrating the creativity of the interior design profession.

At Marymount, we are committed to making education accessible to all students across disciplines. In line with this mission, we launched the Marymount 100initiative in 2023 to bridge the financial gap for many of our eager and highly qualified applicants. This ambitious initiative aims to identify 100 individuals, alumni, and friends willing to invest in increasing Marymount's available financial aid through an annual scholarship. In FY24, we raised $90,700, a significant step towards our goal of providing $1,000,000 annually to students through sustainable, privately supported financial aid funds. This initiative has already made a tangible difference in the lives of our students, and we look forward to its continued success.

As we approach Marymount's 75th anniversary in 2025, we anticipateanother record-breaking year of fundraising to support Marymount's growth and student success. We hope to funnel our fundraising efforts into a significant capital campaign designed to help upgrade Marymount's physical plant and increase scholarship support. We look forward to seeing all the incredible ways that our community continues to thrive in 2025!

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