Gray Collins ‘25 | Theo Engelman ‘25
The EA Alumni Class of 1971 donated about half a million dollars to Episcopal to receive naming rights for the Fitness Center, and they also gifted money to other areas of the school, making their total contributions more than a million dollars. According to Patricia Porter, Director of Planned Giving, “the Class of 1971 wanted to have their class remembered on campus.”
The decision to get naming rights to the Fitness Center was made by a committee of 16 alumni, led by Scott Isdaner ‘71, Tom Williams ‘71, and Frederic Dittman ‘71. The class chose two sites on campus to dedicate to, the Middle School Study Hall or the Fitness Center. The committee decided on the Fitness Center because they believe that athletics were a major part of their class identity; the class won multiple Inter-AC titles, including championships in football, soccer, basketball, and tennis. In addition, Porter says, “The class saw the Fitness Center as a place where everyone in the community gathers.”
Photo courtesy of Cecilia Murphy ’22
T.J. Locke, Greville Haslam Head of School, also notes, “I think the mind, body, and spirit concept goes back so far, and a lot of our alumni are so glad that we take that seriously. There was something in their yearbook that had referenced that EA was one of the first schools in the 1800s to have a gym and consider athletics a part of an education, and they were particularly proud of that. When they were thinking about making a big donation to the school, they just loved that the Fitness Center is such an active part of our kids’ lives and it’s so busy all the time.”
About half a million dollars was gifted by the group of alumni in order to make this dedication possible. However, since the center has already been constructed, the sum will go to the general Episcopal Academy endowment. Jennifer Fifer, Director of Institutional Advancement, says the endowment is a “permanent, sustainable source of funding for EA.”
Additional donations to scholarship funds and the library meant that the total amount raised by the class surpassed one million dollars. This was a major achievement for both Episcopal and the Class of 1971 because, as stated by Porter, “They are only the fourth class to be at a million or higher.” Locke adds, “It felt good for them to give back, and that’s how we want people to feel.”
The Fitness Center was dedicated during the weekend of October 15-16, when the class also celebrated their 50th reunion. The class had time to catch up and reflect on their years at Episcopal.
Locke describes the Chapel service they attended, saying “It’s a full chapel service where we sing a couple hymns that they chose. They go through each of the members of their class that passed away, and they say a few words about them. The service is really about them, and their chance to be together and honor their friends who have passed.” Nick Cerone ‘22, member of the Upper School Jazz Band who participated in the ceremony, also notes, “The event was a great experience. The ceremony was hosted in recognition of those who have helped support our school, and I was honored to be a part of it.”