Jesuit High School Receives $1 Million Gift For Its 118th Birthday

TAMPA, FL – One of Tampa’s oldest schools received a $1 million gift from its closest supporters to help make improvements to its campus.

Jesuit High School received the gift from the school’s Jesuit Foundation on Wednesday, Sept. 20 at a special morning Convocation, during which Jesuit’s 118th birthday was celebrated with the student body. The donation, announced by Foundation president Brian Mooney, was the second $1 million gift from the organization for the school’s $40 million For Greater Glory capital campaign.

As part of the ceremony, Tampa City Councilman Mike Suarez issued a special commendation to Jesuit High School for its role in supporting and strengthening the city since the school’s inception on Sept. 11, 1899. The school was founded in downtown Tampa and moved to its current location on Himes Avenue in 1956.

The ceremony was originally scheduled for Monday, Sept. 11 but was delayed because of Hurricane Irma.

Foundation member R. J. Robbins Jr. presented the $1 million check to school president, Father Richard C. Hermes, at the ceremony. The Foundation gave its first $1 million donation for the capital campaign’s Phase I in 2014. The campaign’s first phase includes Gonzmart Hall, a 32,000-square-foot administration building, and the new Chapel of the Holy Cross.

The second $1 million gift will go toward Phase II, which will feature a new Fine and Performing Arts Center as its centerpiece.

“Much like the first generous $1 million donation from the Jesuit High School Foundation helped ensure that we could move forward with Phase I of our Campus Master Plan, this gift ensures that we can fulfill our vision for Phase II,” Hermes said. “For more than 60 years, the Foundation has been vital to the success of Jesuit High School, helping the school position itself, and our students, for success. We are extremely thankful for the Foundation’s encouragement, advice, and generosity.”

The Jesuit High School Foundation is an independent advisory group made up of alumni, current and past parents and community partners. Members pay membership dues and meet three times per year to report on various facets pertaining to the school.

While it was incorporated in 1960, the Foundation helped the school build its current campus through private donations, investments and advice.

Other foundation members present for the ceremony were Brian Smith, Tom Willett, Mark Donohue, Luis Martinez-Monfort, Henry Gonzalez, Rudy Rodriguez and Peter Hobson.

Images courtesy of Jesuit High School