Super Sophomores Propel Parents’ Annual Giving Drive Into Record Territory

Posted September 30, 2015 / Last updated October 5, 2015

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The 2015-16 PAG Leadership Team consists of, from left: Gene Simon '80, senior tri-chairs Geary Mason '79, and Eric Derbes '83; junior tri-chairs Bryon Hatrel '84 and Rocky Daigle '85; sophomore tri-chairs Tom Leonhard '85, Rick Kuebel '82, and René Alvarez '83; current PAG chairman Phlip Nimmo, Jesuit president Fr. Anthony McGinn, S.J. '66, and 2014-15 PAG chairman Gerald Duhon; freshmen tri-chairs Walt Bond '85, Mike Varisco '83, and Tony Toups '81; pre-freshmen tri-chairs Jeremy Mancheski '90 and Patrick Huete '84; and 2013-14 PAG chairman Mark Cousins '74. Missing from the photo are junior tri-chair Kelly Parenton '90 and pre-freshmen tri-chair Michael Johnson '88.

The 2015-16 PAG Leadership Team consists of, from left: Gene Simon ’80, senior tri-chairs Geary Mason ’79, and Eric Derbes ’83; junior tri-chairs Bryon Hatrel ’84 and Rocky Daigle ’85; sophomore tri-chairs Tom Leonhard ’85, Rick Kuebel ’82, and René Alvarez ’83; current PAG chairman Phlip Nimmo, Jesuit president Fr. Anthony McGinn, S.J. ’66, and 2014-15 PAG chairman Gerald Duhon; freshmen tri-chairs Walt Bond ’85, Mike Varisco ’83, and Tony Toups ’81; pre-freshmen tri-chairs Jeremy Mancheski ’90 and Patrick Huete ’84; and 2013-14 PAG chairman Mark Cousins ’74. Missing from the photo are junior tri-chair Kelly Parenton ’90 and pre-freshmen tri-chair Michael Johnson ’88.

Thanks to the generosity of current parents and the hard work of a 300 plus-person volunteer leadership team, the 2015-16 Parents’ Annual Giving drive is in record territory.

Parents have pledged a whopping $1.2 million to the annual campaign that helps to keep Jesuit an affordable school of excellence.

“I am grateful to PAG chairman Philip Nimmo, our 15 tri-chairs, 300 captains, and all of our parents who helped to make this year’s drive so successful,” said president Anthony McGinn, S.J.

Parents from the sophomore class (2018) are the first group in school history to eclipse the $300,000 mark. The freshman class finished with $240,000, followed closely by parents of pre-freshmen who committed $239,000. Senior parents have pledged $231,000 while junior parents have promised $214,000 to make up the difference between what Jesuit charges for tuition and the actual cost of educating a Blue Jay.

The PAG drive was established in the mid 1970s by school president Fr. Paul Schott as a vehicle to meet rising costs and, simultaneously, keep the cost of tuition affordable for as many families as possible. The drive has topped $1 million for more than a decade.

Close to 4,000 alumni from across the country make up the difference with their contributions to Jesuit’s Living Endowment Fund, the alumni component of the school’s annual giving program. The Parents of Alumni drive is a third area of annual support.