Saint Xavier High School - Endowment Program

The Saint Xavier High School Endowment Program has seen significant growth since its beginning in the early 1980’s.  In recent years, the school’s Xaverian Legacy Campaign did a great deal to increase endowment gifts, raising over $5 million and formalizing the endowment program.  Today, thanks to the school’s Project X Campaign, over 170 named endowments or funds within the Brother Benjamin Burke, C.F.X. Endowment have been established for the benefit of St. X students and faculty.  The most significant benefit to St. X is the fulfillment of a long-term objective to permanently endow tuition grants for the neediest students in the school community.

The Brother Paul Van Gerwen, C.F.X. Founders

Brother Paul Van Gerwen, C.F.X. was the founder and first principal of Saint Xavier High School.  These generous benefactors have embraced Brother Paul’s early vision of establishing a school that would continually meet the Catholic educational needs of the young men in our community.  Through a cumulative gift of at least $100,000 for endowment, the Founders assist in securing the school’s financial future.  Each Founder is recognized as a member in one of three giving levels:

Level I: Brother Thomas More Page, C.F.X. 

Donors at the Brother Thomas More level are honored for commitment to St. X similar to Brother Thomas More’s.  As the school’s 16th principal (1953-1960), Thomas More was instrumental in the relocation of the Brother’s residence and school grounds to the current campus located on Poplar Level Road.  In addition, he served as athletic director and had a significant impact on the development of Saint Xavier’s nationally ranked athletic program.  Benefactors at this level are recognized for cumulative gifts to the endowment of $1,000,000 or more.  These gifts support student financial aid or endow faculty department chair positions.

Level II: Brother James Philip Garrity, C.F.X. 

Donors at the Brother James Garrity level are recognized for their commitment to St. X similar to that of Brother James.  As the 5th principal at St. X (1888-1917), he became known for creating the academic rigor that we now revere as a hallmark of a St. X education and for developing a higher education degree program.  Benefactors at this level are recognized for cumulative gifts to the endowment of $250,000 or more.  These gifts support student financial aid or endow Faculty Fellow positions.

Level III: Brother Paul Van Gerwen, C.F.X. 

This original giving level was established in 2001 to recognize cumulative gifts to the endowment of $100,000 or more.  These gifts, made in the spirit of the St. X founder, support student financial aid or other areas as specified by the donor.

Founders will have a separate “Named” Endowment Fund.  The fund can be restricted for a specific purpose or dedicated for use where there is the greatest need.  The fund will be named as directed by the donor and can be established in honor or in memory of a family member, a Xaverian Brother or other significant individual in the donor’s life.  Donors will receive yearly fund status reports.  Recognition includes acknowledgement in the appropriate Founders section of the Saint Xavier annual report and the fund name will be permanently displayed on the Founders Endowment Wall in the lobby of the Driscoll Center on the St. X campus.

Saint Xavier High School - Named Endowments

Benefactors who contribute a cumulative amount of $50,000 or more will establish a “Named” Endowment Fund.  The fund can be restricted for a specific purpose or can be designated for use where there is the greatest need.  The fund will be named as directed by the donor and can be in honor or in memory of a family member, etc.  The endowment donor will receive yearly fund status reports.  Recognition includes an acknowledgement in each Saint Xavier annual report and the fund name displayed on the endowment wall in the lobby of the Driscoll Center on the St. X campus.

The Brother Benjamin Burke, C.F.X. Endowment

Benefactors who make a cumulative gift of $10,000 or more qualify for a fund within The Brother Benjamin Burke, C.F.X. Endowment.  This fund was established in 1986 to seek funding for increased availability of need-based tuition grants.  Today, over 60 benefactors have a fund with each awarding a tuition grant yearly.  The endowment donor will receive yearly fund status reports.  Recognition includes the fund name printed in the Saint Xavier annual report and the fund name listed on the endowment wall in the lobby of the Driscoll Center on the St. X campus.

Saint Xavier High School - Restricted Endowment Donors

Benefactors who make a cumulative gift of $10,000 or more qualify for a restricted fund within The Saint Xavier Endowment to support their purpose of choice.  Current funds include a teacher project award and a student interest award.  The endowment donor will receive yearly fund status reports.  Recognition includes the fund name printed in the Saint Xavier annual report and the fund name listed on the endowment wall in the lobby of the Driscoll Center on the St. X campus.

Endowment Management and Spending Policies

Currently, the Saint Xavier Endowment is guided by a written Endowment Agreement with each named endowment donor. Endowment gifts may take the form of cash, appreciated securities, or real or personal property.  Funding an endowment may take the form of a one-time gift or a benefactor may take up to five years to fully fund their endowment pledge.  The annual earnings on a donor’s endowment, up to 5% of the endowment’s value, which is established annually, will be allocated to the endowment’s purpose each year.  All Saint Xavier Endowment Funds share equally in investment gains or losses.  In the case of excess earnings, they will be tracked along with the principle gifts allowing for continued growth in the donor’s endowment fund.  An annual update on the endowment’s performance will be provided to the donor or their designee.

To find out more about creating a new endowment fund or to create a fund within the Brother Benjamin Burke, C.F.X. Endowment, call the Office of Advancement at (502) 637-8485 or email us .