$48 million from the Howleys to education

Gilmour Academy, an independent, Catholic, co-ed, day and residential preK-12 school in Gates Mills, Ohio, has announced a $28 million commitment from the Howley Foundation.

The restricted gift will support annual scholarships for an additional 48 students in grades 7-12. While the Howley Foundation has been providing scholarships at Gilmour since 2005, the latest gift represents a nearly five-fold increase in the Howley Scholars Program at Gilmour, expanding the number of scholars from 11 enrolled in 2021-22 to 48 each year by 2026.

In addition, the gift will provide for a variety of capital needs at Gilmour, including renovation and expansion of the student commons and dining hall and the restoration of Tudor House and Tudor Gardens. The new student commons will serve as the campus dining hall and more than double the seating capacity to accommodate Gilmour’s current student body and the faculty and staff of both the lower and upper schools, as well as allow for future increases in enrollment.

The gift follows an earlier gift of $20 million announced two months earlier benefitting Malvern Prep.

The $20 million gift will provide for a variety of needs at Malvern Prep. That gift will support 40 students with annual scholarships who would otherwise not be able to achieve a Malvern Prep education

The financial support of Malvern Prep is consistent with the Mission and Basic Principles of The Howley Foundation as described by its chairman and founder, Nick Howley III, “We believe that the best way to create social and economic mobility and improve lives is to provide quality educational opportunities,” shared Howley. The Mission of The Howley Foundation relies on two basic principles: 1.) a high-quality education combines strong academics and character formation and 2.) a high-quality program has clear and verifiable effectiveness measures.

Nick Howley continues, “Malvern has served our family well for multiple generations. This gift will support and expand the Middle School and allow 32 students in the Upper School and 8 Middle School students with limited means the opportunity to attend Malvern and participate in the strong academic and character formation that the school provides.”

In addition to scholarship support, a portion of the transformational gift will be used to enhance the physical plant of campus in the construction of two new turf fields and a student experience center which will consist of team rooms, a fitness area, academic and classroom space, and offices for staff and administration.

“This generous and transformational gift of the Howley Foundation allows those financially deserving students and their families to experience an education that will change the trajectory of their lives. The multi-year scholarships assure retention and instill a keen incentive to succeed. The Augustinian philosophy of education offers young Friars an excellent academic experience while emphasizing the importance of Friar Brotherhood so essential for lifelong friendships,” shared Fr. Donald Reilly, Head of School.

Construction for the turf fields and Student Experience Center is expected to begin in late 2023/early 2024.