Dear Friends,

I once heard someone say that goals are dreams with deadlines.

When we launched our 4500Forever Capital Campaign in November 2013, immediately after winning the $60 million bid to purchase the HISD property just north of our campus, we had just one year to meet the deadline stipulated in our contract. In December of 2014, thanks to the No Substitute for Victory challenge raised by our alumnus Bill Joplin '54, we closed on the purchase. As a result, we will soon dedicate the Jane and Bill Joplin Campus, just as we dedicated Clay-Storey Hall in honor of a transcendent gift from Dona and Al Clay '61. These legacy commitments will stand forever as reminders of the impact that St. Thomas has had on the lives of just two of our loyal alumni. We really know how to dream big and then make a dream come true.

Thanks to Bill, Al, our campaign chairs and Suzanne and Danny Grant '78 and their dedicated committee, along with hundreds of extraordinary alumni, families, philanthropic foundations and friends of our beloved school, we declared victory over the first phase of our campaign last year with $54 million raised in record time.

Are we finished? No! And as the new 2016-17 school year is underway, we have one more challenge, to turn our dream into a reality for the students.

In September of 2015, we launched Phase II of our 4500 Forever campaign. Under the capable leadership of our new campaign co-chairs Vincent Giammalva '80 and Philip Luna '76, we will raise $12 million more to develop and implement a master plan to join our original campus with the new Joplin Campus. The top three priorities identified for Phase II are the creation of a much-needed Student Center, investment in STEM to ensure cutting-edge education, and central redevelopment of greenspace for playing fields. These priorities are fully realized in the Move-In Master Plan, which was shared last spring. (Click here to view the plan).

These assets will not only provide the room that we already need for our burgeoning academic and extra-curricular programs. They will also allow us to grow to meet the demand of many students who would be excellent additions to the STH family but cannot be admitted because of our space limitations.

We must make Phase II a goal for our entire St. Thomas community. I challenge us to reach that goal quickly, proving that it is not just a dream, but rather a reality waiting to happen.

I look forward to tackling this historic goal with you in the days ahead.

With deep appreciation,

Rev. Kevin Storey, CSB
President