The Californer - St. George's School receives gift of million — largest single donation in its history

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View of St. George's School from Second Beach

MIDDLETOWN, R.I. - Californer -- St. George's School has received a transformational gift of $15 million from longtime, generous supporters of the school, Chair of the Board of Trustees Dana Schmaltz, a member of St. George's Class of 1985, and his wife, Kate Enroth. It is the largest one-time donation in school history.

Dana and Kate, parents of St. George's graduates Isabelle Schmaltz, Class of 2017, and Bower Schmaltz, Class of 2020, noted that their gift is a strong endorsement of the school's leadership, current direction, and vision for the future.

"My family supports education in many ways, and with this gift we believe we can help build on the incredible things happening at the school right now," Dana Schmaltz said. "I have seen what a St. George's education has done for my family, and I'm confident this commitment, along with others, will help take the school to the next level and provide future students even more opportunities to develop their skills and talents and contribute to the world around them."

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The gift announcement was shared with the school community during St. George's 125th anniversary celebration May 13-15, 2022, which brought nearly 1,500 alumni, parents, and friends of the school to campus. The extraordinary gift comes at the earliest phase of the school's upcoming capital campaign, the funds from which will be used to:

Increase the school's financial aid budget, helping more academically talented students gain access to a St. George's education;
Bolster the school's diversity, equity, and inclusion programs;
Build a new wellness center, reinforcing St. George's aim to support student health and provide fitness opportunities for every member of the community;
Help fund a comprehensive renovation of the Arden/Diman/Eccles dormitory complex, adding more community spaces for students to gather; and
Construct two faculty residential buildings on the Lower Road to allow more teachers to live closer to the campus core.

Mr. Schmaltz is the founding partner of the private-equity firm Yellow Wood Partners. He has served on the St. George's Board of Trustees since 2011 and was appointed Treasurer in 2013. His tenure as Board Chair began on July 1, 2021.

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"Dana and Kate's gift is an important milestone in St. George's history as we celebrate our 125th anniversary and look to the future. We are currently seeing record applications and an increasingly competitive admission arena," St. George's Head of School Alixe Callen said. "Just 14% of students who applied to SG this year were accepted. Likewise, we are incredibly proud of the Class of 2022, which is headed to some of the most selective colleges and universities in the country. Their success further validates our commitment to academic excellence and the sense of community we have created here at St. George's."

"We hope this gift inspires others within the St. George's community to join us in supporting the school at this exciting moment in whatever way they can," Schmaltz added. "We have big plans for the future, and we will need help to achieve them."