Two anonymous donations appear to be the largest philanthropic commitment to a Catholic high school in U.S. History
MILWAUKEE — Marquette University High School announced Tuesday that it has received a $100 million joint estate commitment from two anonymous alumni donors, a gift the school says is the largest philanthropic commitment ever made to a Catholic high school in the United States.
The commitment consists of two coordinated $50 million estate bequests that will be directed entirely toward scholarships and financial aid, according to the school.
School officials said the gift is intended to expand long-term affordability and ensure more students can attend regardless of family income. Roughly half of current MUHS students already receive financial assistance beyond the school’s standard tuition grant program.
“Every year, I meet families across the Milwaukee area who wonder whether a Marquette High education is within reach,” MUHS Director of Admissions John Meuler said in a statement released by the school. “This allows us to answer that question with even greater confidence.”
Founded in 1857, Marquette High is an all-boys Catholic Jesuit college preparatory school located on Milwaukee’s west side. The school enrolls students from across southeastern Wisconsin and describes itself as drawing students from more than 150 public, private and parochial feeder schools.
The announcement marks another major fundraising milestone for the institution. Earlier this year, MUHS announced a $4 million endowment supporting its Kingsbury Academic Success Center, which assists students with learning differences and academic support needs. At the time, school officials described that contribution as the largest gift in school history.
The newly announced estate commitment eclipses that figure and places MUHS among a small number of secondary schools nationally to receive nine-figure philanthropic commitments tied largely to student access and scholarships.
While major gifts to universities are relatively common, donations of this scale to high schools remain rare. Recent years have seen several $100 million commitments to higher education institutions, including gifts to University of Notre Dame, Loyola University Chicago and Spelman College.
MUHS officials did not disclose the identities of the donors or provide additional details Tuesday regarding the timing or structure of the estate commitments.
The school said the funds will be dedicated exclusively to financial aid and scholarship support.
