Berkeley Has 65 Million Reasons to Thank Campaign Donors

The Above & Beyond campaign was publicly announced in the fall of 2010, with an original goal of $50 million to build an ambitious Board-approved Master Plan that would completely transform the campus. In the years that followed, more than 725 donors stepped forward to provide 9,650 gifts totaling an astounding $65 million. Through this support, Berkeley added over 175,000 square feet of new spaces and renovated 110,000 square feet of existing spaces. Specifically, Berkeley made upgrades to grounds, roadways, and entrances, and constructed four new buildings: the Straz Family Field House, the Berkeley Café, the Gries Center for the Arts and Sciences, and the Seivold Center for Early Childhood Education, as well as renovated and repurposed existing spaces.
 
An early $10 million gift from an anonymous donor inspired many to invest with leadership gifts in this campaign, including: the Adams and Casper families, the Dickey family, Nicole and Dan Doyle, Jr., Roz and Dan Doyle, Sr., Myra and Mike Doyle, Francesca and Richard Forsyth, Suzanne and Paul Gabos, Bob Gries, Margo and Gary Harrod, Lori and Mike Kosloske, the Kuhn family, Shannon and Bruce Lucas, Elizabeth and Victor Patrick, the Rothman/Atwood family, and Catherine and David Straz.
 
“No question that the $10 million gift was the catalyst for this whole campaign,” said Headmaster Joseph Seivold. “This signaled to the board and the entire community that someone believed in us so strongly that they would put forward 20 percent of the Campaign.  This one person believed in us that strongly, and in so doing, signaled to the rest of the community that we could do this.  His leadership and foundational philanthropy - this is what allowed us to succeed.”
 
“Berkeley was blessed with visionaries who were willing to commit their time, talent, and treasure to achieve the dreamer’s dreams, mostly not for the benefit of their own children, but for the benefit of all current students and families and future students who will enjoy these fabulous facilities,” said Jim Cantonis, Berkeley’s former Board chairman (2007-2009), who paid homage to the campaign’s early leadership.
 
Seivold thanked the crowd with his closing remarks, “Your generosity, your passion, and your commitment has transformed us…and, in that way, you have made all the difference, in the lives of students today, and for generations and generations to come.”