Advancement: Endowed Funds

Gifts to Burr and Burton’s endowment provide a permanent and reliable source of annual income to support students, faculty, and programs. Burr and Burton’s endowed funds are carefully invested and managed. The school uses only a specified percentage of the annual investment earnings from the endowed funds with the principal protected in perpetuity.

Wendy and Barry Rowland (center) with Target Program teacher Jeff Houghton and mathematics teacher Mary Rita Manley, the first recipients of the Rowland Endowed Faculty chairs.

Historic News for Burr and Burton

The Burr and Burton Academy Board of Trustees has announced that the school has received a $10 million gift to the school’s endowment from Wendy and Barry Rowland of South Londonderry. This is the largest gift in the school's 177-year history and the largest made to a secondary school in Vermont.

“Words cannot capture the deep appreciation I have for the Rowlands for this truly transformative gift to our endowment,” said Headmaster Chuck Scranton. “Generations of students and teachers will benefit from their unparalleled generosity and the legacy they have created.”

The announcement of the gift is the beginning of a multi-year endowment initiative that will empower Burr and Burton to meet the needs of students, both today and in the future. At the Rowlands’ request, half of the gift is a challenge grant intended to encourage others to join them in securing the future of Burr and Burton through a healthy endowment.

“We are very excited about this gift which will be a long-term benefit not only for the faculty, but also for the students,” said Mr. Rowland. “It is wonderful to be a part of the Burr and Burton Academy family.”

The Rowlands have established three funds that will profoundly benefit the educational mission of the school and greatly enhance the school’s ability to offer the best education possible for all its students.

The Rowland Fund will support the academic progress of the school as well as initiatives that will make Burr and Burton Academy an incomparable place for faculty and students to work, learn and achieve.

The fund includes the establishment of two endowed faculty chairs. These endowed chairs will honor two accomplished teachers every year. In addition to funding a teacher's salary, the endowed positions will also carry a professional development award that will permit the instructor to upgrade course materials, attend conferences, travel or pursue other academic enrichment activities. Headmaster Scranton announced to the faculty on June 11 that Mary Rita Manley and Jeff Houghton have been chosen to be the Rowland Endowed Faculty Chairs for the 2007-2008 academic year.

In addition, this fund provides for a one-semester sabbatical as well as other professional development opportunities for faculty and staff and instructional resources to enhance student learning.

The Rowland Student Life and Learning Fund will support students by giving them opportunities for learning outside the classroom, improving their communication skills, and developing leadership skills. This fund will also provide students with financial need the means to travel or pursue other educational opportunities that would otherwise not be possible.

The Rowland Headmaster’s Fund will provide the head of school with the ability to meet unforeseen needs not included in the annual budget.

"What an extraordinary gift Burr and Burton has received," said Board Chair Seth Bongartz '72. " As a graduate and a trustee I am deeply moved by the Rowlands' commitment to Burr and Burton and our students, and all of us are enormously grateful to them."

Mr. Rowland is a trustee of Burr and Burton and the Rowlands have been generous supporters of the school since 2003. In recognition of their support for the Campaign for Burr and Burton the classroom and cafeteria building was named the Rowland Center in their honor in 2005.

For 175 years Burr and Burton has provided an exceptional education to the community’s secondary students. From the start we have relied on the income from endowed funds to close the gap between tuition and the actual cost to educate each student. Gifts to Burr and Burton’s endowment provide a permanent and reliable source of annual income to support students, faculty, programs, and departments. Burr and Burton’s endowed funds are carefully invested and managed. The school uses only annual investment earnings from the endowed funds to support programs with the principal protected in perpetuity.

We invite you to take a brief tour of some of Burr and Burton’s endowed funds, some new and some old.

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