AMPLIFIED
NYC launch event kicks off the public phase of a new $80 million fundraising campaign.
At The Loeb Boathouse, overlooking a vista of The Lake in Central Park, alumni, parents, faculty, students, and friends of Pomfret gathered to launch Amplify: The Campaign for Pomfret School.
The Campaign is the most ambitious in Pomfret’s history, with a goal to raise $80 million — nearly doubling what the School’s previous campaign achieved. “We are seeking to preserve the best of what has always made Pomfret great while prioritizing the need for continued growth and improvement in critical areas,” said Head of School Tim Richards. “When you support the Campaign for Pomfret School, you’re helping to amplify the voices and choices of our students and faculty for many years to come.”
Pomfret recently refined its mission and vision, codified its values, and released an updated strategic plan. In launching Amplify, we are seizing this moment in time and asking our entire community to join us in inspiring the next generation of change makers and problem solvers.
Thousands of donors have already given to the Campaign and provided momentum at the formal campaign launch. So far, more than $60 million in gifts, commitments, and pledges have been made in support of the Campaign priorities: the Pomfret Fund, construction of a new science center, advancement of teaching and learning, and expansion of access and affordability.
One of the donors who has already given to Amplify is Campaign Chair Greg Melville ’68. At the launch event, Melville was announced as Pomfret’s first eight-figure donor, providing over $10 million in giving and commitments to support our campaign aspirations. “Greg’s commitment and support is a truly transformative and watershed moment for Pomfret School,” shared Richards. “Greg is signaling a new era in philanthropy at Pomfret, demonstrating that we are a school with a mission and vision worthy of transformational giving at the highest levels.”
The twinkle of the stars in the night sky was reflected in Melville’s eyes as he passionately spoke about the School. He shared how his experiences at Pomfret have shaped the person he has become. Melville expressed his belief that Pomfret has become an innovative leader in secondary education. “With curiosity, the spirit to explore, and the will to learn and work, I wager, we’ll never learn the limits of a Pomfret education in this wide world of ours.”
A handful of students and a recent graduate were also recognized and celebrated at the launch event. Simon Chen ’23, Nat Kikonyogo ’25, and Mary-Aliya Turay ’23 sang musical numbers, and Hannah Park ’24 performed a flute solo. Linda Done ’23 and Kaya Horvath ’22 introduced a short film that tells their stories in their own words. In the film, the audience meets MK Marshall ’22, the star goalkeeper of the girls varsity soccer team; Kaya, an athlete turned actor; and Linda, an emerging leader who doubts if she is ready to lead. The film speaks to the transformative power of the Pomfret Experience while revealing the ties that bind the students of today with the generations of alumni who came before them.
“The New York event was a wonderful launch of our ambitious campaign. Celebrating the students in the film and those who performed on stage was a powerful reminder of why Pomfret and this Campaign matter to our alumni, parents, and friends,” shared Director of Advancement Will Mitchell ’84. “It was also an amazing opportunity to celebrate the gifts we have received and remind everyone that every gift at every level moves us one step closer to achieving our campaign goal and supports the hopes and dreams of our students.”