From the Assistant Headmaster for Institutional Advancement: Honoring Our Cultural Foundations of Community Support

The past year has been energizing, informative, and heartwarming at Woodberry Forest School. While we consistently honor the deep history of Woodberry, there has been a renewed intention in the last year to celebrate the rich heritage that has built and fortified the school, one student, teacher, coach, and mentor at a time. We are privileged to witness the individual growth of each young man in our care and humbled by the devotion and trust of our extended community to steward the traditions and values of Woodberry Forest forward.

The financial support outlined in the following pages tells the story of a deeply invested community — one that believes, as Dr. Hulsey often says, that the world needs Woodberry now more than ever, because the world needs better men. That belief grounds our culture and our collective commitment, on campus and beyond, to work every day to honor the standards and the vision of all who came before us.

Years ago when I first began dorm duty on Taylor Hall in the evenings, I marveled at the great care our prefects provided to our youngest students at bedtime. The following summer, after our prefect retreat, I asked Dr. Hulsey if we provided guidance to our new prefects to ensure that they knew what to do in those moments. He replied, simply, that we did not — the boys did it because it was done for them and mattered to them a great deal. It was at that moment I truly understood how cultures are built and how they thrive.

The legions of donors that have supported Woodberry Forest define a culture of philanthropy that has supported, strengthened, and empowered the school over generations. For many alumni, they give in recognition of their own experience that was, at the time, supported by those who preceded them. Our parents know that their boys and the people who care for them benefit from resources provided over generations, and our extended community is bound by a collective belief that, quite simply, Woodberry matters.

Try as we might, it is not possible to adequately express our collective gratitude for the investment each of you has made in Woodberry Forest. Please know how deeply we value you and the many ways you strengthen this community through your support. Thank you for sharing your boys, your time, your resources, and your stories with us.