Donors Support Access and Excellence: A Focus on Financial Aid

As we travel around the country to connect with alumni one-on-one, a theme emerges: University School was their most pivotal life experience. While many acknowledge college was important, often it is US that had a greater impact at an important time in their lives.

What about the US experience made it so significant? Personal attention, small classes, a sense of community, and highly capable peers are all reasons alumni cite for enabling them to grow. Often, the conversation then turns to US legends, the teachers who challenged and pushed students while supporting them. 

For a number of alumni, the narrative also includes the role financial aid played in making a US education possible. These alumni describe not knowing about US, and, if they did, thinking it was out of reach financially. One said, "I was in a gifted program and learned about US from my teacher. I visited and was blown away, though I didn't think it would be possible for me. But US offered me financial aid and it made all the difference. University School changed my life."

The 2021- 2026 Strategic Plan commits University School to devoting ourselves to excellence by attracting high-achieving students and making US possible for them. The Jarvis Scholar program, a merit-based program that awards four-year, fully-funded scholarships to up to ten incoming freshmen each year, is now seeking its third cohort, the class of 2028. This opportunity has put US on the map for a number of outstanding students who might not have considered our school as an option otherwise. 

Need-based financial aid offerings have also made a huge difference for many prospective students. A priority of the Strategic Plan is to dramatically increase opportunities for the region’s most accomplished students to attend US regardless of a family's ability to meet tuition costs. Thankfully, our community has numerous individuals who are coming forward to help achieve this goal. 

“I wish we had done this sooner” is a common thought among parents who discover University School in the middle-school years. Mike Foust ’74 and his wife, K.T., understand that sentiment. “We know the sooner someone joins the US community, the longer they have for the school to make an impact on their lives. K.T. and I want to see the little guys have an opportunity for a US education.” Mike has some first-hand insight on this subject: He came to US as a sophomore, though he made the most of his relatively brief time here. Mike was a standout scholar, a versatile star football player, and played violin. He went on to attend Harvard University, where he earned both undergraduate and graduate degrees. 

The Fousts started by making a current-use gift to fund students in their early years here. Building on this purpose, they recently made an endowed gift to allow three students to attend US from their time in the Lower School through the Upper School. When those three students graduate, the Fousts' generous gift will allow three more to receive the same benefit, and so on, in perpetuity. 

Celebrating and Supporting Our "Behind the Scenes" Staff

Carl Kapadia is a legendary tutor who has helped countless students navigate the complexities of growing and excelling in science and math. He grew up and was educated in Southern India and spent most of his life as a nuclear engineer until he found teaching. He began working at US in 2006 and considered the school his home until he retired in 2022. Many alumni remember the critical role Dr. Kapadia played in their growth as students and scholars. 

Dr. Kapadia valued the entire US community, and worked to ensure our service workers were celebrated. He made connections with many staff members while staying late after school to help students. He fondly recalled the staff who worked in the kitchen who would save a plate of food for him because he was working with boys through lunch. In 2016, Dr. Kapadia created and funded the Cawas "Carl" Kapadia Service Staff Award. It provides a stipend for those workers who have gone above and beyond their duties in service to the US community.

Furthering his commitment, and in honor of all that service staff give to US students and faculty, Dr. Kapadia established a new endowment this year. Among other uses, the endowment allows for professional development and educational opportunities for service staff and financial assistance to help with fees beyond tuition for US students who are children of these hourly workers. Dr. Kapadia shared, "Without the dedication of the service workers, we would not be able to do our job. This endowment is a way to let those who work behind the scenes know how much we appreciate them." Part of Dr. Kapadia's recent endowment will also be used to support any highly-accomplished student with financial need. He shared, "We need to make certain our region’s strongest students have access to a US education."

In addition to the endowed gifts individuals or families create to support US students, there are ways donors can contribute to the collective power of many gifts. One opportunity for residents of Ohio is to make a gift through the Scholarship Granting Organization (SGO) program. Gifts directed to US through the SGO program will be allocated to US students with need-based financial aid. 

The remarkable part of this opportunity for the donor is the dollar-for-dollar Ohio tax credit he or she receives from the state for their gift. This dollar-for-dollar tax credit is capped at $750 for an individual filer or $1,500 for a couple filing jointly. Essentially, Ohio resident donors can direct money that would have covered all or part of their state tax burden to a US student with need-based financial aid instead. Gifts to our SGO will be credited as gifts to the Annual Fund, restricted to need-based financial aid. Already, the collective power of gifts made this way are supporting two students at US, and the program is building momentum. 

We are grateful to all in the University School community who support our students in their own way every day, and, as a result, are opening opportunities and changing the lives of a new generation of US students.