Advancing Kiski An Interview with our Associate ... - The Kiski School

Advancing Kiski An Interview with our Associate Headmaster
for Institutional Advancement, Steven T. Szilagyi ’88
What are the School’s current priorities for
the advancement of Kiski and, was the recent
Feasibility/Pre-Campaign Study helpful to
strategic planning for the institution?
Yes, the recent study was very helpful to our
strategic planning process and we are deeply
thankful to our supporters and friends who
participated in the process by sharing
insightful and thoughtful answers. We learned
that our universe of supporters and potential
donors like what the School has
accomplished in the last ten years under the
insightful guidance of the Board of Trustees
and the dedicated leadership of Headmaster
Chris Brueningsen and his leadership team.
Among our alumni and parents, there exists a
clear consensus that Kiski remains
academically strong and vibrant and
continues to build rewarding athletic and
social offerings to benefit all students.
Perhaps most revealing was the positive
feedback we received about the School’s
intense focus on 21 st Century Learning for
Boys. Alumni and parents are thrilled that
Kiski has blossomed into a national and
international leader with regard to the
education of high school boys and they are
pleased the School has done so without
changing or sacrificing any of its core values
and by remaining true to its mission. The
results of the feasibility study allow us to now
start reviewing a few exciting and high impact
capital improvement projects that will
profoundly benefit the living and learning
environment for students and faculty as well
as our growing athletic program. We look
forward to moving these updates and
conversations forward with the Board of
Trustees in the near future.
You mention the importance of alumni,
trustees, faculty, parents, and friends of the
School making the decision to financially
support Kiski annually; please explain the
differences between the School’s three
primary giving programs: Annual Giving,
Capital Giving, and Endowment/Planned
Giving?
We regularly ask for unrestricted financial
support of our annual giving program (The Kiski
Fund) because this funding is raised in addition
to tuition to keep the School operating. Like
many private schools in the country Kiski must
raise an additional $11,000 per student above
tuition to make the annual operating budget
work. In addition to auxiliary income,
unrestricted money raised by The Kiski Fund
allows us, each year, to pull in this important
funding. From time to time, the Board of
Trustees will ask the Headmaster and his team
to raise new money for capital improvement
projects. Kiski’s last capital campaign was
focused on raising new capital for campus and
dorm improvements as well as for student
scholarships, faculty development funds, and
the Swank Student Center. We raised $12
million as part of our last capital campaign
allowing us to make upgrades to the campus
and buildings. Within the last year we were
also able to add new improvements via the
Yukevich Academic Quad, the Class of 1962
Outdoor Classroom, and our new Sustainability
Program. These campus improvements are
made possible via the direct implementation of
focused capital campaigns. In addition to
annual unrestricted giving (The Kiski Fund) and
capital giving via capital campaigns, we are
seeking “planned gifts” as well as special gifts
to the endowment. Over the years, alumni and
friends have decided to include Kiski and the
School’s endowment in their estate plans. In
addition, we’ve recently had alumni and
trustees working directly with me to establish
such planned giving options as Charitable
Remainder Trusts and Charitable Lead Trusts.
Planned Giving is a financially astute way to
help Kiski and I look forward to continuing to
grow this important program for the School.
What are alumni and donors saying about Kiski
and why do they support the School?
Our supporters continue to be proud of the
School and enthusiastic about Kiski’s mission.
They are pleased with the School’s financial
progress and our vision for its future. They are
thrilled to see that we have an active and
engaged Board of Trustees and Board of
Visitors and that our Alumni Reunion
Weekends are enthusiastically celebrated and
attended. Our donors like the creative
leadership of our Headmaster and appreciate
that he continues to personally read grades to
every boy. They’ve been pleased that Kiski has
remained intensely dedicated to the liberal arts
and to small classes led by dynamic, motivated,
and approachable teachers. And, they are
pleased that we’ve kept a healthy focus on
athletics, club activities, and student life on
campus. Many of our donors said they love that
Kiski still implements great work with motivated
student-athletes graduating and moving on to
leading national colleges and universities each
year. In terms of athletic offerings, many are
happy that recent progress has been made
with our football, soccer, basketball, wrestling,
hockey, and lacrosse programs. Alumni
continue to support the School as generously
as possible because Kiski is clearly a proven,
focused, and values-driven boarding school
that knows how to build flexible thinkers,
thoughtful gentlemen, and honest leaders.
As a Kiski alumnus and now as an
administrator at the School, what are you most
proud of at the School?
Kiski has played an important role in my life and
who I am as a person and I am thrilled to be a part
of a dynamic process allowing alumni and friends
to support Kiski and its mission so that the School
can keep and further strengthen such vital traditions
as its dedication to the liberal-arts experience,
small and engaging classes, successful
athletic teams, inspirational fine-arts and music
programs as well as a generous scholarship program
and a beautiful campus. In addition, with regard
to the business side of the School, I am
delighted that Kiski is back in a strong and vibrant
position with a coherent and prudent financial

plan focused on the long-term health and success
of the institution. On the academic side, I
am happy that we’ve built a dynamic, healthy,
and supportive educational environment where
boys learn and grow both intellectually and emotionally.
Moreover, we’ve constructed a learning
community in which each boy is able to experience
and benefit from a deeply transformational
experience. As has always been the case, there
is nowhere to hide at Kiski; consequently,
whether in the classroom, on the athletic field, or
on a field trip, each boy is pushed to actively participate
and to stretch himself as far as possible
– this is what creates the pivotal and transformational
experience at Kiski. And, it is rewarding to
see that Kiski Boys still know what it means to be
civil, honorable, and disciplined gentlemen, debaters,
and leaders.
I am very proud that Kiski was recently
readmitted to the prestigious Cum Laude
Society and I am encouraged by our renewed
focus on exemplary college placement. Within
the last five years we’ve been able to reestablish
positive and rewarding relationships with
many leading colleges and universities. And,
to quickly list a few, I am thrilled we’ve recently
been able to place our graduates into
such selective and respected schools as:
Allegheny, Bucknell, Carnegie Mellon,
Davidson, Dickinson, Emory, Gettysburg,
Haverford, Johns Hopkins, Kenyon,
Northwestern, NYU, Muhlenberg, Penn,
Princeton, SMU, UCLA, UNC, USC, and, of
course, the United States Naval Academy.
How are current students learning about
Philanthropy and the importance of stewarding
the School and its programs after graduation?
It’s been rewarding to work with our seniors
prior to their graduation. During the last few
months of the academic year, we welcome the
senior class into Kiski’s Alumni Society and
meet to strategically elect their Class Captains.
In addition, we work with the seniors to select a
special Senior Class Gift to the School. This
experience demonstrates how philanthropy
works for a private school and the wonderful
feeling of supporting one’s alma mater. Kiski
graduates know and feel that it is indeed their
Steven Szilagy ’88 with new Alumni Legacy Students: Dan Swank (son of Greg Swank ’80), Cooper Urbany
(son of Jeff Urbany ’80), Wade Hoag (son of Mike Hoag ’80), and Billy Gardner (son of Bill Gardner ’82)
School coupled with a personal understanding
that it’s now their duty as alumni to steward
their School and its future. Looking forward, we
hope to begin involving all students in the
process of supporting the School and our
educational mission. I think everyone would
agree that it’s really never too early to embrace
philanthropy and proactive stewardship.
What are your thoughts on the Alumni Legacy
Admission Program at Kiski?
I am happy to report that our number of alumni
legacy students continues to grow. We currently
have 40 Legacy Students. The Kiski
Legacy relationships include brothers, uncles,
fathers, grandfathers and more. I am so thrilled
to see new legacy students on campus and it's
truly fun for me to get to know family members
of alumni (some of whom were here when I was
a faculty child and/or student). This year, for example,
I’ve enjoyed getting to know our new
legacy freshman at Kiski: Wade Hoag (son of
Mike Hoag ’80) and Billy Gardner, Jr. (son of Bill
Gardner ’82). I work closely with our Director of
Admission, Bill Ellis, to be sure that our alumni
receive a warm and engaging welcome whenever
they visit the campus for a tour.
In addition, I think we do a good job with
our external advancement and alumni events
and they often serve as a positive way for
alumni to introduce prospective students and
mothers to Kiski and the goals of our mission. I
would, in addition, encourage our alumni to
look at the summer golf program held at Kiski
and administered by U.S. Golf Camps (www.usgolfcamps.org).
This is an exceptional camp
and it’s a wonderful way for alumni to have their
sons engage with Kiski and the campus during
the summer months. My son Zander took part in
the golf camp last summer and he had a blast.
By watching him, I was able to relive my enjoyable
Kiski summer camp experiences.
How can alumni, parents, and friends of the
School continue to help Kiski?
There are two key ways for people to help
Kiski. First and foremost, I would encourage all
of our friends to actively support The Kiski
Fund as well as our upcoming capital
campaign. In addition, although it’s easy to
overlook in this intensely technological age,
it’s important for our friends to know that
“word of mouth” marketing is important. I
would strongly encourage our friends to be
ambassadors for Kiski. We do not aspire to be
the best kept secret in western Pennsylvania!
In addition, almost each day we meet with
new visitors on campus and they arrive as the
direct result of a supporter encouraging the
family visit. These visits regularly turn into a
new student enrolling. Kiski always needs
your support so please dig deep and give your
undying love back to your School and send
Kiski your financial support as often as
possible…and, of course, send us solid
admission prospects too!