ST SEBASTIAN’S

Parent Participation
There’s a story Michael F. Cronin P’06 tells
when people ask him - parents, alumni,
even his own children - why he’s so involved
at St. Sebastian’s School. But to him,
the answer is simple. A past experience
has taught the former trustee and current
co-chair of the Faith & Future Campaign an
important lesson.
“I had to close my own former high school -
Don Bosco Technical in Boston,” he explains.
“I was on the board at the time, and
we had to make the very difficult and sad
decision to close the doors. It came down
to lack of support from all areas - parents
and alumni. Each thought the other group
was going to step up to help the school.”
Cronin’s mission is to make sure that
doesn’t happen to other schools he cares
about. “I tell my children that I want to
make sure their schools don’t suffer the
same fate as Don Bosco. It is so important
that the schools are there for future generations,”
he says. “And I want people to be
aware of what I learned firsthand - that
their support makes a big difference and is
truly needed.”
That’s why he got involved right away
when he and his wife, Marian, chose St. Sebastian’s
for their youngest son, Justin ’06.
Cronin first volunteered to help with the
Annual Parents Fund, the Development
Committee, and, finally, the Senior Class
Gift. He also served on the Board of
Trustees from 2003 to 2009.
Cronin is quick to note that he has enjoyed
his St. Sebastian’s volunteer involvement
immensely. “St. Sebastian’s is a community
of students, parents, faculty, and administrators,”
he explains. “It’s a table with four
corners; all legs are needed to provide
strength and stability. As a parent, it’s been
a pleasure to work with other likeminded
parents who have shared directions, priorities,
and beliefs.”
He compares serving on the Board of
Trustees to his day job at Weston Presidio, a
St. Sebastian’s School · Moving Forward
private equity firm that he co-founded. “St.
Sebastian’s is very similar to some of the
companies in which we invest. They face
many similar challenges, like raising money
and working with multiple constituents
who hold different priorities and motives.”
The Faith & Future Campaign addresses
many of those issues, Cronin feels. In fact,
he agreed to chair the campaign and he
and Marian chose to support it, noting, “It
focuses on the most important needs of
the School. Just look at the athletic improvements
- they’ve already made such a
positive change. The new fields have allowed
the School to be more flexible, to
add junior varsity and ninth grade teams,
and more sports so that more students
have the opportunity to play and compete.”
Cronin predicts similar results with the addition
of the new Science, Math & Library
Center. “It will double the size of the library
and allow for every full-time teacher to
have his or her own classroom. As a parent,
I see how very powerful this is. I can
see the before and after. I have two other
children who attended different private
schools, so I’m able to easily explain to parents
why these projects are necessary for
St. Sebastian’s to be competitive,” he continues.
“High school is a very formative
place - more formative than college. You
spend six years with the same 60 classmates.
It’s life-changing. We need to preserve
that for future generations.”
As the campaign co-chair, past parent, and
volunteer, Cronin has a straightforward
message to others in the St. Sebastian’s
community: “If you care about this terrific
School, you can see the promise of the
campaign. Fund that promise with your
gift. Reflect on how you want to support
the School and then do it. Reflect on what
this School has meant to you or to your son
then ask yourself, ‘Have I done enough?
Can I do more?’”
Michael F. Cronin P’06
Managing Partner, Weston Presidio
“If you care about this
terrific School, you can
see the promise of the
campaign. Fund that
promise with your gift.
Reflect on how you
want to support the
School and then do it.
Reflect on what this
School has meant to
you or to your son
then ask yourself,
‘Have I done enough?
Can I do more?’”