On October 9, 2026, the Women in Focus: 1,000 Women Challenge, a fundraising segment of the With Full Hearts capital campaign, completed the initial phase of collective philanthropy supported by alumni, parents, faculty, and friends.
Former Board of Regents president Denise Dupré ’76 proposed the challenge as a precondition for her $10 million gift to fund the Alumnae Commons at Ford Hall, the heart of Mercersburg Academy’s campus. Dupré hoped that “this approach would have a ripple effect in the community; that everyone who might participate would be uplifted to be a part of something greater than any individual.”
“Whether that’s a $5 donation or a $5,000 donation, your participation is what matters. And giving the best gift that you can is important to us,” Chief Advancement Officer John Richardson stated. Chief Development Officer Carolyn Yeager felt the challenge gave equal recognition to all participating women. “Everyone has a seat at the table.”
Throughout the process, Richardson also observed, “We actually had some of our male alumni making gifts in honor of women in the Mercersburg community.” Barbara Burgin, wife of former Head of School Walter Burgin ’53, who passed away in 2025, was one of the women honored in the memorial donations.
Head of School Quentin McDowell knew Dupré had organized a similar challenge at Dartmouth College and admitted he was initially intimidated by the stakes. “$10 million is a lot of money,” he said. Nevertheless, McDowell added, “I was really confident that we would hit our mark.”
By the end of June, 650 donors had made a pledge. Participation picked up after outreach resumed in August, and once the total reached 700 or 750, the Advancement team believed it could reach 1,000. This momentum was possible thanks to 45 committed volunteers, who kept the campaign going by calling, texting, and emailing potential donors along with the efforts of the school.
FLIK Independent School Dining was proud to contribute to the 1,000 Women Challenge to recognize the many women whose talent, leadership, generosity, and care help the Mercersburg food service thrive. FLIK’s female dining hall staff members were the final donors who brought the challenge to a powerful climax. Their gifts were special because they contributed to the renovation of the kitchen workspace, which had not been fully renovated in roughly 50 years. McDowell thought their inclusion was especially meaningful: “They are the most important people on that wall, the people who are here serving us every day and taking care of us.”
Upon learning that the goal had been reached, Dupré said, “I am filled with joy and gratitude that so many of the Mercersburg community stepped up to join the effort, as this is about tomorrow. It’s about the next generation of leaders. It’s about paying it forward.”
Richardson said this campaign is an important “learning moment” for the Advancement Office on “how to further outreach and philanthropy of those connected to the school.”
Mercersburg Academy became coeducational in the 1970s, but women had ties to the school long before then, including mothers who sent their sons and women who married into the community. Dupré, whose 1976 reunion class had the most participants in the challenge, said Mercersburg “changed my trajectory.”
Asked what that turnout said about the community, Dupré answered, “This is who we are. Period. Full stop.”