Endowment Giving

"The goal is to expose the archival materials in many new ways for students, alumni, and other researchers."

What has kept you connected to McDonogh over the years?

McDonogh has been in my blood for as long as I can remember. My father, Tracy Stackhouse (Class of 1930), had strong ties to the School having attended for six years after his mother died. He worked to help after the fire, started the transportation program for day hops as a senior, came back to work on campus for seven years after college, and rose to be Chief Engineer—what we would now call Director of Facilities. He continued as an active member of the Alumni Association for many years and was an early recipient of the Distinguished Service Award. 

Much of his social life was connected to his McDonogh Family. As young boys, my brother and I were taken to many School events during the year. Later, both of us attended the Upper School as day students, and after college, my brother, Steve Stackhouse ’63, taught at McDonogh for several years. When the time came, my wife, Pat, and I enrolled our children, Dan Stackhouse '94 and Emily Stackhouse '97, in the first grade. I am in the middle of a three-generation McDonogh family with deep roots and many connections.

What inspired your Campaign gift in support of the Wilson | Young Archives and Special Collections?

As an amateur historian, archivist, and board member of history-focused organizations, I have learned to value the built environment and the documents, photographs, and other ephemera that connect us to our past. As a photographer, I appreciate both capturing the beauty and documenting the reality of the present world. Seeing the opportunity to preserve, interpret, and share all these by supporting both the Wilson|Young Archives and Special Collections renovation and the Aaron/Stackhouse Endowment for the Archives allows me to give back and to honor my father whose love of the School began our three-generation McDonogh journey.

What impact do you hope your gift will have on the School?  

The School's decision to move the Archives to the center of the campus and commitment to making archival materials part of the School's curriculum moved me to follow my own interests in this area. A gift that would both support the Archives and honor my father. As plans for the relocation to Lyle Building took shape, it was a natural step to commit financial support toward this effort. The goal is to expose the archival materials in many new ways for students, alumni, and other researchers—to raise interest in and access to McDonogh's past as it informs the present and future. 

To learn more about the Legacy Campaign, visit mcdonoghlegacycampaign.com. Contact Pat Muth, Senior Director of Philanthropy for Capital Programs, at pmuth@mcdonogh.org to find out how you can support McDonogh’s commitment to scholarship and financial aid.