Anonymous $2 million gift to Shady Side Academy will help student transitions
Jun. 17—An anonymous $2 million gift to Shady Side Academy will help newly enrolled students that might have a challenging educational or cultural transition, officials announced.
It is the largest programmatic donation in school history.
Money is earmarked for the academic and social support of students at the private Fox Chapel school who might have trouble adjusting to their new environment.
"In short, the gift will ensure that every newly enrolled student, no matter their background, has the support they need to thrive," Jen Roupe, communications specialist, said.
Roupe cited examples that include cultural support for international students arriving in America, learning support for students with diagnosed learning differences and academic support for students to bridge other gaps between SSA and the curriculum of their previous school.
In total, Shady Side Academy welcomes students from 57 ZIP codes in Allegheny County, 10 other Pennsylvania counties, 13 states and nine countries.
Total enrollment across four campuses is 1,108 students.
"The gift will expand student access to individualized learning support, mentorship and guidance, and better ensure all students maximize their potential at SSA," President Bart Griffith said.
It will help students achieve excellence in the classroom and build lasting relationships as members of the school community, he said.
The money will fund a broad array of student support services across several departments, Roupe said. They include learning support, counseling and residential life.
Students from different socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds will benefit, Roupe said. Money will support both students who receive financial aid and those who pay full tuition.
The gift will also establish a permanent endowment for Shady Side's Equity and Inclusion Fund, a critical step in the Academy's Equity and Inclusion Action Plan released in July 2020. Those initiatives will be announced in the coming year.
Tawnya Panizzi is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Tawnya at 724-226-7726, tpanizzi@triblive.com or via Twitter .
