There are better jobs to undertake in the midst of a recession than director of development, but Cindy Basil Howard isn’t deterred by our current economic situation in her new role with the Foundation for the Advancement of Catholic Schools in Bloomfield.
“I have always been a positive and optimistic person,” said Howard. “I’m not going to listen to the naysayers.”
“There are challenges out there in today’s economy,” said Howard. “Amazingly people are more generous during difficult times.”
The foundation’s mission is to support parochial schools with scholarships and program support because of its belief that Catholic school education is for a lifetime.
“It should be accessible for the folks who determine it’s the right choice for their children,” she said.
There are 59 elementary schools with 12,770 students and nine high schools with 2108 students in the Archdiocese of Hartford that encompasses Hartford, Litchfield and New Haven counties.
The foundation’s work draws support, Howard said, because of its impact on public school spending. She said Archdiocese of Hartford statistics show parochial schools saved towns and cities $214 million in tax dollars. In 2007, the foundation awarded $600,000 in scholarship funds.
“There’s a success rate at Catholic schools,” said Howard, counting herself among the success stories. “First and foremost is my own personal experience with Catholic School education. I have two parents who worked very hard for many years to send the three of us to Catholic schools, first at St. Thomas the Apostle (school in West Hartford) and I clearly remember my parents speaking about how they could make this possible for us.
“So I lived it myself … I lived it, breathed it, feel it. The experiences there and at Mount Saint Joseph Academy (in West Hartford) made me the person I am today,” she said. “These schools gave me a respect for myself and things around me and taught me to appreciate what I have. I garnered strength from their support and encouragement and of course, feel that I had a superlative education. This was capped off by additional time at St. Joseph College when I earned my M.A. in an environment that was both challenging and nurturing. I am blessed to have had these experiences and parents who sacrificed to give me this education. I want to pay that forward myself.”
Paying it forward is an aspect of a new program that Howard personally enjoys. The foundation’s board of trustees go into the schools to personally present students with their scholarship funds. Howard said it puts a face on where the money is coming from.
“It’s a wonderful experience to hand out scholarships and see the looks of appreciation and gratitude,” she said. “The high school students really understand the concept that the foundation wants them to pay it forward some day.”
