The Frederick Gunn School in Washington has received a $25 million gift from businessman alumnus Jonathan Tisch and his wife Lizzie, school officials announced.
The donation — the largest in the private school’s 172-year history — will support construction of the Lizzie and Jonathan Tisch Center for Innovation and Active Citizenship, an “interdisciplinary hub” that will be used for instruction in science, math, engineering, technology, entrepreneurship and citizenship. The building, which will include state-of-the-art lab spaces, is expected to be built in the center of campus, overlooking the school’s historic quad.
School officials said the center should be open to students by the fall of 2023.
The Frederick Gunn School is a private co-ed boarding and day school for students in grades 9 through 12, and also offers a post-graduate year. It is named for founder Frederick Gunn, a 19th century educator and abolitionist.
Jonathan Tisch, who graduated from the Frederick Gunn School in 1972, is a co-chairman of Loews Corp., and CEO of subsidiary company Loews Hotels. He is a prominent donor to Frederick Gunn, New York University and Tufts University, where the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life is named for him.
In a statement, Jonathan and Lizzie Tisch said the gift is intended to accelerate the school’s “transformation” as a model for education under current Head of School Peter Becker.
“The school’s leadership continues to commit itself to investments supporting the best boarding school experience that is the modern embodiment of Frederick Gunn’s ideals and there has been no better moment than now to help accelerate this momentum,” the couple said.
Becker praised the family’s donation as a “bold” commitment to the instruction and enrichment of young people.
“The generosity of Lizzie and Jon will immediately contribute to the ongoing transformation of our campus and, more importantly, will further accelerate the curricular programming initiatives already underway that build on Mr. Gunn’s values that so profoundly encourage active citizenship,” he said.
