Philanthopy as a Way of Life
Dick Lowry ’54 and his wife Carol, who passed away in 2020, have expressed their loyalty to EA through lifelong philanthropy. Their gifts have been key to the school’s evolution, and include support for the purchase of the Newtown Square land that became today’s campus, naming Lowry House, and endowing the Head of School position.
“I have remained committed to supporting Episcopal because I realized early on how much the Episcopal education and experience did for me,” says Lowry. “The teachers I had were terrific, and I realized how much they identified with our success as students and individuals. It was apparent that our success was part of their compensation. Furthermore, ‘Mind, Body, and Spirit’ was not just a saying: it was a way of life at the Academy. I believe that way of life continues to this day.”
In addition to other gifts, Lowry has been a consistent annual donor and recently documented an unrestricted planned gift. “Unrestricted giving is critical for the school,” he explains. “In a school of Episcopal's size, it is a major source of funding. Episcopal has to accomplish more with less than any college or university. I got a lot out of my five years at Dartmouth, including an MBA, but the education and experience paled in comparison with what I absorbed at Episcopal.”
Today, Lowry hopes to see the devotion of generations of graduates reflected in higher levels of giving to The Episcopal Fund. “Every class has many individuals who have been successful and fortunate in their lives and whose gifts should reflect their appreciation,” he suggests. “As future classes gather for their 50th reunion, they should really celebrate that occasion with a significant gift, the most important gift they will ever make. To quote an old saying, ‘they should be giving far more than it hurts, they should be giving until it really feels good.’”
“I am pleased that the current campaign, Shape Tomorrow, focuses on teaching,” offers Lowry. “Teaching is the backbone of the institution. More than anything else it is what sets the school apart. It wasn't just subject matter that was instilled in us. It was our teachers’ whole personalities, what they stood for, and how much our success mattered to them,” he recalls.
In 2004, Lowry received the school's Distinguished Alumni Award. In remarks still relevant today, he urged students not to forget that their achievements began here. “If you end up happy and successful in your lives, however you may want to define it, the seeds of that effort will have been sown here. If you develop character, a sense of commitment, and make a real contribution with your lives, those vital characteristics will have been developed here, in this chapel, in the classroom and on the playing field.”
