PEBBLE BEACH – The Stevenson School in Pebble Beach has received $20 million in lead gifts for its new Math, Science and Engineering Center. The center is part of the “Remarkable Stevenson” campaign, aiming to raise $60 million by 2026 for campus advancements.
The two $10 million gifts will go toward the John Senuta Math Center and the Day Family Center for Science and Engineering, both buildings rounding out the new center. With these donations, the Remarkable Stevenson campaign is inching closer to its 2026 goal, with $43 million raised so far.
“The vision for (the campaign) is to continue to ensure that Stevenson provides the best quality education we can for our students and the kind of facilities that can perpetuate and support that,” said Michael L. Jackson, campaign chair and alumni ’68.
According to Jackson, a few years ago, faculty and administration “came to the realization that Stevenson, a college preparatory school, needs to mirror what’s going on in today’s colleges and universities. So that led to a discussion about … the kinds of spaces that were needed to support this new way of teaching, thinking and educating our students. That’s when we rolled up our sleeves and started thinking about ‘how can we do this?’”
The $45 million facility broke ground in July and will include expanded curriculum, state-of-the-art equipment, a teaching kitchen, astronomy observation deck and more. The 38,000-square-foot building was also designed with sustainability in mind, including stormwater management and energy efficiency systems. It is expected to be finished in spring 2026.
The Remarkable Stevenson campaign is also committed to gathering as many funds as possible for financial aid, and has so far raised $9 million since the campaign launched in September. This endeavor is close to Jackson’s heart, as his attendance at Stevenson was dependent on the aid the school provided.
The first African-American student at Stevenson School in the 1960s, Jackson has taken his education far. He went on to become a doctor of education and became dean of students at Stanford, his alma mater, and then vice president for student affairs at USC.
After being involved in multiple fundraising and development efforts at both Stanford and USC, Stevenson leadership reached out to see if he would help with their own campaign. “It’s really dear to my heart … we’re paying it back and we’re paying it forward,” he said.
The new math, science and engineering center honors Stevenson’s legacy and the people who made the school what it is today. The center will replace the Lindsley Science Building, built 50 years ago.
“When you have donors like Will and Calla Griffith and the Day family who step up, and have stepped up over generations, say ‘we believe in the school. We want this school to thrive and continue to evolve,’ that’s really important,” said Jackson.
“Mathematics forms the foundation for innovation and critical thinking,” said Griffiths, who is currently in Asia meeting prospective students, in a news release regarding the building. “The John Senuta Math Center will provide Stevenson students with the collaborative spaces and technological tools they need to develop strong mathematical foundations. This gift honors John Senuta’s dedication to mathematics education and ensures his legacy inspires future problem solvers.”
Calla and Will Griffith ‘89 made the donation for the John Senuta Math Center, honoring Senuta who was a mathematics teacher at Stevenson for 43 years before retiring in 2018. “It’s such an honor for those of us who know him to be able to lift him up in this way,” said Jackson. “(He is) the kind of teacher who helps students learn how to learn and not be afraid of tackling hard subjects.”
The Day Family Center for Science and Engineering building honors Willametta K. Day and her sons Robert ‘61, Matt ‘63 and T.J. ‘66. While her sons were enrolled in Stevenson, Day was a top philanthropist supporting the school. Her sons continued the legacy.
The $10 million donation, made by the Willametta K. Day Foundation, will help develop a new science and engineering space with “advanced laboratories and flexible learning spaces designed to support hands-on, collaborative learning,” according to the news release.
“This is one of the most philanthropic families in the U.S. … for them to remain engaged with us and support us in this way is very heartwarming,” said Jackson.
“(Remarkable Stevenson) positions us to attract more families in the future who are interested in private education,” said Jackson. “Interested in a curriculum that’s dynamic and evolving and interested in a place that teaches students how to collaborate with others, how to lead (and) support others.”
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