Rooney '80 Supports the Capital Campaign to "Take Us to the Next Level"

Current Prep colleagues and students are very familiar with the Rooney Family. In gratitude for the family’s support of the last capital campaign, the Rooney Room in Jesuit Hall was named in memory of James Rooney. Now, Sean Rooney ’80 has again come through for his alma mater with a generous gift in the early stages of our current capital campaign, For Others Forever The Prep Campaign for the Future. The campaign will transform the Prep's physical plant, to ensure that the campus reflects the academic excellence of its outstanding faculty and students as well as serve as a welcome to prospective students and families. In addition, For Others Forever will increase the school's endowment in the hopes to bring it more in line with those of our fellow Jesuit schools and our competitors.

“I have a genuine love of the Prep and I believe very strongly in the mission of the school,” says Rooney, who served on the Board of Trustees from 2005-11. “I want to  be sure that the Prep is set up for a great future so I got involved early in this campaign so maybe it would inspire others to get involved as well.”

For many years, Rooney lived on the Main Line. He watched as many of the Prep’s competitors in that area (ex., Haverford School, Malvern Prep, and Episcopal Academy) made major capital improvements. “Many of those schools have some incredible amenities, they look like college campuses, so it is important for the Prep to do what we can to improve that part of our school,” says Rooney. “The lure of the Prep education and our city location is great but it is important to be competitive. We don’t want to lose the best students to those other places.”

Rooney is doing his part. Recently, he hosted three days of events in Palm Beach, where St. Joseph’s PrepPresident, Rev. John W. Swope, SJ ’72 and Chief Development Officer, Betsy Courtney discussed with alumni and friends the sweeping upcoming campaign.

“It was a great three days. We had multi-generational classes there and Fr. Swope and Betsy did a great job laying out the capital plan,” Rooney notes. “There is a need and a want and it’s an ambitious plan. We all love the Prep so we have to step up and do this now. We don’t want to lose good students and certainly don’t want the Prep to fall behind in any way.”

Rooney sees the value in this campaign, calling it “Part 2.” “The last campaign was good and did yeoman’s work during a difficult economic period in our country,” says Rooney, adding that “over the years, capital improvements such as the Kelly Fieldhouse, Jesuit Hall, and the Sauter Dining Hall made the place nicer. Now this will take us to the next level. I am supporting it 100%.”

For Rooney, the decision to support the Prep is simple. “The two biggest things of my life are my parents and St. Joe’s Prep,” he says. “They both prepared me to be the man I am today, the business person I am today and they both encouraged me to be a civic leader. All of my success has been made possible because of them.”

In addition to Sean Rooney, the following individuals have contributed to the capital project: