Saint John’s Preparatory School announces the successful completion of its comprehensive capital campaign, exceeding its original $10 million goal by raising more than $15.1 million.

“Prep Forward: Our Time is Now is the largest, most successful campaign in our school’s nearly 170-year history,” said . “The funds raised will significantly increase the scope and impact of the campaign’s priorities, including supporting teachers and students while providing facilities upgrades and improvements.”

Launched in April 2024 to raise $10 million, the campaign quickly gained momentum, creating an opportunity to stretch the campaign goal and expand the timing. “While we anticipated widespread support from alumni, parents and grandparents, and friends, we were struck by how many people joined the campaign efforts so quickly and responded so generously,” said Ann Marie Stock ’78, a regent, alumna and leadership donor of the school. “The campaign created an energy in the school community that caused others to join in and celebrate with us. It’s been inspiring to be involved.”

The focused on investments in faculty, facilities, and financial aid, ensuring the Prep experience is available to students of all backgrounds for generations to come. “Leadership was able to identify core needs and articulate them in a compelling way, putting together a really sound campaign,” said campaign co-chair Bob Mahowald, Jr. ’95. “It was obvious that this was close to the heart for so many. The campaign sold itself.”

The final total reflects both major philanthropic investments and broad-based support from across the community, securing more than $6.8 million in cash gifts, and $8.3 million in planned giving commitments to establish or increase endowed scholarships and support teaching excellence.

Campaign highlights include:

• Total funds raised exceeding $15 million, far surpassing the initial $10 million goal
• The largest gift commitment in Prep’s 169-year history
• Expanded funding for facilities, faculty compensation, and financial aid
• More than 140 donors participated in the campaign

“The timing was right for the needs of the students and families,” said Lexy St. Hilaire, campaign co-chair. “The Prep community showed up with their support and wanted to ensure its continued success.”

With the campaign now complete, Prep will begin implementing all the initiatives made possible by this campaign. To date, the campaign has created the in Theatre to permanently support the school’s theatre director position, a complete renewal of our soccer field (Ford-McCormick Field), and the creation of the endowed Theo and James Baustert Teaching Excellence Fund to support faculty salaries.

“The campaign has provided us with the lessons to reshape our major giving program in support of our students and their future,” said McGee. “Looking ahead, we will build on the strong support from our community and steward these resources for long-term impact and sustainability.”

For more information on the Prep Forward – Our Time is Now campaign, visit

Saint John’s Prep is a premier arts and sciences world school where imagination, creativity and discovery are celebrated. Founded in 1857 by Saint John’s Abbey, Saint John’s Prep enrolls nearly 300 students from 15 nations, half a dozen states, and 29 different Minnesota communities.

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Listen carefully to the master’s instructions and attend to them with the ear of your heart.

Rule of Benedict, Prologue

�ԴǾ�����.���ԴDZ�����.������������. The ceaseless clatter of our modern world often threatens to overwhelm us. The cacophony and rush of our daily lives, framed by shrieking news cycles and never-ending social media commentary and imagery, play around us like a strobe light, crowding out time for stillness, reflection, and understanding. It is easy to forget what silence and solitude look or feel like. It is easy to forget why we sometimes need to pause to look inside and listen inside.   

And then there is Lent.  

I fear that Lent has long suffered from bad branding, led by the question, “what are you giving up?” While fasting of some kind is certainly an important part of our Lenten journey, by itself it suggests little more than enduring or grinding out the 40-day period. It misses the larger point that, when combined with the other two themes of Lent – prayer and acts of charity and love – this time of year calls us to look inward to live more fully outward.    Lent challenges us not to step out but to step up. To listen carefully to the needs of those whose voices are too often lost in the din of the noise around us. To listen carefully for the presence of God. To hear God in the shadows and whispers of our lives. Lent does not call us to step away but to draw closer.   

As Lent guides us toward Easter, we can look to the Rule of Benedict for inspiration: It is high time for us to arise from sleep. Let us open our eyes to the light that comes from God, and our ears to the voice from heaven [to] run while you have the light of life (RB Prologue). We practice Lent inwardly through reflection, prayer, and personal conversion. But we live Lent outwardly in the ways we connect with each other and the world around us. Like a carefully tended flower, we bloom, and others with us. 

It is no small irony that this marvelous season of reflection and renewal – expressed through prayer, fasting, and charity – concludes with the joyous, and decidedly loud, celebration of Easter. Reflection and renewal seed new hope and great joy.

I wish our entire Prep community the blessings and hope of the Easter grace that awaits!  

JonMcGee
Head of School

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The Thanksgiving message below is from Saint John’s Prep Head of School, Jon McGee.

“Only one response can maintain us: gratefulness for witnessing the wonder, for the gift of our unearned right to serve, to adore, and to fulfill. It is gratefulness which makes the soul great.”
Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, “I Asked for Wonder”

Dear Saint John’s Prep Families,

Time accelerates between Thanksgiving and Christmas as the semester rapidly winds to its end, as we race to holiday concerts and gatherings, as we search for “just the right gift,” and as we prepare for the joys of Christmas day. A year of activity in just one month.

More than any other time of year, Thanksgiving and the Advent season that will begin on Sunday ask us to reflect on both gift and gratitude. When we think of gifts, we most often think of presents wrapped and given. Objects. But the root of the word gift is give. A verb. Gift and giving derive their power as actions, given and received, most often expressed in the form of friendship, solidarity, solace, empathy, and, most importantly, love.

Giving is not a time, date, or event-bounded activity confined to one time of year, but rather a disposition toward life and community that involves the whole self. Even so, powerful as they are, gift and giving remain incomplete without gratitude. Gratitude and thankfulness complete gift and giving. We are grateful for the opportunity to give love and grateful for the opportunity to receive it. We are grateful for what we are able to give, grateful for what we have been given, and mindful of those for whom love and gift are all too scarce.

We have much to be thankful for at Saint John’s Prep. I am grateful for the gift of our students and the curiosity, joy, and energy they bring to school every day. I am grateful for the gift of our talented faculty and staff who teach and nurture our students in so many ways. And I am grateful for the gift of the parents, family and friends who support our students and our school throughout the year. Family, community, gratitude, and love are the gifts that bind us.

As we begin this season of gift and giving, thanks and thanksgiving, I offer this prayer to our community:

Creator God,
Thank you for the gifts of creation and community, friendship and fellowship
As we prepare for Thanksgiving and begin the Advent season, we pray
For faith in a world where too many walk in fear; may all find hope
For food in world where too many walk in hunger; may all be fed
For family in a world where too many walk alone; may all be loved
For light in world that knows too much darkness; may all find peace
Amen

Blessings for a wonderful Thanksgiving and Advent!
Jon McGee
Head of School

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Yesterday was a day of profound tragedy and sadness, not just in Minneapolis but here and everywhere. We pray and hold close to our hearts the children who perished at Annunciation ������ and their families who will deeply grieve their loss forever. For the students and adults who were gravely injured. For the entire Annunciation School community whose lives were shattered by another extraordinary act of evil. For ourselves and the sadness, weariness, and fear we feel.

We pray because we believe in hope. We pray because we believe in community. We pray because we believe in healing. We pray because we believe that only love can prevail in the face of hatred and the violence it creates.

We live in profoundly challenging and too frequently violent times. Its frequency puts us at risk of becoming desensitized. But we cannot simply look away. More than ever, we are called, young and old alike, to reflect deeply on our values and beliefs – and then to translate those values into action. Our Benedictine values preference a common good in support of community. They demand deep listening, with both the ear and the heart, to the voices of those around us, particularly the voices of the suffering, the oppressed, and the vulnerable. They teach us to actively strive for peace – with self, with others, and with God. They call us to community, not division; to goodness, not callousness; to empathy and care, not self-mindedness. And they call us to do all of this through the prism of love: love of neighbor, love of self, love for creation.

How will change happen? While it’s tempting to point to large organizations or big social movements to lead change, the reality is that change almost always happens – or at least begins – one person at a time. It begins with you and me. What we expect of ourselves. How we stand up for what we believe in. How we pay attention to who others are and what they are experiencing – and when they need help. How we respond when we see injustice or wrong. How we find the courage to give voice to our values. Love will prevail over hate and violence only when we make it so, each of us, all of us.

I promise that we are here for you at Prep. But equally important, we need to be here for each other. When we act together and support each other, we can begin to make an even bigger difference to the people and communities around us. With compassion, courage, conviction and love we can change the world.

Jon McGee
Head of School  

Members of our Student Services and Benedictine Center teams are available for our students. Contact Counselors Jen Whitehead, Jayne Greeney, or Jane Saunders for assistance.

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Saint John’s Prep will welcome students, faculty and staff back to campus in August! The first day of school is August 20, 2025.

We’re currently enrolling students for the upcoming academic year, and our and offer tours of our Middle School, Upper School, residence halls, and our gorgeous campus. If a member of your family is interested in joining the Saint John’s Prep community, contact our admission team.

The  academic year will begin with an opening convocation at the Saint John’s Abbey Church at 8:30am.  Abbot Doug Mullin, along with Head of School Jon Mc Gee, and the entire Saint John’s Prep faculty, staff and student community will be in attendance for the ceremony. Principal Dr. Christine Glomski and Student Council President Vivian Fitch ’26 will be among the speakers at this inspirational launch to the new semester.

Parents, siblings, grandparents, and alumni are welcome to attend this very special event.

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Ms. Pasela teaches science at Saint John’s Prep including Biology, AP Biology, Honors Human Body Systems, and Biotechnology. She is also one of the coordinators of the and co-teaches the capstone class and co-advises the honors capstone essays, projects, and presentations.

Ms. Pasela received the award during our A2E Scholarship and Community Day. Dr. Glomski gave Ms. Pasela the honors during the all-school honors breakfast. Ms. Pasela’s husband, Chad Spahn, and son, Ben Spahn ‘26, were among the guests.

Here are some of the comments students and parents shared in the nominations of Ms. Pasela:

“She is excited to answer all of our questions and incorporates how we can also be good human beings into her teaching. She has taught me not just about biology, but how to be a force for good in the world.”

“She has what all teachers with integrity, compassion, and excellence have – the respect of her students and colleagues. It is almost impossible to put my finger on it, but she is simply one of the best I have ever seen. “

“Has high expectations for their students. They are direct and honest when appropriate. However, it is clear that students in her classes know they are loved and cared for. They deliver challenging content and hold students accountable but is also their biggest cheerleader along the way.”

About the Award
The Twomey Family Teaching Excellence Award values passion for student learning; inspiration, creativity, and innovation; and integrity, compassion, and excellence, each deeply rooted in our Catholic Benedictine values. Since its founding, Saint John’s Preparatory School has provided exceptional education in the Catholic Benedictine tradition. The Saint John’s Prep faculty dedicate themselves to the educational development and personal formation of our students – preparing them for meaningful lives of purpose, service, and achievement. 

 for grades 6-12. Saint John’s Prep is ranked as the top ������ in Minnesota in 2025.

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Theo and James Baustert Faculty Excellence Fund

Saint John’s Preparatory School is excited to announce the establishment of the Theo and James Baustert Faculty Excellence Fund, a significant milestone in its ongoing Prep Forward – Our Time is Now campaign. Made possible by a gift of nearly $1 million from the JTB Foundation, this endowed fund will directly support and sustain competitive compensation for the school’s exceptional faculty.

The JTB Foundation was founded by James and Theo Baustert, lifelong advocates for the power of education and the dedicated educators who shape future generations. James and Theo’s son, Tim Baustert, a Prep School alumnus, offered, “This fund honors our parents’ legacy and commitment to academic excellence, reflecting their belief that great teachers are the foundation of transformative learning.” The Theo and James Baustert Faculty Excellence Fund will ensure that the institution remains a beacon of academic excellence by investing in the people who make it possible—its world-class educators.

Prep Forward – Our Time is Now Campaign
The announcement comes as the school’s campaign has surpassed its $10 million goal, raising more than $12.5 million to date. The campaign has energized the school’s community around strategic priorities that will strengthen Saint John’s Prep for decades to come.

This gift follows the April 2025 announcement of made by alumna Ann Marie Stock ’78 and her husband David Campagna. Also in April of 2025, Saint John’s Prep announced the establishment of the , a milestone in its commitment to the performing arts. Both gifts are also part of the Prep Forward- Our Time is Now campaign.

Our Faculty
Saint John’s Prep is home to . Our teachers are highly skilled and dedicated to maintaining our tradition of strong academics and thought provoking classes. More than 80% of our academic team members have earned a master’s degree or higher.

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We are so grateful for the incredible generosity and unwavering support at Grand Tour of Nation 2025! Thanks to your remarkable contributions, we are absolutely thrilled to announce that we raised $248,000!

This phenomenal achievement will have a profound impact on our students and the entire Prep community. These vital funds will directly support scholarships and programming, further proving that we are a school of opportunity! The enthusiasm on Saturday, April 26, 2025 was truly inspiring. From the exciting live auction to the powerful Mission Moment, it was a night to remember, all made possible by the presence of our parents, alumni, grandparents and friends – Thank you!

Help Us Reach $250,000!

If you would still like to contribute visit to donate. All gifts will be used for student financial assistance and educational programming this academic year. , or call a member of the Advancement Team at 320-363-3315 to pledge your support!

 SJP Senior Captivates Audience with Heartwarming Testimonial

Senior Andrea Gomez ’25 was this year’s student Mission Moment speaker at Saturday’s event. During her speech, Andrea wove a tapestry of personal anecdotes, each one a small, carefully chosen thread that contributed to a larger, resonant theme. She spoke of her mother’s love and determination to provide the best education possible, and how she, Andrea, grew to appreciate not only her mother’s efforts, but the true value of what her mother had always wanted for her children and the role Prep played throughout.

Andrea’s address was followed by one of the most successful paddle raises to date, including a generous pledge of $10,000 for a Mission Moment total of $53,150.

Guests who pledged a cash gift during the Mission Moment on April 26 will receive a letter in the mail confirming their intentions and including instructions for payment. As a reminder, these gifts are expected to be paid in full by June 30 of this year.

Our Time Is Now! Campaign Update

This year’s event concluded with an exciting campaign update from Head of School, Jon McGee, announcing that the generosity of our community has exceeded the $10 million goal we set just one year ago in the Our Time is Now! comprehensive capital campaign. Mr. McGee also shared that Prep will be the recipient of the largest recorded gift in school history from SJP alumna and husband, Ann Marie Stock ’78 and David Campagna.

The Stock-Campagna gift brings the campaign grand total to $12,548,378, and serves as a true testament to the power of a Prep education and the importance of giving back. For more information about this transformative gift, click here.

To learn about the priorities of the Prep Forward – Our Time is Now campaign and how you can be a part of its success, visit the or contact a member of the Advancement team at 320-363-3315.

Grand Tour 2026 – Save the Date!
Saturday, April 25

While we are still celebrating Saturday’s success, we are also looking ahead to next year’s event. Mark your calendars for Grand Tour of Nations 2026 – Saturday, April 25! Details, including: event location, raffle and ticket information, donations, and volunteer opportunities will be communicated in the fall. Stay tuned for the announcement of next year’s theme country!

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Saint John’s Preparatory School announces the establishment of the Br. Paul Vincent Niebauer, OSB Endowed Chair in Theatre, a milestone in its commitment to the performing arts. The endowed chair is the direct result of the school’s $10 million comprehensive Prep Forward: Our Time is Now campaign launched in April 2024, which focuses on faculty, facilities, and financial aid. Established with a leadership gift, the endowed chair when fully funded will permanently support the school’s theatre director position, sustaining and enhancing theatre education and experiences at Saint John’s Prep for generations to come.

The donor family, who wishes to remain anonymous, stated: “This endowed chair is a testament to the power of theatre in education. It’s rare to see a secondary school invest in the arts at this level locally or even nationally. Our family is thrilled to help create a legacy that will enrich students’ lives and the broader central Minnesota community.”

Saint John’s Prep formally announced the new chair on April 3, 2025, at a pre-performance reception prior to the school’s performance of .

Unique for secondary education, the endowed chair in theatre positions Saint John’s Prep as a leader in arts education, setting a precedent for schools across the region.

“This endowed chair recognizes Br. Paul-Vincent’s extraordinary legacy and ensures that theatre remains a vibrant and integral part of the school’s curriculum,” said Jon McGee, Head of School. “It recognizes the legendary creativity, energy and commitment to young artists at Prep who through the supportive encouragement of educators like Br. Paul Vincent have gained confidence through the arts while spreading joy to audiences for decades.”

For more than 25 years, Br. Paul Vincent Niebauer, OSB, has been the heart of Saint John’s Prep’s theatre program, nurturing students’ passion and commitment to the stage. Holding a bachelor’s degree in theatre and secondary education and a master’s degree in directing, Br. Paul Vincent directed over 50 productions at Saint John’s Prep and with external organizations prior to his retirement as director in 2019.

, a 2013 Saint John’s University graduate with a bachelor’s degree in theatre and a master’s degree in acting from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, in Birmingham, United Kingdom, joined the theatre program in the fall of 2018 and has held the position of Theatre Director since 2019, taking an already strong program to new heights today.

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Prep Forward Campaign

From our founding in the mid-19th century by an immigrant monastic community to our contemporary identity as a nationally leading college preparatory school, Saint John’s Preparatory School has provided an exceptional education in the Catholic Benediction tradition.

Saint John’s Prep today enrolls nearly 300 extraordinary students in grades six to 12 from 15 nations, a half dozen states, and 29 different zip codes in Minnesota. We represent different cultures. We hold different viewpoints. We have unique personal stories. But together we form a tapestry that makes Prep a distinctive community. For more than eight generations, we have educated and mentored thousands of creative thinkers, intellectual risk-takers, and imaginative problem solvers who have become extraordinary leaders in their communities and their professions. We transformed their lives. They have transformed their communities and the world. Driven to create extraordinary experiences and outcomes for the next generation of thinkers, discoverers, doers, and leaders, we have embarked on an ambitious plan of renewal and growth.

The Prep Forward: Our Time is Now campaign will help do that. Through its success, we will increase support for financial assistance for new Preps in new times, advance our best-in-class learning experience, and renew and revitalize the school learning environment. These guiding themes define the very best of Saint John’s Prep. Our time is now!

Please Join Us

Please join us in pushing the  a transformative effort to prepare for a bright future! To learn more about the priorities of this campaign and how you can be a part of its success, visit the  or contact a member of the Advancement team at 320-363-3315.

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