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 Jon McGee, Head of School. “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 Br. Paul Vincent Niebauer, OSB Endowed Chair 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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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 sjprep.net/give to donate. All gifts will be used for student financial assistance and educational programming this academic year. Click this link, 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 Prep Forward website 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 largest gift commitment in its 168-year history, made by alumna Ann Marie Stock ’78 and her husband David Campagna. The couple’s transformative support has helped propel the school’s comprehensive fundraising campaign beyond its $10 million goal. Launched in April 2024, the Prep Forward – Our Time is Now campaign has secured more than $12.5 million to fund three distinct priorities: faculty, facilities, and financial aid. The Stock-Campagna gift will support student scholarships.

“I am a first-generation college student born and raised in St. Joseph who benefitted from scholarships at Prep,” said Ann Marie Stock. “I want to give back, making that possible for other students from Central Minnesota.”

Stock, a member of one of SJP’s first coed classes at Prep, credits the school with shaping her future. “Prep helped me believe that I was ‘college material’,” she said. “Prep positioned me to succeed in college and graduate school, which led to a fulfilling career in higher education. My years at Prep aided in the development of my intellect and my self-confidence.”

Currently a senior academic leader at William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, Stock reflects and speaks often about education’s enduring impact. “A single course or faculty member can shape a student’s life. Education is the best investment we can make.”

The gift is a cornerstone of SJP’s campaign, which is focused on investments in faculty, facilities, and financial aid, ensuring the Prep experience is available to students of all backgrounds for generations to come.

Jon McGee, SJP’s head of school, expressed profound gratitude for the couple’s generosity: “Ann Marie and David’s extraordinary generosity is a powerful statement about the value of education and the mission of Saint John’s Prep,” said McGee. “Their gift will open doors for generations of students, particularly those who may not have thought a place like Prep was within their reach. It will transform lives—and in doing so, it strengthens our entire community.”

The Stock-Campagnas believe deeply in education as a tool for empathy and understanding. Campagna, an international business development leader in the energy sector, said “Prep excels at helping students from around the world make sense of people, ideas, and perspectives different from their own—and that’s more important than ever.”

Stock, a scholar in Hispanic Studies with an international reputation for her unique understanding of Cuba’s culture concluded, “Prep connected me to a place and a community, while helping me see further and beyond.”

The couple’s record-setting gift not only honors the past—it ensures a bold and inclusive future for Saint John’s Prep and the students it serves. “We hope others will join us in supporting this campaign because securing the future of Prep ensures that this remarkable school in Central Minnesota continues to inspire the next generation of thought leaders and engaged citizens of our world,” said McGee.

For more information on the Prep Forward – Our Time is Now campaign, visit sjprep.net/prepforward.

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The SJP swimmers and divers finished the season with an exciting appearance at the MSHSL State Class A Championships this past weekend.

At the State meet, the 200 Free Relay, with Lilah Mohs ’27, Izzy Westling ’26, and alternate Regan Douvier ’28, edged out cross-town rival Tech High School to a riveting 11th place finish! The Apollo/Cathedral/SJP Swim and Dive team placed 16th overall in a field of 42 teams this weekend in State Class A. This is the first year for this swim and dive partnership with Saint John’s Prep, Saint Cloud Cathedral and Saint Cloud Apollo.

Izzy swam two individual sprint events, placing 6th in the 50 Free and 3d in the 100 Free earning All State honors in both events.
At the Section 6A meet on November 9, Izzy ’26 defended her 2023 section titles and earned the title of 2024 Section 6A Champion in the 50 Free and 100 Free. At the seciton meet, in the 50 Free, she broke the all-time Apollo andCathedral/Saint John’s Prep records as well as the pool record with a 23.86 punching a ticket to the state meet. In the 100 Free at the section meet, she went in a blistering 52.08 to set new all-time Apollo and Cathedral/Saint John’s Prep records and breaking her pool record set last year while qualifying for state. Izzy was named the 2024 Section 6A Swimmer of the Year.

The team thanks all the students and parents who made the trip to the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center’s pool to show their support! The swimmers and divers appreciate all of the support from families and fans this season!

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Below is a comprehensive list of colleges and universities for the Saint John’s Prep Class of 2024.

Boston College
University of California San Diego
Carleton College
Concordia College Moorhead
College of Saint Benedict
Denison University
Drake University
Franklin and Marshall College
Hamline University
Lawrence University
Loyola University Chicago
Luther College
Macalester College
University of Michigan Ann Arbor
University of Minnesota Duluth
University of Minnesota Twin Cities
University of North Dakota
University of Notre Dame
Pratt Institute
Purdue university
Saint Cloud State University
Saint John’s University
Saint Scholastica
University of Saint Thomas
Syracuse University
Temple University
University of Wisconsin Madison
Virginia Tech University

Click here to learn more about this outstanding class of Johnnies!

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Saint John’s Prep Seniors Evan Danielson ‘24 and Patrick Duffy ’24 are finalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program. They are now among the 15,000 high school seniors from throughout the nation competing for approximately 7,600 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $30 million.

Last fall, Patrick and Evan received recognition as semifinalists from the National Merit Scholarship Program by being  among the top scorers of the PSAT/NMSQT® in the United States and Minnesota.

To become National Merit Finalists, Patrick and Evan submitted detailed applications that included information about their academic records,  school and community activities, leadership abilities and honors and awards. More than half of the finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar title. They will find out if they are National Merit Scholars later this spring.

Evan is the son of Michele and Nathan Danielson of Sartell. He is the brother of Caiden ’29 and Elise ‘31. Evan is captain of the boys’ soccer team, a member of the National Honor Society and a Writing Center peer tutor. Evan is also a member of the track and basketball teams. Outside of school, Evan is a member and altar server for St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church. Evan is looking forward to exploring an engineering or a computer science major in college. 

Patrick is the son of Megan and Brendon Duffy of Cold Spring. He is the brother of Clare ’22 and Margaret ’27. Patrick is student council president and a member of National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, and the state Envirothon team. He is a percussionist with the Saint John’s Prep band, orchestra, and pianist who has received state honors. Outside of school Patrick is a volunteer at St. Cloud Hospital and a peer ministry leader at St. Boniface Catholic Church. Patrick plans to study economics, environmental science, and mathematics in college.

The National Merit^® Scholarship Program is an academic competition for recognition and scholarships that began in 1955. High school students enter the National Merit Program by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®)–a test which serves as an initial screen of approximately 1.5 million entrants each year–and by meeting published program entry/participation requirements.

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Our Honors Capstone students had a big work session this week. More than two months of research and writing has come down to this: sharing their extensive academic research paper with a volunteer scholar! Prep has amazing friends who gave their time to meet individually with one of our Honors students. In doing so, they received essential feedback about everything from structure and MLA documentation to quality of analysis.

Ms. Pasela and Ms. Fitch, the instructors of Capstone class, want to give special thanks to: Jon McGee, , Jeff Kirchoff, Dan Stark, Kathy Doom, Dixie Boschee, , , Vanessa VanLaanen, and Jack Scheck, who gave their time and talents to our group of Capstone students. These mentors are current or recently retired Prep teachers, or educators at the .

The Honors Capstone class is part of  Saint John’s Preparatory School’s exclusive program, Aspire2Excellence, which allows students to be the architect of their own experience and future. Prep students have opportunities to develop a personalized learning plan made up of core courses, merits, and distinctions. Their capstone papers and projects delve deep into an intellectual question and provide them with the flexibility and encouragement to discover who they are and what they love.

The Honors Capstone class is made up of seniors who are working towards earning the highest level of academic distinction at Saint John’s Prep. Students who graduate with Honors demonstrate exceptional academic and intellectual depth and achievement.  To earn this distinguished recognition, Honors graduates must complete an interdisciplinary faculty-advised Senior Capstone that is based on a combination of research/original creative work, writing, and presentation.  

Stay tuned for May 2024 when Prep has our first annual Aspire to Excellence Scholarship Day and the public will get a chance to hear about the research and findings from our amazing students! Save the date of May 17, 2024 for our Scholarship Day!

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The Saint John’s Prep Cross Country varsity team had an exciting meet at the Central Minnesota Central Minnesota Conference Meet at Kimball Golf Club on Tuesday, October 17. Both the Prep girls’ and the boys’ teams won the championship titles!

The boys’ team won the conference title with 38 points over Holdingford’s 43 points. The girls’ team won the meet with 34 points over Paynesville’s 71 points. This is the first time in Prep’s 166 year school history  that both the boys’ and girls’ teams have won both conference championships in the same year! This is the third year in a row the boys have won the conference championship as a team. This is the third year in a row that Olivia Pauly has won the individual conference title. This is the second year for Zach Meyer to earn the individual conference title and Nick Hansen’s third year for earning second place in the conference race.

Seniors Zach Meyer and Olivia Pauly earned first place with Senior Nick Hansen and Junior Louise Ruzanic earning second place. Junior Ben Suo and Freshmen Margaret Duffy and Sofia Pauly earned All-Conference Honors. Seniors Aaron Ruesink and Megan Mahowald, and Junior Sylvie Bechtold earned All- Conference Honorable Mention recognition. Way to go Johnnies!

The Johnnies are coached by Lance Nydeen, Stephen Woods ’09 and Kurt Salzl ’87.

for the junior varsity and middle school results from the race. Here are our athletes’ race details:

Varsity Boys

Varsity Girls

Boys’ Junior Varsity Earns Second Place

In the Junior Varsity boys’ race, Senior PoHuan Lu of Taipei City, Taiwan earned first place with a time of 19:13:20, Freshman Ryan Mahowald of Sartell earned fourth place with a time of 19:26.60, and Senior Patrick Duffy of Cold Spring earned eighth place with a time of 19:59:20. The boys’ Junior Varsity team earned second place behind Holdingford. to see the results from the Junior Varsity and middle school races.

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The speech below was offered by Student Council President Patrick Duffy ’24 on August 24, 2023 during the opening convocation of the 2023-24 school year.

“We offer acceptance, joy, and empathy in welcoming others. We actively strive for peace in our communities.”

“Let all guests who arrive be received like Christ.” Rule of Benedict 53

Welcome to the first day of the 2023, 24 school year! I am honored to speak to all of you, and help introduce you to your next year here at Prep. I would especially like to welcome all of the new students, faculty, and staff to the Prep community! All of us are excited to meet and talk with each one of you. I am also happy to see so many familiar faces. I can’t wait to see all of you again this school year. While the new year starts formally with our convocation ceremony, it is also marked by greetings, reunions, and memories made between new and returning members of our community. This is my favorite part of the new year.

This will be my 6th, and hopefully last, year here at Saint John’s Prep, but whether this is your 6th, 1st, or 33rd year at Prep, it will leave an impact on you that will last a lifetime. I can attest to loving every one of my years here, and I am certain each of you will as well. I understand the first day of the new year can bring a variety of emotions: anticipation, anxiety, or, hopefully, excitement. But no matter what you are feeling today, I encourage you to go forward with an open mind and a positive attitude.

Our paths before coming here were filled with an array of diverse experiences, cultures, and beliefs, but we have all arrived at the same destination. Today, we see a version of our Prep community that is different from last year and will be different from next year. We are lucky to be able to meet many people with whom we can learn, speak, and grow. At Prep, there are so many backgrounds, ideas, and ways of thinking, and you can learn something from everyone here. Be open to hearing a different perspective or alternate approach to a problem, or sharing your own unique ideas on a project or task.

I know that all of us have heard this many times, but don’t be afraid to try something new. I know this is easier said than done, but my favorite memories at Prep have been made through activities, events, classes, and friendships I never would have seen myself pursuing before I came here. Don’t be afraid to sign up for a new club at the club fair or talk to someone you think you don’t have much in common with. I also hope to see many, if not all of you, at school events, even if they aren’t run by student council. Whether it be attending the sixth grade Audubon trip, competing at middle school highhollowoctoberwenerennesancefest, cheering at a Prep sporting event, or having fun at upper school dances, there are many ways to build memories that you will carry long past your time at Prep.

Now, I will admit, as with every school year, there are challenges. Trust me, I know the
feeling of trying to complete an assignment in the few minutes before the 11:59 deadline, or
feeling overwhelmed with all the activities many Prep students love to do. But when I am going
through a challenge, I know I can always seek help from my friends, teachers, or anyone in the
Prep community. I can’t tell you how many assignments, projects, or situations I have made it
through thanks to the people here today. We work better together, and can overcome obstacles
that are far more challenging on our own.

And lastly, I want to highlight the Benedictine values that we live by. I know you have
heard these many times: justice, stewardship, and respect for persons to name a few, but I think it
speaks to their importance to our functioning here at Prep. Instead of going over every one, I
would like to touch on one to keep in mind in the beginning of our new school year: hospitality.
For hospitality, The Rule of Benedict states: “We offer acceptance, joy, and empathy in
welcoming others. We actively strive for peace in our communities.” Especially during the start
of our year, keep this in mind as we create our new Prep community.

As I’ve said before, talk to someone new, try something you thought you wouldn’t, and work together to overcome obstacles. Your time here at Prep is what you make of it, so I hope all of you work to build a
better community for yourself and others. Thank you, and welcome to the 2023, 24 school year!

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The National Business Officers Association has recognized Saint John’s Prep Executive Director of Finance and Facilities Sherry Krebsbach as a Will J. Hancock “Unsung Hero.” This award is given to business officers who have made extraordinary contributions to their schools and exemplify exceptional integrity, knowledge and motivation. 

During her 11 years at Saint John’s Preparatory School, Ms. Krebsbach has provided operational and emotional stability during transitions in the head of school and principal’s offices. Br. Richard Crawford, OSB nominated Ms. Krebsbach for the recognition. “In a time when people change careers frequently, the stability that Sherry has demonstrated is not only admirable for others in our school community but a hallmark of Benedictine education as passed on by our religious founders. She is the glue that holds us all together.”

Ms. Krebsbach is a creative and resourceful finance director who seeks grants and funding to support necessary safety projects for the school. Prep recently received two state and federal grants totaling $300,000 that will be used to bolster the safety and security of the school’s facilities. “She approached the entire grant application process with the heart of a learner, documenting each step and figuring out ways to share her hard-won knowledge with others in the independent school world, as well as other religious non-profit groups,” said Crawford.

Krebsbach collaborated with staff, donors and contractors to successfully complete a $5.5 million renovation of a campus dormitory. The renovation project was completed in February of 2020. It now provides students a secure and modern home. The project also addressed millions of dollars in deferred maintenance.

Ms. Krebsbach has been a part of the Saint John’s Prep community for more than 11 years. She is the parent of Prep Johnnies Tate ’15 and Natalie ’25.

You can learn more about Ms. Krebsbach and the award by following this link.

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