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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This semester we opened the Manka Fitness Center! The fitness center is located in the Saint Michael Hall gym. 

The project was made possible by Joram Manka ’97 and Maria Surma Manka, Joram’s sister Kayla Manka, Maria’s parents Jack and Mary Nona Surma, and support from several other Prep alumni.

While Joram and Maria’s financial commitment helped initiate this project, it was Joram’s active leadership in creating a vision that brought the project together, resulting in a remarkable space for our students, faculty, and staff. 

Students have enjoyed using the new weight room during supervised sessions during their lunch hours and after school. During Interim Week one group focused on fitness and used the time to learned how to use the machines and equipment.

The Manka Fitness Center will provide a tremendous opportunity for our entire Prep School community to improve their overall fitness. We are grateful for the Manka family’s leadership and support!

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Mental health and wellness are key to our students’ overall health and wellbeing. Good mental health is as important as good physical health. Diagnoses of neurodiversity, anxiety, and depression together represent the most diagnosed mental health conditions among school-age children nationally. Those diagnoses become even more prevalent during the teen years. We experience all these conditions at Saint John’s Prep. Similar to national findings, both the number and severity of mental health conditions among Prep students has risen in recent years, calling out the need for us to prioritize mental health and wellness awareness and support programs.

The Wenner family is seen above: Joe Wenner ’63, Chris Wenner ’90, Rachel Wenner Ruzanic ’95, Michelle Wenner Chestovich ’92, †Gretchen Wenner Butler ’03, and Mary Legatt Wenner.

The Gretchen Wenner Butler Student Wellness Fund, created by the Joe and Mary Wenner family (Joe ’63, Chris ’90, Michelle ’92, and Rachel ’95) and named in honor of their daughter, 2003 Prep graduate †Gretchen Wenner, will sustain and expand mental health and wellness programs at Saint John’s Prep and support mental health awareness and education. This fund will allow Prep to better support the mental health needs of Prep students and underscores our commitment to providing a holistic and supportive learning experience at Saint John’s Prep.

Student Wellness Fund Objectives

The Student Wellness Endowment Fund will:

Sustain and expand the school’s mental health programs and activities to ensure they remain accessible, comprehensive, and tailored to the diverse needs of our student body.

Support mental health awareness and education by promoting mental health literacy and fostering a culture of open dialogue around mental health.

Support wellness activities, sustaining programming that provides students, faculty, and staff with opportunities to find balance and overall wellness in their lives.

We know that mental health challenges have and continue to deeply impact many in the Prep School community. As we approach the anniversary of Gretchen’s passing (March 5, 2021), we invite you to contribute to the Gretchen Wenner Butler Student Wellness Fund in support of this important work. More than simply honoring Gretchen’s memory, your support will leave a legacy of care and support for students for years and generations to come. Together, we can make an enormous difference in the lives of current and future Prep students. 

If you would like to make a gift today or in the future, please reference the Gretchen Wenner Butler Student Wellness Fund whether you make a gift online,  with a personal check, through a donor advised fund, executing a stock transfer, or requesting a distribution from an IRA. Gifts can be mailed to Saint John’s Prep, Box 4000, 2280 Watertower Rd, Collegeville, MN 56321. 

If you have questions or would like to learn more, please contact a member of our Advancement Department at 320-363-3315.

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