2019 ANNUAL REPORT

Annual Fund

Paulette Katzenbach fell in love with the Curry School as the mother of two Curry School graduates in the 1990s her oldest earned a master's degree in counselor education, and her middle daughter earned a dual degree in teacher education. A first-generation college graduate herself, Paulette has always been passionate about the importance of a good education. She was so impressed by the Curry School's programs that although she lives on the West Coast she became a dedicated supporter and advocate. Her ongoing engagement led her to the Curry School Foundation board of directors in 2001, and in April of this year she completed a second term as board chair.

For 25 years long since her daughters finished at Curry Annual Fund giving has been a priority for Paulette. Composed of unrestricted gifts of all sizes, the Annual Fund provides core support for the Curry School and the operations of the Foundation, as well. It helps keep the School competitive, she says, and it acts as a foundational resource that catalyzes major investments in the School. Paulette is not alone in her conviction; 100% of the directors on the Foundation board supported the Annual Fund in fiscal year 2019. Altogether, nearly 2,200 Annual Fund donors provided more than $600,000 in unrestricted support, which marks our fifth consecutive year of growth in contributions.

Some of those gifts came from Paulette's connections in California, whom she has introduced to the Curry School. Education is the great umbrella under which we all stand, she says. People who have no other affiliation with UVA can clearly see the importance of Curry's innovative work in education and human services, and they want to support it.

Some of those gifts came from Paulette's connections in California, whom she has introduced to the Curry School.

Education is the great umbrella under which we all stand, she says.

People who have no other affiliation with UVA can clearly see the importance of Curry's innovative work in education and human services, and they want to support it. - Paulette Katzenbach

Our treasured alumni, of course, have always formed an invaluable base of Annual Fund support. Lara Major (M.Ed. 95), for example, is a reading education graduate who in 2016 made a five-year $100,000 pledge to the Annual Fund. Her family's multi-year commitment has provided the School with an ongoing resource dedicated to the School's growth.

Similar to Paulette, Lara believes that giving to the Curry School has a ripple effect on everyone and directly aligns with her family's values. All of us have a responsibility to give back to ensure that Curry can do all its great work and stay on the cutting edge of educational research and practitioner development, she says.