Centennial Campaign

The Innovation Center is a symbol of what is to come and a marker of Cathedral’s academic preeminence in Indianapolis. This premier facility will push Cathedral to the forefront of education with a space that not only promotes interdisciplinary learning and exploration, but also enhances our academic approach to science and captivates our students.

As technology continues to drive our world, students need the best educational options in the fields of engineering, computer programming, robotics, science, and design. We will have a science center and makerspace that provides the flexibility for instruction and lab experience that parallels the space and thinking of Eli Lilly, Roche, Google, and Apple.

Our students only have one chance at a high school experience that will prepare them to thrive. With the Innovation Center, Cathedral is uniquely positioning herself to educate students in transformational ways unlike any school in the area.

Goal: $9,000,000 – FULLY FUNDED

Perpetuating the Mission

We currently have a student population that encompasses a diverse socio-economic spectrum with nearly 40% of the student body representing families who have shown a financial need during the application process and receive tuition assistance. However, the school is able to fund less than 50% of the combined financial needs of those families that have qualified for tuition assistance.

We know that a Catholic education has long been the most effective tool for ensuring all students, no matter their background, have the best possible chance at living a productive life. Accordingly, we are expanding our commitment to provide aid, undergirding support for our mission. Through the Centennial Campaign, $1 million will prefund tuition assistance putting aid funds in place before assistance is awarded and $1 million will support the endowment, assuring aid will be available for any deserving student for generations to come. We believe this is a reflection of our greatest strengths and will perpetuate our foundational values into the next 100 years.

Professional Excellence

Cathedral seeks to recruit, retain and reward exceptional educators, who continually reflect on their practice and effectiveness guided by the Holy Cross philosophy of education. In order to retain and attract extraordinary educators, we must reward teachers with a compensation package that reflects their professional market value and is competitive with neighboring schools.

If we believe that students are our greatest priority, then we must provide them with the best educators. We also must encourage these educators to continuously pursue professional growth permeating Cathedral’s Holy Cross values of excellence, integrity, divine providence, educating hearts and minds, family, inclusivity, option for the poor, hope and zeal.

If Cathedral High School ever needed a tangible reminder of divine providence working in our midst, Brunette Park would be it. In the summer of 2016, Cathedral discovered that the Midwest Regional Little League property at 44th and Mitthoeffer was coming up for sale. Suddenly, a 35-acre oasis in our area was available and within reach. The space available in this location has the potential to house soccer, baseball, softball, football, track, lacrosse, cross country, tennis, and more, but initial plans will focus on baseball, softball, cross country, lacrosse, and soccer. Cathedral staff knew this was God’s plan for our campus to expand and we leapt at the chance to make it happen. Now, we do not just have space for games, but we have an athletic home.

Through this serendipitous expansion, Cathedral now has a home and an opportunity to reach a new community with Holy Cross values.

Marshall Dixon, Emeritus Professor of Physics & Astronomy at Butler University, has given a $2 million gift to Cathedral High School in honor of its upcoming 100th birthday.

An electrical engineer, physicist, and mathematician, Dixon began teaching at Butler in 1957, putting in a 53-year career. While physics is his specialty, he also taught a myriad of other math classes, and even constitutional law and the history of law. 

While Dixon is not a Cathedral alumnus, he recognizes the school is creating graduates who will profoundly impact the communities in which they live.

“Cathedral students are amazing,” says Dixon. “I doubt there are many students in Indianapolis who can do this level of work, but more than 120 Cathedral students are able to handle this level of work.” Dixon also speaks highly of Hibshman. “Cathedral students are lucky to have Adam as a teacher. He has a phenomenal mind.”

Several hundred students at Cathedral helped to develop the related course, and the textbook will be utilized for courses at the school for years to come.

For 100 years, Cathedral has passed on the values and philosophy of educating the whole child, heart, mind, and spirit in a remarkable atmosphere of inclusion and diversity.

Now, on the cusp of the school’s centennial anniversary, Cathedral has set her sights on what it means to be a great school in the 21st century. Over the next ten years, Cathedral plans to invest in multiple capital projects, including construction of an Innovation Center, a new, one-of-a-kind premier facility that will expand the school’s commitment to STEM education. Currently in the early planning phase, the Innovation Center will include best-in-class science, engineering, robotics, design, and programming facilities that will set Cathedral apart from any other school in the city. Additionally, it will serve as the hub of the school and be intentionally designed to promote interdisciplinary scholarship and lifelong connections.

Dixon’s $2 million gift is one of the largest single donations ever made to Cathedral High School. “We are grateful and humbled by Professor Dixon’s generosity in making this gift, and appreciative of his vision of Cathedral as the premiere high school for educating Indianapolis’ future scientists and engineers,” said Rob Bridges, president of Cathedral High School. “As an engineer, physicist, and mathematician himself, Marshall understands the critical importance of generation learning practices focused on problem solving and real-world application infused with technology. We are thrilled to have his support in building this state-of-the-art facility.”

Long-time supporters of Cathedral High School, Gregg and Lori Gallant have once again provided the Cathedral family with a tremendous boost of leadership and encouragement through an extraordinary witness of sacrificial giving to our Centennial Campaign. In addition to giving one of the largest Centennial Campaign gifts to date, Cathedral is honored to have Gregg and Lori help chart our path to success as our Campaign Co-Chairs. As Co-Chairs, Gregg and Lori not only serve as the chief advocates and spokespersons for our campaign, but more importantly, they motivate us through their personal dedication, commitment, and quiet leadership.

This is not the first time the Gallants have been generous philanthropic partners. Gregg is a current member of our Board of Directors, and both Gregg and Lori frequently attend events and have been especially generous through their advice, counsel, and participation. Every aspect of our school has benefitted from their past support, including their generous gifts to our annual auction, annual fund, and last campaign.

Finally, we are proud that Gregg and Lori’s three children all have had fantastic careers at Cathedral High School. Victoria is a junior at Cathedral and Griffin and Alex are recent Cathedral graduates. Alex currently attends the University of Arizona and Griffin attends Notre Dame.

Abbi and Andrew attended school in a very large school district. Ted’s mother sent him and his siblings to catholic schools because she knew the importance of having spiritual growth and faith in the classroom. It was after her passing and the growing concerns we had with their current school size that made us realize that we needed to find a school that aligned with our beliefs and would be a better fit for our family. We were impressed with the student population and the alumni support of the school. We knew that since the student body was that engaged and the alumni were still heavily involved, it must be a special place. It takes a village to raise children and knew we had a partner that would instill our beliefs while they were on campus.

Our favorite Cathedral memory…

Abbi was not happy about changing schools and it was a very quiet car ride on the first day of school. When we turned onto the Cathedral campus, we were met with a hill full of toilet papered trees and the senior class lining the street cheering on the incoming students. Abbi’s eyes brightened and a huge smile appeared on her face.  She was hooked at that very moment.

We support Cathedral’s mission and vision for the future because…

Our experience at Cathedral has been unparalleled and we want to help ensure other families have the opportunity to be a part of such an amazing school and wonderful community.

We see Cathedral as a longstanding family tradition. Joanie, Jack, and Eddie first began attending Cathedral events when they were babies – so the campus felt like home by the time they enrolled. Today, we attend all the events we can, always supporting the Irish! Our allegiance for Cathedral extends beyond our time on campus. At a recent Baptism, in South Bend, we spontaneously started singing the Irish blessing and the school song. Non-Cathedral guests were shocked at the loyalty and love we have for our school.

What it means to be alumni…

Cathedral Alumni are in every city and community around the world. Everywhere we go, someone knows a current Cathedral student or graduate. We’ve been stopped at the grocery store by a family hoping to be in the class of 2021 and meet alumni at the airport who want to talk about their days on the hill. Cathedral alumni are proud and want to carry on the Irish traditions. Jack has returned to lead the senior retreat. He also helps coach golf. Eddie learned valuable lessons of teamwork and leadership while in the Student Council that he uses every day. We know firsthand the students who have walked the halls at Cathedral go out into the world and make it a better place!

Cathedral’s 100^th anniversary matters to us because…

Cathedral has been our second family. She has helped shaped us into who we are today. Cathedral has opened the doors to many unbelievable opportunities, like when Joanie traveled to Africa for a mission trip. Being able to call ourselves alumni of Cathedral High School is special. We are glad to be able to celebrate the wonderful success she has had the last 100 years. Today, Cathedral stands tall in her values, academics and excellence and will be educating the finest young men and women for at least the next 100 years!