A $1 million donation from the Marist Education Trust has provided St Patrick’s College, Wellington with a timely boost for its ambitious $6.5 million endowment fund and property upgrade.This cornerstone donation was presented at the launch of the St Patrick’s College Wellington Foundation last week. St Patrick’s College is New Zealand’s oldest Catholic boys’ college and celebrates its 125th Jubilee next year.
College Rector Fr Paul Martin said a number of capital development projects have been earmarked to upgrade the facilities at Evans Bay over the next 5 years. “The generous $1 million donation will provide the cornerstone to kick start a number of the projects, some of which will benefit the current generation of students while others are focused on the future,” he said.
“We work hard to provide high quality Catholic education and as such we do need a long term, sustainable plan – and we have one”.
“Education is a key part of the New Zealand economy and one that continues to change and evolve. We need to ensure that we are best placed to meet future growth and diversity of population to cover all those changing needs,” said Fr Martin.
“We want to position the college for another 125 years of Marist Education and its proud history. We know parents send their sons to our college because they are seeking something inherently different on the education front and it is our job to ensure that the young men that do pass through our doors reach their full potential.”
St Patrick’s College is renown for its results whether it be academically, in drama and music or on the sporting field and for the way in which the students conduct themselves in every day life.”
Fr Martin said that future educational and property projects would be underpinned by the launch of the St Patrick’s College Foundation which is the vehicle to reconnect thousands of old boys with the current college and its proud traditions.
“That sense of belonging, of being a Patrician, has been a constant throughout the past 124 years and will be magnified during the 125th Jubilee celebrations being held next Queen’s Birthday weekend” commented Fr Martin.