WE MADE WAY THANKS TO YOU!
Together, we set out to do something bold. And our community said: YES. They answered with a level of generosity that changed what Branksome could dare to do. Every single gift mattered. The most successful campaign in Branksome history is complete. It also stands as one of the most successful campaigns ever for a Canadian independent school, while also smashing the ceiling on philanthropy for girls' education.
$46.1 Million Grand Total
$30 Million Campaign Goal
2,200+ Total Donors
7,600 Gifts to Make Way
12 Gifts of $1 million+, including historic $5-million gifts
300% Increase from previous campaign
BREAKDOWN BY PRIORITY
$37.5 Million iCAST
$4.4 Million Financial Assistance
$4.2 Million Opportunity Fund
Branksome Hall: Leading the way in girls' education
Thanks to the power of community, we continue to set a new standard for excellence in girls’ education. It’s time to celebrate what we have built together: the Karen L. Jurjevich Innovation Centre and Studio Theatre.
Explore the ways you can make a difference.
CAMPAIGN NEWS
iCAST Equipment Fund: The New 'Epitome of the Branksome Girl'
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When Darcy BETT MacLeod’84 shifted careers into home inspection in her 50s, she entered a completely male-dominated field. “Men used to hang up on me,” she recalls. “They thought Darcy would be a man.”
iCAST: A Naming Opportunity to Honour 'Bright Minds and Brave Hearts'
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For Nancy and Xiaojun Zou, supporting iCAST by naming the “Hall of Fame” is both deeply personal and profoundly hopeful. The entrance to the Studio Theatre, which tells the story of student accomplishment through archival playbills and photos, will now bear the Zou family name.
Donor Support: The Opportunity Fund
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For Wenzel and Lisa Hoberg, supporting Branksome’s Opportunity Fund is about investing in possibility. At Branksome heir daughter Camilla found her people—and the confidence to grow into a curious young woman.
Stepping Stones: Learning Legacy Rooted in Community
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For Jennifer and Andrew Montgomery, the decision to name a Stepping Stone in iCAST began with a quiet moment at home—listening to a voice recording their daughter Ellie had made earlier that day in Junior Kindergarten.
Donor Support: Future Tech Giants
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Learn about the students who will use iCAST as a place to explore ideas fearlessly.
Stepping Stones: Ensuring Girls Can Lead in STEM and Entrepreneurship
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Dan and Laura have always been drawn to how things work. Now, they get to explore that curiosity with our daughters. Thats why they are supporting Stepping Stones.
WHY iCAST?
Because we need to close the gender gap to create opportunities! Combining STEM and the Arts for new solutions is the language of success in tomorrow’s entrepreneurial-driven workplaces.
In this 34,458 square-foot facility, students will prepare for the future in unprecedented ways:
- As technology becomes even more pervasive in everyday life, it’s critical for our girls to be immersed in an environment where it can become second-nature.
- iCAST offers opportunities for cross-grade and cross-disciplinary collaboration supported by real-life mentors and experts in their fields, mirroring the new structure of universities and top-tier workplaces.
- We have outgrown our available space and need to scale up so that tomorrow’s entrepreneurs, artists and innovators can get a running start.
How icast will prepare your Daughter for the Future
University Differentiator
Post-secondary admissions officers worldwide are taking notice of iCAST and the next-gen skills it teaches. Ours are the students they want!
Gender Divide
Making up fewer than 25% of people employed in STEM careers, women are traditionally outnumbered and overlooked in STEM and entrepreneurship. We know iCAST will be the difference maker.
STEM Skill Supply
Canada’s economy needs innovators. Arming our students, and those across the GTA, with a special mix of Arts + STEM = an Innovator’s Mindset valued by all top employers.
Pace of Change
Technologically fluent, creative problem-solvers will flourish in an ever-changing world, benefitting from iCAST’s inter-disciplinary integration of subject-specific learning.
a look inside icast
Studio Theatre
With movable seats and a 2,550-square-foot tension grid, students can produce professional-quality theatrical lighting designs.
Pitch Space
Guest experts, entrepreneurs-in-residence working with our Noodle business accelerator and members of our championship-winning Debate Team can hone pitches and presentations.
Wood Shop
In our fabrication spaces, students can create and manufacture prototypes or theatre sets and props.
Robotics Lab
Students will build, code and prepare robots for competition, honing their STEM acumen for tomorrow’s top programs and careers.
STEAM Studio
Students will explore real-world applications of artificial intelligence and augmented reality, then integrate them with arts programming.
Noodle HQ
The new home of our Noodle business accelerator will allow us to expand the program, welcome external experts and offer a permanent sales outlet.
IDEAS COME TO LIFE
Inspiring community and sparking interdisciplinary learning, Branksome Hall's Karen L. Jurjevich Innovation Centre and Studio Theatre embodies our commitment to arts and innovation, uniting scholars, experts and our community under one roof.
Expert in Residence: Launchpad for Leadership
The Expert-in-Residence Program connects Branksome students with industry-recognized leaders across STEM, the arts, and leadership. Based within iCAST, the program brings real-world challenges directly into the classroom, inviting top professionals to work alongside students and teachers as collaborators and mentors.
These are leaders at the forefront of their fields—professionals who come to know our students personally and gain a deep appreciation for their talent, curiosity and potential. Through this sustained exposure, students become known to decision-makers in industry, providing a meaningful advantage as they pursue future opportunities such as internships, and early career pathways.
Through hands-on projects, students apply theory in authentic contexts, build practical skills and develop resilience as they tackle complex, real-world problems. By expanding access to female role models and meaningful industry exposure, the program helps prepare students not just for what comes next, but for leadership in the future of work.
Hear from our Experts
Technology touches everything, so we need to prepare the next generation to work in that environment… iCAST is the breeding ground for just that.
Eva Lau (Naomi’20; Peony’22) Founding Partner, Two Small Fish Ventures
iCAST will be critical to the future of your daughter and to the future of Canada. Fluency in STEM skills will be a prerequisite for virtually every quality career. We must encourage young women at the earliest stage of their education.
John Ruffalo (Rome, Grade 10) Founder & Managing Partner, Maverix Private Equity
We grew up in a different world and iCAST ties it all together to prepare girls to excel in a tech-oriented world and go after it in an ambitious and unapologetic way.
Shelby AUSTIN Cooper'99 (Simone, Grade 6) CEO, Arteria AI
your Opportunity
Parents, alums and friends have come together to support one of the most ambitious campaigns in Canadian girls’ school history. Together, we’re shaping a bold, transformative future. More than 2,000 community members are directly and profoundly impacting the lives and learning of every Branksome student. Though the campaign is now officially closed, you can still be part of this transformational project. Every gift matters, big or small.
Donate Now
WAYS TO GIVE
Stepping Stones
Make an impact and leave a legacy with this one-in-a-decade opportunity. Name a Stepping Stone on this beautiful lobby-level donor wall in iCAST.
Buy A StoneNaming Opportunities
Depending on the size of your gift, you can name a space in iCAST, including hands-on learning environments, gateways and common spaces.
LEARN MOREPledge Over Time
Donors have the discretion to structure their pledge to best suit their financial circumstances, making a transformational gift more financially feasible.
Learn More
Make WAy campaign Cabinet
Meet the individuals helping us challenge the status quo by bringing this first-of-its-kind space to life.
Donald Guloien Board Vice Chair / Honorary Chair, make Way Cabinet
Tyler & Claire MacNamara Campaign Chairs
Eva Lau
Clara Angotti MATHUR
Tricia “C.K.” PURKS Hoffler’80 Board Member
Michael & Julie Bratty
Mona Malone Board Member
Cristie Love Thomas & Jeff Thomas
Jackie NIXON Gowdy'03 Trustee
Monique MORAN'94
Jamie Scarlett & Vanessa YEUNG
Heather Simmons
Tristan & Tara Armstrong
innovation Council
Our Innovation Council members are at the top of their field in innovation, tech and entrepreneurial spaces. We thank them for their strategic leadership, connections with real-world mentors and experts and contributions to our programmatic vision.
Clara Angotti MATHUR Co-founder & President, Board Member, Next Pathway Inc.
Shelby AUSTIN Cooper'99 CEO, Arteria AI
Chad Bayne Partner, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP
Andrea Bielecki Former CEO and President, INVIVO Communications Inc.
David Boriss Managing Partner, NxtRnd; Partner, Fort Capital
Chanda Carr Chief Client Officer, Osler
Joe Cashion Managing Partner, Prism Global Management
Mark Cohon Chair, Toronto Global; Chair and Partner, Georgian Bay Spirit co.
Martin Kon President & COO, Cohere
Shannon LEWIS'96 President, Canadian Media Directors' Council
Deena PANTALONE'95 Managing Partner, Vertical Builders Inc.
John Ruffolo Founder & Managing Partner, Maverix Private Equity
Jason Steel President, Steel Family Holdings
Other ways to Make an Impact
Financial Assistance
Amplify our commitment to open our doors to diverse and promising students, regardless of their financial situation, enriching the learning environment for all with a range of perspectives and talents.
Opportunity Fund
Enrich our learning environment and set our students apart. This fund enables nimble response to opportunities identified by faculty and staff for the benefit of our students, including curricular and co-curricular enhancements.
Faqs
Answers to your most frequently asked questions about iCAST.
The Campaign began in July 2019 and was publicly launched on September 22, 2023.
Stay tuned for the total at our grand opening on September 18.
Parents, alums and friends have come together to support one of the most ambitious campaigns in Canadian girls’ school history. Together, we’re shaping a bold, transformative future. More than 2,000 community members are directly and profoundly impacting the lives and learning of every Branksome student. Though the campaign is now officially closed, you can still be part of this transformational project. Every gift matters, big or small.
Tuition does not cover the cost of capital expenses. For iCAST, just as for the Athletics and Wellness Centre, we rely on our community’s philanthropic support to make these types of transformational projects a reality. Simply put, without donations, we would not enjoy the cutting-edge facilities that transform our students’ daily experience, impact curricular and co-curricular programming, and benefit the wider community.
Every gift positively impacts the student experience, and when combined, these contributions play a significant role in advancing the Make Way Campaign for Branksome.
Yes, by making your gift to iCAST, Financial Assistance or another area of need at Branksome, you will be supporting Make Way.
Yes! There is tremendous flexibility in establishing a gift over time (or what we call a pledge). Donors have the option to pledge their gift over a span of two to five years. You may also customize the timing and installment amounts according to your specific needs.
Yes. Tax receipts will be issued for all eligible donations. When you make a gift online, you will receive your tax receipt automatically by email right after your donation is made. Branksome makes it easy for donors to contribute in convenient and tax-efficient manners, including options like flow-through shares, donations of stocks and securities and through their workplace giving programs.
Yes! We have a number of naming opportunities available at various giving levels. Naming opportunities are a meaningful way to leave a legacy at Branksome Hall for your family and daughter.
One way to leave your legacy is on a unique donor recognition wall, a central architectural feature in the new Karen L. Jurjevich Innovation Centre and Studio Theatre (iCAST). The Stepping Stones Donor Wall is a rare opportunity to make your mark while maximizing your support of girls’ education. Reserve your Stepping Stone here.
The project is a partnership between New York-based ENNEAD and Toronto-based MJMA (architect of the AWC). ENNEAD has experience redefining learning spaces, from Kindergarten to graduate school, establishing spaces that inspire student development, promote collaboration and strengthen connections within the classroom and to the broader community.
Learn how You Can Help Make WAY
Join us to prepare our students for the workplaces of tomorrow so they can lead the way, their way.
