January 9, 2023
(MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA) – Saint Francis High School received a generous gift in support of the Light the Way fundraising campaign from Barry and Meredith Eggers. The comprehensive campaign provides tuition assistance, enhanced educator support and building improvements that provide new spaces to foster learning and encourage community interaction.
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Saint Francis will name the newest building on its 25-acre campus the Eggers Innovation Center, which is scheduled to open on January 10, 2023. With 29 new classrooms, science labs, robotics space, theater and multiple collaboration spaces, the Eggers Innovation Center enables possibilities and creativity not yet imagined. The planning behind the Innovation Center has been years in the making. An early investment in Snapchat, also led by Barry Eggers, was a landmark event that allowed an increase in tuition assistance, educator support, and became the foundation of the Light the Way campaign. As longtime supporters of Saint Francis High School, Barry and Meredith Eggers are dedicated to making a lasting impact through their philanthropy and engagement with the school community and see their gift as an opportunity for others to get engaged. |
“After the Snapchat investment, it was clear that the leadership of Saint Francis was willing to do something truly innovative to take Catholic high school education where it has never gone before. For this reason, it was an easy decision for Meredith and me to make our gift to the Light the Way campaign,” Eggers said.
“Saint Francis is poised to be a beacon among high schools, and we continue to be committed to its success. We hope this gift will spur others to get involved in the Light the Way campaign. Just as the Innovation Center was designed to be a place where collaboration among students, educators and partners thrive, we encourage members of the community to support the campaign and be part of this exciting journey.”
Barry & Meredith Eggers
As phase one of the capital project, the Eggers Innovation Center will celebrate its opening with a series of events for educators, students, donors, parents and the entire community.
Eggers Innovation Center Opening Events:
| January 9: Educator Welcome |
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An opportunity for every Saint Francis educator to reflect on the Holy Cross legacy, to discover ways to integrate all educational disciplines and to think creatively about how education spaces on campus are used to develop an exciting vision for the future of Holy Cross education. |
| January 10: Student Welcome |
| As part of the Saint Francis legacy, students will get a sense of how many people have helped contribute to make the Eggers Innovation Center possible so they can collaborate, create, lead and serve their community. |
| January 20 Morning: Blessing of the Eggers Innovation Center |
| A celebration of the Brothers of Holy Cross and their leadership of Saint Francis, the blessing will honor all those who have made the Eggers Innovation Center possible and support relationships within the local community. |
| January 20 Evening: Donor reception |
| This evening celebration will recognize benefactors who have provided leadership to the Light the Way campaign and celebrate the official launch of the next phase of the campaign, including a sneak peek at exciting design elements of the Welcome Center. |
| February 11: Family day |
| Lancer families will show their support of Saint Francis and the entire community as they experience the Eggers Innovation Center, engage in creative and collaborative experiences and explore opportunities for future partnerships. |
Saint Francis President Jason Curtis commented that “our school community is deeply grateful for the visionary leadership and remarkable commitment to an exciting future for Holy Cross education that is such an important part of the Eggers Innovation Center. This incredible new building, along with the support provided to students and educators at Saint Francis, reflects the dedicated efforts of so many to invest in the formation of many generations of Lancers.”
Opening the doors of the Eggers Innovation Center is a milestone of the Light the Way campaign and a kick-off of what’s still to come. Construction on the next phase, the Welcome Center, will start immediately after the Eggers Innovation Center opens. With a mezzanine space for gatherings, performances and events, educator workspaces and an expansive dining commons and state-of-the-art kitchen facilities, the Welcome Center will strengthen community and collaboration.
Supported by the Brothers of Holy Cross, who have agreed to commit a significant leadership gift to the Light the Way comprehensive campaign, new dining space within the Welcome Center will be named the Brothers of Holy Cross Educators Dining Commons. This marks the first time the Brothers of Holy Cross, who are the sponsors of Saint Francis High School, have made such an amazing commitment to a campaign at a Holy Cross school, and it’s a testament to their unified belief that Saint Francis is indeed lighting the way for other schools nationwide.
About the Donors
As a founding partner of Lightspeed Venture Partners, a former Chair of the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA) Board of Directors, and a Saint Francis parent, Barry Eggers is a generous supporter of Saint Francis High School. Fully invested in the success and vision of Saint Francis, Barry is the Board Chair of the Saint Francis Growth Fund, an investment fund created to support the school’s long-term vision by investing in Silicon Valley start-ups. He sponsored the Growth Fund’s 2012 $15,000 investment in Snap Inc. that produced a $34 million return for the school. The Snap proceeds have been used to benefit Saint Francis families through additional tuition assistance, students through new facilities like the Innovation Center, and employees through annual compensation bonuses. In addition to leading the Growth Fund, Barry serves as chair of the advisory committee for the Saint Francis EDGE Fund, an endowment fund created to provide those bonuses.
Meredith Eggers worked in human health for many years, primarily in the cardiac transplant space, and held leadership roles at cardiovascular device companies and genomic start-ups. After leaving the healthcare industry, Meredith focused her efforts on philanthropic endeavors. She has served on the board of Meals on Wheels of San Francisco and spearheaded a project called Re-Source, dedicated to helping over 200 families impacted by the 2017 North Bay fires. Currently, Meredith serves as vice-chair of the Ron Brown Scholarship Board of Directors, providing a selective scholarship program that advances higher education for community-minded and intellectually gifted African American high school graduates. She also works closely with WildAid, an international organization focused on wildlife conservation, climate initiatives and demand reduction of wildlife products, where she is a board member.
Together, Barry and Meredith support programs that provide mentoring and access to education for all families and are dedicated to the success of Saint Francis students and educators through their leadership and generosity.
About Saint Francis High School
Founded in 1955 by the Brothers of Holy Cross, Saint Francis High School is a leading co-educational, diverse, Catholic, college preparatory school focused on educating the whole person. With a proven reputation for excellence in academics, athletics and the arts, the 118-member teaching staff prepare approximately 1,760 Saint Francis students for the rigors of college and the challenges of global citizenship in the enduring Holy Cross tradition. Saint Francis offers 162 courses in a traditional college preparatory curriculum spread across ten academic departments. Saint Francis is fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and is a member of the National Catholic Education Association, the College Board and the National Association of College Admissions Counselors. Located in Mountain View, California, Saint Francis High School is in the heart of Silicon Valley. For more information, visit www.sfhs.com.
About Light the Way
Light the Way: Advancing Saint Francis High School is the comprehensive fundraising campaign. Launched in the fall of 2021, this multi-year, $100 million campaign will ensure Saint Francis students and educators have the tools and resources they need to make a transformative impact. Funds raised will go towards modern facilities for learning, educational excellence and tuition assistance endowment. For more information visit www.sfhs.com/light.
Media Contact
Jamie Ceccato Perkins ‘97
Director of Strategic Marketing & Communications
P: 650-968-1213 | Ext. 318