On March 23, 2026, The Catholic University of America community celebrated its benefactors and friends. At GRATUS, which means gratitude in Latin, more than 300 guests gathered at the Edward J. Pryzbyla University Center to mark a transformative year of giving.
In a bustling room, Catholic University leadership highlighted impressive gifts and grants provided by top donors, recognizing the generosity that underpins endowed chairs, research, and scholarships. University President Peter Kilpatrick also thanked Catholic University Trustees and longtime donors, including Rob and Berni Neal who provided a $10 million lead gift, for supporting the Bridge Fund — a $34 million initiative established in 2025 to accelerate growth, strengthen financial sustainability, and advance the University’s mission.
There was much good news to share.
“Thanks to our donors, this year we have already broken our all-time fundraising record with over $83 million raised to date,” said President Kilpatrick. “Our success is the result of leadership, faith, and the extraordinary generosity of the Catholic University community.”
During the evening, University leadership spoke about the important contributions made by bishops and religious, both monetarily and in-service, as well as efforts to strengthen those ties.
“The number and depth of our ecclesial relationships has never been stronger,” said Rob Neal, Chairman of the Board of Trustees at Catholic University.
Strengthening the University Through Endowed Chairs
Cardinal Seán O’Malley, a former student, faculty member, and former Chairman of the Board of Trustees at Catholic University, was honored at GRATUS. Led by a generous gift from Patricia Flatley and the Flatley Family Foundation of Boston, donors united to fund the Cardinal Seán Patrick O’Malley Endowed Chair for the Study of Hispanic Catholics in America.
“The young population is Hispanic and it’s Catholic–and that’s also reflected in the Church. As part of our mission to serve the church and the nation, this chair aligns exactly with that core mission,” Executive Vice President and Provost Aaron Dominguez said.
Endowed chairs, which require at least $3 million in funding, help recruit distinguished faculty and students and advance academic scholarship.
Dominguez recognized Leonard Leo and the Marble Freedom Trust for their support of the Saint Pope John Paul II Endowed Chair in Law. Additionally, he highlighted the new Traviesa Endowed Chair of Finance in the Busch School of Business, which was established by Trey and Nina Traviesa, Leonard Leo and the Marble Freedom Trust, and Busch School Board of Visitors Member Chris Lagan and his wife Becky Lagan.
Honoring Support for Innovative Research and Scholarships
Catholic University’s status as a research university continues to grow. In their remarks, Joe Yost, senior vice provost for research and chief research officer, and Eileen Dombo, assistant dean and chair of the Ph.D. program at the National Catholic School of Social Service, celebrated grants and research by faculty since 2023.
They highlighted a $7.1 million grant from the Lilly Endowment to develop the practical leadership skills of priests and seminarians, $6.4 million from the John Templeton Foundation for grants to faculty projects "Can Beauty Save the World?" and "Solving the Three-City Problem", and a $1 million National Science Foundation grant in scholarships for local community college students to complete an engineering degree at Catholic University.
An Upward Trajectory Fueled by Giving
In his closing speech, President Kilpatrick presented on the importance of student scholarships and outlined a vision for the future of the University. “It is vital that we make an education at The Catholic University of America financially accessible to all,” he shared.
An historic $32 million gift for nursing scholarships from Bill Conway’s Bedford Falls Foundation was the lead gift for the record-breaking fundraising year in 2025.
President Kilpatrick lauded recent University achievements, which were supported by giving. His account of ranking increases–such as The Conway School of Nursing placing No. 28 among 689 nursing schools in the nation and the Busch School of Business ranking No. 53 among the more than 550 AACSB-accredited business schools in the United States–were met with cheers in the room. Substantial increases in nursing and law students, as well as a coveted AACSB-accreditation for the Busch School of Business that places it among the top 6% of business schools nationwide, rounded out the list.
Looking ahead, the University will continue to build on its recent R1 research designation, invest in academic excellence, and increase the global influence of the institution.
“Our achievements in recent years are borne of your generosity and a passionate and dedicated University community,” President Kilpatrick said to the audience. “For your giving, your partnership, and your belief in this University, I offer my deepest thanks and our collective gratitude.”
At the end of the evening, guests filed out into the night, abuzz with laughter and conversation – as well as a shared commitment to the institution and its mission.
Published on: Friday, March 27, 2026 by Audrey Hill
Tags: Gratus, advancement, Board of Trustees
