July 14, 2026
Marquette Catholic High School Exploring Capital Campaign Ahead of Centennial School Year
ALTON, IL — As Marquette Catholic High School prepares to begin its historic 100th school year this fall, school leaders are actively studying the possibility of launching a comprehensive capital campaign to strengthen the school's future for generations to come.
Marquette Catholic is currently in the feasibility phase of the capital campaign planning process, meeting with longtime supporters, alumni, parents, and community leaders to gauge interest and gather feedback before determining whether to move forward with a formal campaign.
Potential priorities under consideration include modernizing the school's 1927 main building through enhanced building security, aesthetic improvements, critical infrastructure, and building systems upgrades. The feasibility study is also exploring opportunities to enhance and expand athletic facilities, continue improvements to the school's new Chapel and building at 3rd and Alby streets, and substantially increase Marquette Catholic's endowment to provide long-term financial stability and expanded educational opportunities.
"This is an exciting time in the history of Marquette Catholic," said Principal Tim Harmon. "As we approach our centennial year, we have an opportunity to thoughtfully consider how we can invest in the next hundred years. We will be reaching out to our stakeholders and evaluating what is both needed and achievable."
The 2026-2027 academic year marks the beginning of Marquette Catholic High School's 100th school year.
"Every great institution reaches moments when it must look beyond today's needs and begin planning for the generations that will follow," said Robert Stephan, spokesperson for the capital campaign effort. "This process is about listening and evaluating. We are asking alumni, past parents, future parents, long-time donors, and friends of Marquette Catholic whether now is the right time to make transformational investments to strengthen the school's mission for decades to come."
Paul Dix, the President of the Marquette Catholic Board of Directors, emphasized no final decision has been made regarding a capital campaign, but feedback received in this phase will help determine fundraising goals and whether sufficient support exists to proceed.
Stephan added that while the MCHS endowment is currently valued at a little over $3,000,000, “long-term, a more appropriate target for our institution is substantially larger.” Marquette Catholic currently has nearly thirty endowed scholarships to offset tuition costs, but would like to triple that number. Corporations and families often create scholarships in the name of loved ones, with the principal valued at anywhere from $20,000 to more than $1,000,000. “Whether it is a transformational gift of cash or securities, establishing a scholarship, a pledged gift, or estate planning, there could be many ways to support a potential campaign.”
“We have been pretty successful over time doing well with the facilities we have, but times are changing. We are evaluating how we can offer the facilities we need to sustain a first-class athletic program. This is an opportunity for a potentially game changing investment in our school and Explorers’ athletics,” said Brian Hoener, Marquette Athletic Director.
Those interested in learning more about the feasibility study or expressing interest in supporting the initiative are encouraged to visit the campaign information page at www.marquettecatholic.org/thenext100.
