The Spirit of Mercy Capital Campaign

We are boldly growing our financial reserves. For decades, the selfless service of the Sisters of Mercy made an excellent education available to nearly 9,000 Mercy High School students. That paradigm has shifted. To continue to recruit and retain an outstanding faculty and to keep a Mercy education accessible through financial aid and merit scholarships, Mercy must grow our endowment and other reserves. Generous donors have initiated a number of scholarships funds as part of this campaign including:

• The Sister Patricia Smith, RSM Endowed Scholarship honors the visionary leadership of our former board chair and will be one of many funds to come recognizing the impact of the Sisters of Mercy.
• The Class of 1964 Scholarship was established to honor Mercy High School’s first graduating class.

The Rollins-Luetkemeyer Foundation has joined with Mercy in our commitment to keeping a world-class, Mercy education accessible to Mercy families. Beginning in February 2025, we’re inviting you to help us unlock the match. The Rollins-Luetkemeyer Foundation will match a total of $250,000 to provide tuition assistance to middle class families.

Mercy High School will continue to create an environment where every Mercy Girl is “known, cherished, and loved.” Intentional formation of our values through programming with Mercy Medical Center and other Mercy ministries around the United States and the world would open our students up to wider experiences. Each year, three Mercy Girls participating in our Women in Medicine Program in partnership with Mercy Medical Center are eligible to participate in an exclusive, two-week internship alongside hospital staff.

Our next campaign priority is creating an accessible main entrance and elevator in our historic building which will honor the Sisters of Mercy and their commitment to hospitality and the dignity of every person. 

Featuring historic stained glass from Mount St. Agnes, a new spiritual center at the heart of Mercy’s campus will inspire private reflection and community prayer. As Mercy Girls grow into Women of Mercy, they become living models of faith and forceful advocates for Gospel values, faithfully following Jesus’ example of social justice, love, and service.

We will continue to expand our service offerings and study abroad opportunities. Serving the vulnerable in new environments and walking in the footsteps of Catherine McAuley and her companions at the first House of Mercy in Dublin will cultivate international mindedness and a true understanding of the Spirit of Mercy among our Mercy Girls.

Mercy is proud to stand as the only Catholic school for girls in Baltimore offering the International Baccalaureate (IB), a world-class academic program grounded in the principles of peace and justice. The IB’s ninth and tenth grade offerings have expanded our Mercy Girls’ intellectual horizons. As part of this effort, the following funds have been established:

• The Bishop P. Francis Murphy & Leroy E. Hoffberger Memorial Fund is deepening our students’ knowledge of the Hebrew Scriptures through engaging lessons with Jewish scholars.
• The Jeanne A. Blakeslee Award for Teaching Excellence recognizes an exceptional member of the Mercy faculty whose enthusiasm and deep content knowledge inspire life-long learning among his or her students.

International mindedness is a hallmark of a Mercy education. The process is in motion for Mercy High School to become the only all girls Catholic school in the Archdiocese of Baltimore authorized to offer the IB Diploma Programme as a culminating academic experience to our longstanding Middle Years Programme. Stay tuned for another exciting announcement soon!

Twenty first century spaces inspire and elevate the Mercy Girl experience. Mercy High School began the 2023-24 school year with a renovated dining hall featuring versatile seating for 250 students, expanded services, and banners highlighting Mercy traditions and community life. In summer 2024, a state-of-the-art heating and air conditioning system was installed which now serves the dining hall, library, reception area, and nearby spaces. The library received a new look which includes comfortable soft seating and flexible furniture, allowing our Mercy Girls to collaborate on projects with one another. 

Campaign gifts will underwrite installation of a new outdoor patio adjacent to the dining hall, a new learning commons, and a student fitness center.