Jesuit High School Sacaramento’s Advancement Department has helped Jesuit accomplish many feats over the years. Much of that success can be attributed to the recently retired Vice President of Advancement Ms. Maureen Longyear. 

Ms. Longyear’s work behind the scenes has been crucial in raising money for many different areas of Jesuit. 

“The primary job of the Advancement Office is to advance the mission of the school [by] soliciting resources in the form of money or services,” said Principal Dr. Michael Wood ’99. “That helps us pay for the operations of the school. Whether it’s through a capital campaign so it’s physically improving the campus, [raising] money for financial aid, or just for the operations of the school. The Advancement Department is responsible for raising all of those resources so we can keep moving forward as an institution.”

Ms. Longyear’s wide-spread connections to the many people involved at Jesuit have been extremely beneficial to the school’s funding. Her kind-hearted nature enables her to form bonds and unify the community.

“The most important thing that Ms. Longyear did was be in good relation with so many people in Sacramento,” Dr. Wood said. “She is a genuinely kind and good person and was able to stay in dialogue with so many alumni, alumni parents, and even some of the earliest Jesuit students. She kept them engaged in Jesuit High School and much of that engagement resulted in really good fundraising for this school.”

President Mr. Chris Alling believes that Ms. Longyear’s positive demeanor and dedication to Jesuit have helped her make her mark on the Advancement Department.

“[She’s] dynamic, funny, personable and devoted,” Mr. Alling said. “She’s a great colleague, a great teammate to her colleagues here in so many ways. Even though she’s not in the office, and I only got to work with her for a year, I still sometimes walk into the office and miss seeing her catty-corner from my office. I miss being able to walk in and chat with her. Her legacy is one of devotion. She came in everyday, did the work of raising money to benefit programs, students and families to make Jesuit a better place. I really respect people like that.”

The relationships that Ms. Longyear has cultivated with alumni, parents, and faculty have remained strong over her tenure at Jesuit. Although her stellar run of 20 years serving the Jesuit community has come to a close, the effects of her tireless work can easily be seen all around campus.