bright bold next campaign
The goal of the Financial Aid initiative of the campaign is to significantly increase our financial aid endowment that will allow us to move toward a future where finances are no longer an obstacle for students to attend BB&N.
Expanding Affordability & accessibility
Financial aid is essential to who we are. It ensures that talented, curious, and capable students can access a BB&N education, regardless of financial circumstance.
It strengthens the experience for every student. When students come from a range of backgrounds and lived experiences, it deepens classroom conversations, broadens perspectives, and builds a more dynamic and empathetic community.
It brings our values to life. Inquiry, integrity, belonging, and kindness are not just ideals—they are practiced every day in a community shaped by diverse voices and experiences.
It reflects the world our students are preparing to lead. Located in a global hub of innovation and ideas, BB&N is committed to building a school community that mirrors the richness, complexity, and possibility of the world beyond our campus.
It also covers non-tuition expenses, ensuring all students fully benefit from our community, including technology (laptops, Chromebooks), learning support (tutoring, test preparation), transportation (BB&N bus, MBTA passes), and international and athletic trips.
“Financial aid removes economic barriers so young people from all backgrounds can access a BB&N education,” said Julie Wadland, Director of Enrollment Management. “This commitment enriches our B-12 community by bringing together students with varied perspectives and experiences, fostering an environment where innovative ideas and creative solutions are forged.”
A robust financial aid program is critical to BB&N’s mission and is made possible through the incredible generosity of our dedicated community of alumni, parents, grandparents, and friends. As we look to the years ahead, we hope to continue to build upon the progress of the last five years, toward a future where a family’s resources will no longer be an obstacle to receiving all that a BB&N education can offer.
“Thank you again for your support and for opening so many doors for me,” said Ryan L, Class of ’20. “I am forever grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of the BB&N community, and I look forward to staying connected.”
In March 2022, the BB&N community was heartbroken to learn of the sudden and tragic passing of seventh grader Cassidy Murray ’27 while vacationing with her family in Aruba. Cassidy’s warm smile, energy, spirit, and kindness touched the lives of all who knew her, from her teachers and classmates to her hockey teammates.
As Head of School Jen Price noted at the time of her passing, “Cassidy’s ever-present smile, infectious laugh, and upbeat personality knit together any group of which she was a part.”
In 2024, several members of the BB&N community came together to establish the Cassidy Murray ’27 Financial Aid Endowment Fund, which will support BB&N’s general financial aid program.
Barbie Butler, Buckingham Class of 1972, and her husband Reg Foster made a generous gift of $250,000 in 2024 to establish the Phillip C.F. Devor Scholars Fund to expand BB&N’s Lower School financial aid program.
The Fosters’ gift, made in memory of their late son they tragically lost to suicide, will help BB&N meet the financial needs of students and families from low-income, underrepresented, and underserved communities in Cambridge and beyond. This includes, without limitation, the children of tenants of Cambridge Housing Authority Public Housing.
After graduating from Buckingham, Barbie matriculated to Tufts University and earned a degree in Biology and German. After a successful career as a biotech patent attorney, Barbie now wields her violin and flute as a member of the Newton Senior Chamber Ensemble (life skills first nurtured in Buckingham early ’70s musicals). Reg is enjoying his “third stage” career as an affordable housing developer in Needham, MA and an associate producer of full-length animated feature films for adults.The Fosters continue to prioritize education in their private philanthropy, not only at BB&N, but all their institutions of higher learning.
The Bright Bold Next Campaign is a transformative investment that will elevate the student experience from pre-K through grade 12. This campaign will ensure our students are equipped with the skills and experiences necessary to thrive in a changing world. Your support brings transformative programs and spaces to life.
Innovation is a core part of BB&N culture. It allows students & faculty to explore new ideas and create meaningful work beyond the classroom. Your support fuels programs that turn ideas into impact. An investment in innovation is an investment in what is possible for our students and the future of learning.
The Lower School renovation provides our youngest students with a modern learning environment, designed entirely through the lens of pedagogy. Your support will ensure our spaces align with how students learn today.
The BB&N Fund is the most vital source of flexible support, closing the gap between tuition and the true cost of a BB&N education. Your support sustains exceptional faculty, classroom resources, and critical programs that impact every student.
Thanks to early donor support, the Grove Street Athletic Campus is fully operational, improving daily life for student-athletes and strengthening school spirit. Continued support expands its impact for the entire BB&N and Watertown public community.
The Bright Bold Next Campaign reinforces our commitment to elevating student experience, creating inspiring spaces, expanding opportunities, and driving innovation. We continue to move forward in the public phase of our fundraising.