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Anthony N. Fusco Sr. Sets Donation Record at Ursuline Academy with
Largest Gift in School’s 130 Year History
Ursuline Academy is honored to receive a $5 Million transformational commitment from Anthony N. Fusco Sr., a Delaware philanthropist and real estate developer. This gift is the largest in Ursuline’s 130-year history and will have a widespread impact across the Academy.
“The Ursuline community is in awe of the overwhelming generosity of Mr. Fusco. These funds will support the long legacy of Ursuline’s superior athletic programs by transforming spaces focused on health and wellness so that our students can continue to grow, learn, and thrive,” remarked Ursuline Academy President, Dr. Trisha Medeiros.
The outstanding donation will provide the complete renovation of the Laffey McHugh Gymnasium, originally constructed in 1980, the creation of an expanded fitness center for students and faculty, improved accessibility for those with disabilities with a new elevator, new locker rooms and athletic offices, HVAC, and technological advancements that will support the overall Ursuline academic and athlete experience.
In recognition of this gift, Ursuline Academy will create the Anthony N. Fusco Sr. Fitness & Health Center.
“Mr. Fusco’s extraordinary generosity has not only propelled Ursuline Academy’s facilities and programs forward by decades but has also left an indelible mark on the athletic landscape. This transformative gift will elevate our athletic facilities to unprecedented heights, matching the caliber of our exceptional student-athletes. The Anthony N. Fusco Sr. Fitness & Health Center is a testament to his rare gem of philanthropy, enriching the Ursuline community and the region with a student population drawing from Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maryland. We eagerly anticipate the ribbon-cutting ceremony, celebrating this remarkable transformation with gratitude for Mr. Fusco’s enduring commitment,” said Anthony Pullella, Ursuline Academy’s Director of Operations.
This gift continues Anthony N. Fusco's tremendous generosity at Ursuline Academy and within the Wilmington community. This commitment will also anchor a comprehensive campaign to support Ursuline Academy's Blaze Brighter Strategic Plan, launch needed facility improvements across campus, and further enhance the Academy's financial stability through endowment and annual fund growth. Ursuline Academy hopes Mr. Fusco’s legacy will inspire many others throughout the community to contribute to this important effort.
“I have been around Delaware for a long time and remember Ursuline Academy from my youth. Ursuline is a place with a profound athletic legacy, producing top-notch athletes at the collegiate and professional levels as well as leaders in our community. It is an honor to be a part of transforming the Ursuline athletic facilities into a state-of-the-art fitness and health center parallel to the caliber of Ursuline’s outstanding athletic program. Small but mighty, the Ursuline sisterhood is competitive, athletic, and unique. My hope is that this gift can support the school’s athletes and physical wellness programs in ways that impact the girls not only during their days at Ursuline but in the many years that follow. I am proud to make this donation to benefit Ursuline students for many generations to come.” - Anthony N. Fusco Sr.
Fusco History with Ursuline Academy
Anthony Fusco, a self-made businessman whose family came over from Italy when he was only three years old, started with a seasonal Italian water ice storefront on Union Street in Wilmington’s Little Italy neighborhood. His company, Fusco Management, has grown to become a significant real estate and management company in New Castle County.
Mr. Fusco has been touched by Ursuline through his granddaughter, Picara Vassalo, Class of 1997, and has a long history of supporting Ursuline Academy through academic advancement and community-building projects. He provided the lead commitment to transform Ursuline’s convent into the beautiful Anthony N. Fusco Sr. Student Life Center - a project completed in 2019 that has become the centerpiece of our middle and upper school community. Mr. Fusco and his family’s foundation have also supported Ursuline’s burgeoning financial literacy programs and students receiving tuition assistance at Ursuline for many years now.
“More than half of Ursuline students receive tuition assistance, which Mr. Fusco has so strongly supported over the years. Additionally, the Anthony N. Fusco Sr. Student Life Center offers a warm and welcoming central meeting space and café for our community, which was built through Mr. Fusco’s previous philanthropic commitments,” remarked Ursuline Academy Director of Advancement, Patrick Davey. “Mr. Fusco’s new investment will further cement his legacy at Ursuline Academy and benefit students for future generations.”
Athletics at Ursuline Academy
This gift from Mr. Fusco will ensure that Ursuline’s athletic facilities match its historic legacy of athletic excellence. Ursuline Academy is proud to have a nationally recognized Athletics Program that centers on developing a well-balanced student-athlete. “Ursuline Academy’s athletic legacy dates back to the turn of the century in 1900 when the athletic program was founded. It was one of the first organized high school athletic programs specifically for women in the United States. Since then, we have established a tradition of Ursuline athletes who are fierce competitors, academic all-stars, and give back to their community. They are known for being trailblazers, changemakers, and global leaders. Our alumnae have shattered glass ceilings and opened up paths for other young women in Delaware.” - Brittany Keller, Director of Marketing & Communications
Notably, Ursuline graduate Valeria ‘Val’ Whiting, Class of 1989, was the first Delaware athlete to play professional basketball. Elena Delle Donne, Class of 2008, went on to the WNBA and is an Olympian.
Recognized by USA Today as a Top Athletic Girls High School in Delaware, Ursuline teams and athletes have won 65 State Championships, 82 Catholic Conference Titles, and 11 State Gatorade Players of the Year honors. Eighty-six percent of Upper School students play a varsity sport at Ursuline. In 2023, 8 Ursuline athletes committed to a Division I, II, or III college sport, and the class earned over $11 Million in scholarships and grants for academics and athletic achievements—exceptional numbers for a school with an Upper School enrollment of 220.
The most recent State Championship win for the Ursuline Raiders was by the swim team this past weekend, winning by nearly a 100-point margin, wrapping up their third consecutive year with an undefeated season. The basketball team enters the DIAA State Championship Tournament at home on March 1st as the number two seed after a bye in the first round. The spring season kicked off this week, with athletes from 3rd to 12th grade representing seven sports.
Next Steps
“Serviam, ‘I will serve’ is a core motto for all students at Ursuline Academy. Mr. Fusco has certainly set the standard for service to others by providing the means to renovate the school’s existing gyms into top-notch facilities for all UA student-athletes to pursue athletic excellence,” remarked Dr. Trisha Medeiros.
The Ursuline Academy community is filled with gratitude and will celebrate Mr. Fusco’s service to the school throughout 2024. Groundbreaking of the new Anthony N. Fusco Sr. Fitness & Health Center is anticipated to begin at the conclusion of the school year in June 2024.
Founded in 1893 by the Ursuline Sisters, Ursuline Academy of Wilmington, Delaware, is an independent, Catholic, college-preparatory school comprised of four academic branches: Early Childhood, Lower School, Middle School, and Upper School. To learn more about supporting Ursuline Academy, contact Patrick Davey, Director of Advancement, at 302.384.9507 or pdavey@ursuline.org.
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