In the years since her graduation, Rachel Stock Lesher ’01 has remained connected to the School, as both a class correspondent and as a faithful donor to the Westover Fund. So, when a student volunteer texted Rachel this past year to thank her for her most recent Westover Fund gift, Rachel saw an opportunity to do even more for the School.

“I texted her back to say that I wanted to speak to someone in the Alumnae Office to make a more significant gift to Westover,” Rachel recalled.

That exchange led to a series of discussions between Rachel and Hillary Dooley, Director of the Westover Fund, that resulted in a major annual gift to the School from the newly-formed Lesher Family Foundation (LFF). The gift supports both programming for the Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) curriculum and a portion of the WISE Director’s salary and benefits. 

“I had been giving to the School on a very small scale since I graduated,” Rachel explained, “but I knew that at some point I hoped to have an opportunity to make a larger impact on behalf of the School.” That opportunity came in the past year. “This was the inaugural year of our family foundation,” Rachel said, “and women’s empowerment is one of the thematic focus areas of the foundation.”

Since the WISE program was founded in the early 1990s in collaboration with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, it has become one of the signature programs supporting Westover’s mission. Over the past three decades, WISE has prepared a growing number of Westover graduates to pursue science and engineering fields in college, areas in which women are typically underrepresented, and to ultimately become leaders in their chosen careers.

WISE courses provide real-world application to the fields of science and engineering. Through student-centered, hands-on experiential learning, WISE students gain confidence to think critically about the world around them, helping to cultivate global awareness so they can lead lives of consequence. They are challenged to think critically and creatively in problem-solving, collaboration, communication, and documentation.

In the last five years, just over 70 percent of Westover’s WISE graduates have entered college intending majors in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Nineteen members of the Class of 2022 graduated with WISE certification.

More than 80 students currently participate in the program each year. All Westover students are required to take the first WISE introductory course, Creative Problem-Solving, in 9th grade; 40 percent of students on average elect to continue the WISE program, taking the second course, introduction to WISE/Arts, and beyond.

To initiate the foundation’s gift, Rachel submitted her proposal to other family members for their consideration.

“As I began to think about the programs I have vetted and supported personally over the years,” Rachel wrote in her proposal, “Westover came to mind immediately … I attribute many of my early college successes to what I learned and experienced at Westover.”

“Westover’s mission,” Rachel continued, “is to ‘empower young women to lead lives of consequence,’ and that resonates with LFF’s values. The WISE program provides a way for girls to have an experiential learning opportunity in science and engineering before heading into college as they contemplate next steps in their careers. This opportunity weaves together Math, English, Arts, and Theater in a multidisciplinary environment — providing hands-on experiences in critical thinking, problem solving, etc.”

In the conclusion to her proposal to LFF, Rachel wrote, “Westover School has enriched my life in profound ways — providing opportunities to grow and advance beyond the classroom. The WISE program is a testament to how Westover is preparing girls to lead — and to go out into the world and to make a true difference.”

Even though the foundation’s activities thus far have concentrated on geographic areas where family members reside, Rachel said her family was excited to support Westover School and, specifically, the WISE program.

Weighing in the WISE program’s favor, Rachel noted, “is that it’s a proven program with a track record of success,” and that the LFF funds are “delivering services directly to support programs and students.”

Reflecting on her own Westover experience, Rachel noted that she came to the School as a new junior. Although she was not in the WISE program, she added, “what was so great about Westover was that there were so many other programs that you could participate in,” offering experiences that helped Rachel prepare both for her studies in college and for her career.

As a student, Rachel said, “my passion was in public speaking and debate.” She also participated in the School’s Model UN program and was a senior co-head of the Chapel program.

“My time at Westover was short but fruitful,” Rachel recalled. “It was a safe community to share ideas. My writing skills, my self-esteem, my sense of independence, the opportunities to take part in discussions and to think critically within groups — all of that was nurtured at the School. It gave me experience and enhanced my confidence.”

“I used the skills I learned at Westover right after graduation,” Rachel said. “I got on a train and started my first internship working in Washington that summer for my Congressman. Because of my Westover experience, I wasn’t your typical intern.” Because Rachel showed confidence and maturity, her duties included attending meetings as her Congressman’s representative and reporting back on the discussions.

Rachel later received a B.A. in Political Science from George Washington University and an M.P.A. from the American University School of Public Affairs. She has worked in fundraising for several organizations, most recently for United Way Worldwide as Director of Network Performance, Major and Transformational Giving. In turn, her professional expertise and experience have made her a valuable resource in helping to set up LFF. 

In the future, Rachel added, she is looking forward to exploring possibilities to build on the collaboration between the School and LFF. “We would welcome additional conversations to better appreciate whether and where additional support to Westover might make sense, in addition to WISE.”

The Westover community is grateful to Rachel and LFF for their support of this signature Westover program. 

Annual gifts of $10,000 and more can be targeted to best match your interests. If you would like to maximize your Westover Fund gift, please contact Mara Keggi Ford, Director of the Westover Fund, at [email protected]