Thomas Jefferson School receives legacy fund gift for more affordable tuition
The Thomas Jefferson Independent Day School has been honored with a multi-million-dollar legacy gift as the school approaches its 30th anniversary. Read the press release from TAMKO below:
Debra and David Humphreys, co-founders of TJ in 1993, have committed a gift of $15 Million toward a new Legacy Fund dedicated to more affordable high-quality education for area students.
The immediate impact of the gift will be to lower the cost of tuition to $11,000 for all students beginning with the upcoming 2022-2023 academic year. In addition, TJ will continue to provide significant tuition assistance for eligible students as well as continuing selective full merit-based scholarships. Current TJ students already served by scholarships and tuition assistance will continue to receive such benefits.
“TJ’s mission is to help students realize their full potential so that they are successful in their own lives and active and engaged citizens in their communities. Looking back over three decades, we see that mission realized in the hundreds of TJ graduates who continue to be life long learners and reflect the virtues instilled by the TJ honor code from integrity and honesty to respect and compassion.” said Debra Humphreys, who also serves as Chair Emerita of the Board for TJ.
Debra added, “Watching our students compete and perform, I am often awed by their knowledge, talents, and leadership skills. Looking ahead to the future, we wanted to make the opportunities at TJ more widely available to our community. More than 50 percent of current TJ students are already being served by a robust tuition assistance program, so we understand the necessity for affordability in quality education. We hope this new Legacy Fund gift will make the promise of a TJ education a reality for as many area students as possible.”
Laura McDonald, Head of School for TJ, said, “TJ’s mission is directed at helping all students make the most of their abilities. We believe in that wholeheartedly. To accomplish the mission, we have to reduce barriers to a child realizing their full potential. Unfortunately, tuition can be one of those barriers. The Humphreys’ Legacy Fund gift reduces our tuition and, along with our substantial tuition assistance, ensures that top-quality educational opportunities through TJ are now available to more young people in the four states area than ever before.”
Part of what makes a TJ education unique is the focus on developing character in young people. TJ students sign an Honor Code at the beginning of every school year, pledging to conduct themselves with integrity, compassion, respect, and honesty. McDonald added, “The joy of learning is realized every day at TJ and we are thrilled that this transformative gift will allow TJ the ability to share that joy with even more students over the next 30 years and beyond.”