The Ferguson Family

You needn’t look further than the stage to know Brunswick has been a perfect fit for the Ferguson boys—Brooks ’21, and Henry ’24.

In Lower School at an all-school holiday concert, Brooks stepped to the microphone along with two other Bruins to sing “O Holy Night” for a crowd of more than 900 students.

One year later, Henry hammed it up as Martha Washington in the annual fourth-grade play in front of the entire Lower School community—mascara, rosy cheeks, and all.

“These were nerve-wracking and uncomfortable experiences for both of the boys,” said mom Colleen, a Brunswick trustee. “But Brunswick gave them the strength of character to perform and allowed them to push themselves beyond their comfort zones.

“They knew—and always know—that if they fell with a pat or a thud, the school and their classmates would be there to pick them up.”

For the Fergusons, Brunswick is not simply a first-class academic institution—but also provides athletic, extracurricular, and social challenges for their children.

“The school is uniquely positioned to deliver on so many levels,” Colleen said. “Children need a foundation of confidence beneath them as they spread their wings and mature in life—and Brunswick gives them that.

“We feel that there exists a perfect alignment of interests as we partner with the school in the development of our boys.”

The Fergusons, too, wished for the same kind of contract to frame the way that they gave back to the school on a financial level—ultimately deciding on a planned gift to Brunswick through their estate.

“Planned giving has some unique benefits,” Colleen said. “It allowed us, from a liquidity standpoint, to make a much larger financial commitment to the school as opposed to an all-cash gift.

“In addition, the way we manage our estate allows the school to benefit from a compounding of returns that would be difficult for Brunswick to achieve, given the limitations that an institution faces when running an endowment.

“We feel privileged in the financial partnership we have structured with Brunswick,” she said, “as it ensures that this relationship will endure long after our boys have graduated.”