Hundreds of students packed the gym to celebrate the largest donation in Ursuline Academy history.
A downtown Wilmington Catholic girls school has received the largest donation in its 130-year history, and students rocked its gymnasium in delight Thursday.
Anthony N. Fusco Sr., a Delaware philanthropist and real estate developer has made a $5 million commitment to Ursuline Academy.
Anthony N. Fusco Sr.
The donation will pay for the total renovation of Laffey McHugh Gymnasium, originally constructed in 1980; create an expanded fitness center for students and faculty; improve accessibility for those with disabilities; install new locker rooms and athletic offices; and add tech that will support student academic and athletic experiences.
To honor the gift, Ursuline will name its new facility the Anthony N. Fusco Sr. Fitness & Health Center.
“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,” said Trisha Medeiros, Ursuline’s president.
Anthony Pullella, Ursuline’s director of operations, said Fusco’s 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,” he said. “The Anthony N. Fusco Sr. Fitness & Health Center is a testament to his rare gem of philanthropy, enriching the Ursuline community and the greater Wilmington area.”
Fusco also had donated millions for athletic facilities at Salesianum School and Delaware Military Academy.
His connection with Ursuline spans back to when his granddaughter, Picara Vassalo, Class of 1997, attended and he has donated to Ursuline before.
He provided the lead funding to transform Ursuline’s convent into the Anthony N. Fusco Sr. Student Life Center, a project completed in 2019 that has become the centerpiece of the academy’s middle and upper school community.
Fusco and his family’s foundation have also supported Ursuline’s 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,” said Patrick Davey, Ursuline’s director of advancement.
He said the Anthony N. Fusco Sr. Student Life Center offers a warm and welcoming central meeting space and café for the community, and the new investment will further cement his legacy at Ursuline Academy and benefit students for future generations.
Raised in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, Jarek earned a B.A. in journalism and a B.A. in political science from Temple University in 2021. After running CNN’s Michael Smerconish’s YouTube channel, Jarek became a reporter for the Bucks County Herald before joining Delaware LIVE News.
Jarek can be reached by email at [email protected] or by phone at (215) 450-9982. Follow him on Twitter @jarekrutz
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