Focus On: Past, Present, and Future

 

 

 

 

 

 

September 2026

School is fully up and running once again, and we’ve all begun to experience the early signs of fall’s return to Pittsburgh.

This week also kicks off WT's Annual Reunion. It is one of my favorite moments each year as it brings together our past, present, and future.

Our alumnae and alumni come home to share memories with their classmates and remember the faculty, staff, and administrators who had such a positive impact on their lives. They recount how WT prepared them so well for their post-secondary pursuits. They laugh together as they recount fierce athletic competitions against their archrivals, as well as the shenanigans that took place behind the scenes. They browse editions of WT’s yearbook, Thistledown, the literary magazine, Plaid, and photos galore. For many, their conversations are filled with family updates, professional accomplishments, and nostalgia for their time together.

But Reunion is not just about the past. These activities are also about the present. Alums marvel at how much WT has evolved since their days walking the pillared portals. Many wish they had the opportunities that today’s students have. It is hard to imagine WT without our signature City as Our Campus programs, our co-educational model, or our location on Morewood Avenue. They wander in and out of classrooms, amazed at the level of rigor and engagement by today’s students. They are genuinely excited to engage with our current students, each sharing their own WT stories that contribute to our 140-year history. Indeed, Reunion allows us to build bonds across generations.

And of course, there is still the future. We know that we stand on the shoulders of those who have come before us and that we are fortunate that those in our past ensured there would be a strong and vibrant future for WT. Past leadership, engagement, and philanthropy have placed WT in such a strong position to address the challenges of the future. Be Boundless, our capital campaign, has also been about the present and the future; the now and the not yet. With our ambitious goal of $21.5M, we set out to create the Joan Clark Davis Center for Interdisciplinary Learning and to make important renovations to other parts of Molloy Posner Hall, including the new Middle School Learning Commons, kitchen, and dining room. And equally important, we have added $7.5M to our endowment. 

To date, WT has raised $19.2M. And it’s now time to ask everyone at WT to help us close out this campaign, which has honored the past, recognizes the present moment, and ensures WT’s future.

In the coming weeks, you will receive communications asking you to consider thoughtfully how you can support our efforts to reach our goal. Those who came before us contributed generously so future generations would benefit from a WT education. Now it is our turn to pay it forward. Let’s come together and, in the words of our Alma Mater, “Through the years we ask this. Keep us worthy of thee. Symbol of our ideals, Dear old WT.”

We can do it because, well, we are WT.

 

Sincerely,

Scott Fech

Head of School