The Lovett School today announced a record-breaking $30 million commitment from the Rollins family, the largest single donation in the school’s 99-year history. This transformational commitment, among the largest single gifts to an independent school in the country, bolsters the One Lovett Campaign, strengthening priority investments in faculty support, student opportunities, and financial aid, as well as future-facing campus development. 

The gift honors Rita Anne Rollins ’72, the oldest child of Randall and Peggy Rollins, who tragically passed away in 1970. The gift will support the construction of Rita Anne Rollins Hall, which will bring together makerspaces, media studios, a new chapel, performing arts venues, a dining commons, a learning commons, and an expansive campus green. This iconic building will serve as Lovett’s heart of campus, where students design, create, worship, perform, and gather.

The anticipated groundbreaking for the flagship campus hub is Summer 2026, with the intention of opening by Fall 2028 as part of the school’s long-term campus master plan. With Lovett’s centennial on the horizon, the new hub will be a tangible legacy of the Rollins family’s commitment, benefiting generations of Lovett Lions to come.

“On behalf of the entire Lovett community, I want to thank Amy Rollins Kreisler ’88, Pam Rollins ’75, and Tim Rollins ’81 for their investment in the future of Lovett,” said Meredyth Cole, Head of School at The Lovett School. “This is a truly historic moment for our school. As we approach our 100th anniversary, the extraordinary generosity allows us to dream bigger for our students and faculty. Their gift not only supports a new heart of campus that will strengthen the bonds of our Lovett community, but it also lays the foundation for Lovett’s next century of excellence, ensuring our school will continue to thrive and serve studentsfor generations.”

“Our family has a long, mult-generational history with The Lovett School, with several generations attending the school,” said Amy Rollins Kreisler. “We are excited to be part of such a transformational change for the campus and the student experience.”

The record-breaking donation was announced in a ceremony in the Hendrix-Chenault Theatre on The Lovett School campus with members of the Lovett faculty, staff, Board of Trustees, and the Rollins family in attendance. For photos and video from the event, as well as the latest renderings of Rita Anne Rollins Hall, please click here.

John O. Knox Jr. ’88 and Eileen Keough Millard ’80, co-chairs of the One Lovett Campaign committee, also lauded the significance of the Rollins family’s support. “Words cannot begin to express our deep appreciation to the Rollins family for their generational gift to The Lovett School. Their extraordinary generosity will enable Lovett to build a new center of campus that will not only welcome our guests but also support vital student activities. The Lovett School has benefited from the Rollins family’s unwavering support for generations, and how fitting it is that the new heart of our campus will be named for their beloved sibling, the late Rita Anne Rollins. On behalf of the campaign committee and the entire Lovett community, we are deeply grateful for their generous benefaction,” the campaign co-chairs said in a joint statement.

This landmark contribution is the lead gift of the One Lovett Campaign, an initiative that will strengthen key priorities across the school. The campaign’s efforts align with Lovett’s mission of educating the whole child and will push the school boldly into its second century.

For more information on the One Lovett Campaign, please visit OneLovett.org.