John Cavanaugh Leaves Legacy by Establishing Class of 1971 Scholarship to Support McDonogh’s Future

John Cavanaugh ’71 acknowledges that good fortune brought him to McDonogh’s doorstep. He applied to McDonogh because his best friend was applying too. On his second round of interviews, John received the scholarship support that would change his life.

For John, a 12-year-old child with five siblings, living on campus was a chance for him to learn how to handle responsibility at a young age. “These days, the idea of sending a 12-year-old to boarding school is tough to imagine, but it was an incredible experience for me. I’m indebted to the School for helping prepare me for the independence of college.”

John went on to study engineering at Catholic University and then pursued a career helping organizations manage their energy conservation. In particular, he is interested in the potential of solar. He looks forward to being part of a committee to help McDonogh’s energy conservation efforts, including an initiative to install solar panels on the Fader Innovation Center. John is grateful for the chance to draw on his expertise to assist his alma mater. “I know how to ask good questions in this arena,” he says, “and in part that’s because of the foundation I built at McDonogh.”

Long before the solar initiative, John was involved with the School as a McDonogh Fund volunteer and a member of the Alumni Board—including a term as president. He attributes his motivation to stay involved over the years to McDonogh’s culture. “I love being around positive people, and I especially love that people here are always focused on what’s best in life. You get to see what the kids are up to today, and they are doing amazing things. It’s very uplifting for me.”

Inspired by his long-standing relationship with McDonogh, John felt that it was important to give back to the place that has offered him so much. So, he reached out to Director of Gift Planning Barry Rollins, who helped him hatch a plan. “My class’s 50th reunion is coming up,” he explains, “and I wanted us to have the chance to leave a legacy, pay it forward.” In that spirit, John established the Class of 1971 Scholarship—a gift he hopes will bring his class together and provide life-changing support to future McDonogh students.

Having led a career in a forward-focused field like sustainability, it feels fitting that John would look to encourage the promise of coming generations. “The contributions that McDonogh alumni make to the world are inspiring to see,” John says.