Merion Mercy Academy, a private, all girls, Catholic high school in Pennsylvania, has announced a $9.1 million gift from the Howley Foundation.

The restricted gift will support the school’s scholarship program—which provides annual scholarships to high-achieving students who demonstrate financial need—and support enrollment management initiatives. The gift also will fund capital projects, including the establishment of the Howley Center for Applied Biological and Health Sciences and the Howley Academic Center for Excellence.

The school will renovate its current science wing to include the biological and health sciences center and add newly constructed and renovated labs that will encourage a hands-on learning environment. The academic excellence center will serve as a central hub for personalized instruction, academic support, and a variety of tools and resources. Both projects will begin this summer.

“The Howley Foundation believes that a high-quality education combining strong academics and character formation is vital to developing tomorrow’s leaders,” said Nick Howley, who established the Cleveland-based foundation with his wife, Lorie, in 2001. “This philosophy aligns with Merion Mercy’s mission to educate young women in a values-based environment where they are empowered to reach their goals, both individually and collaboratively.”

(Photo credit: Getty Images/Izabela Habur)