A Culture of Health and Well-Being: Looking Closer at Tartans Thrive and the Future of St. Margaret’s

When St. Margaret’s unveiled Tartans Thrive: Campaign for a Common Purpose in September, the goal was clear: Inspire support for the upcoming St. Margaret’s Commons and build a culture of health and well-being throughout the entire Tartan community in anticipation of the new space.

Across campus and throughout the community, Tartans have rallied around the efforts.

“We are moved by the tremendous support we have seen, and all the ways health and well-being have been demonstrated across our campus,” Head of School Dr. Jeneen Graham said. “The community commitment to this project has been exciting, and we look forward to continuing this momentum together.”

The 30,000-square-foot St. Margaret’s Commons will be the heart of the campus and serve all Tartans. There will be a kitchen preparing fresh, nutritious meals to all students throughout the day. A Great Hall will serve as an important community space. There is an expanded sports performance center for strength, conditioning, recovery and sports medicine. A student loft will serve as a gathering spot for students to unwind, relax, catch up on homework and just be with friends between commitments. Studios and other spaces will focus on athletic preparation, performance and recovery.

The launch of Tartans Thrive has brought with it momentum of support, with each gift putting the project closer and closer to reality. Though fundraising is ongoing, St. Margaret’s plans to break ground this summer.

Beyond the generosity of the St. Margaret’s community, though, the campaign has also brought Tartans together for initiatives and programs centered around health and wellness. This school year, St. Margaret’s has leaned into research around movement, health and community as essential elements of human thriving, and educators at St. Margaret’s have found creative ways to implement these elements into the school day.

“There have been so many examples of academic touchpoints and other programming that have stemmed from Tartans Thrive and the exciting future of St. Margaret’s,” Dr. Graham said. “As we look forward to this space, the work we are all doing to make the St. Margaret’s Commons a hub of health, well-being and, yes, thriving, is already underway.”

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