$1M Gift Creates K-12 Resource Collection in Fisher’s Lavery Library

A $1 million gift from Jack ’73 and Donna DePeters will create an interactive space designed specifically for education majors in the newly modernized Lavery Library, expected to be complete in summer 2025.

The gift was made as part of the University’s comprehensive fundraising campaign, Fisher Forward. It supports the Lavery Library Modernization and Renovation Project, which at $38 million, is the largest capital project in scope and investment in the institution’s history.

The Donna DePeters K-12 Resource Collection is modeled after a school library, providing teacher candidates an immersive environment and resources they will use as aspiring educators. The collection will be located on the third floor of the library near the grand staircase, offering a bright, vibrant space that will encourage imagination, innovation, and creativity. Students will have access to teaching manipulatives, reading resources for early and advanced readers, and coursework material that will help them conduct research, create interactive lesson plans, and more. The space will also display Lavery’s robust collection of literature for children and young adults.  

The DePeters have been longtime supporters of the University. Jack DePeters has served as a member of the Board of Trustees for 17 years, including a term as chair of the Board. Together they have contributed to the construction of the Hermance Family Chapel of St. Basil the Great, are founding members of the Spire Society, and continually volunteer with the University. In fall 2020, Fisher announced the creation of the DePeters Family Center for Innovation and Teaching Excellence thanks to a $1 million gift from the DePeters and a matching $1 million from Wegmans Food Markets Inc. in honor of Jack’s retirement following a 50+ year career with Wegmans. The DePeters Family Center provides the Fisher community with collaborative leadership for the design and delivery of innovative teaching and learning activities both on- and off-campus.

 “Jack and Donna are two of Fisher’s most loyal benefactors, and their philanthropy continues to transform the educational experience for our students,” said Dr. Gerard J. Rooney, president of the University. “Their personal stories of success and dedication inspire today’s students to pursue their passions and community commitments. We are deeply grateful to them for their generosity, and to Donna, for her devotion to the K-12 education system. She is an inspiration for future Fisher teachers. This gift will provide invaluable support to our education students and faculty.”

This new gift honors Donna DePeters’ 30-year career as an innovative educator within the public school system. The collection will serve more than 750 students every year, all of whom will benefit from the sessions with Lavery’s education librarian through hands-on engagement with the resources in the K-12 collection.

“Language, life lessons, and the joy of reading all thrive when a child is with you reading a book,” said Donna DePeters.

View the latest progress on the Lavery Library Modernization and Renovation project website, and for more information about the Fisher Forward campaign, visit fisherforward.sjf.edu.