For Susan Fenske McDonough ’74, Northfield Mount Hermon left lasting impressions: a vividly beautiful, memorable landscape and a safe, supportive community, in which there were always adults to turn to. Whether it was an advisor, a coach, a dorm parent, or a teacher, there was always someone with whom she could connect, who would remind her, “You’re OK. I’m glad you’re here.” 

The generosity of others who funded scholarships and financial aid enabled McDonough to attend NMH, which became a place for growth. She arrived at NMH as a “moody teen.” During her first year, she was paired with faculty mentors Bill and Nancy Knipe, who lived across the street from her dorm. They became a steady source of support and encouragement. Whenever McDonough needed a hug, a snack, or a listening ear, she’d cross the road to their home. The Knipes would offer her something to eat and drink, let her play with their dog, and help her process whatever was on her mind. “It was a little dose of family, like a kindly aunt and uncle,” McDonough recalls. 

As a 9th-grader, she lived in Hibbard Hall with Pam Miller, who remains a steadfast friend to this day. McDonough joined the swim team, studied abroad in Spain, and steadily gained confidence academically, achieving Honor Roll status in her senior year. By the time she graduated, McDonough had not only found her footing but, as she puts it, had “been validated along the way” by faculty and staff, through appointments as a student leader, captain of the swim team, and student representative on a headmaster search committee and by receiving The Headmaster’s Award.

“Some of the very best gifts of learning came from my engagement with the NMH community, whether as a student or an employee or through involvement with alumni,” she says. After college, McDonough moved to Washington, D.C., again rooming with Miller. Two years later, she was invited to return to NMH to the advancement office. As part of the NMH Centennial celebrations, she traveled the country and gathered with fellow alumni from coast to coast. There was always a connection, a common thread: “We were all dedicated to the place, the institution, the NMH community, and the value of education,” she says. McDonough went on to work at several educational nonprofits and institutions, experiences that deepened her connection to her alma mater. She remains engaged, supporting the NMH Fund, serving on her reunion committee, and enabling class communications.

McDonough recently made a gift to the school that reflects her commitment to expanding educational opportunities for promising students. Having benefited from financial aid herself, she, along with many classmates, helped to grow and fortify the Class of 1974 Memorial Scholarship Fund. McDonough’s giving is made, in part, in memory of her late brother, Mark Fenske, a former NMH student and, later, a successful entrepreneur and restaurant owner. While he attended NMH for only a short time, his experience was meaningful and led him to support the school for many years. Never a traditional student, he especially valued initiative, curiosity, and learning and sharing knowledge with others. “He was all about giving people opportunities,” McDonough says. 

McDonough’s gift invests in NMH faculty and staff through the new Fenske Endowed Fund for Faculty Exploration and Growth, which supports professional development that encourages curiosity and risk-taking through travel, creative endeavors, or social engagement. “It’s things that fill you up, allow you to breathe a little bit,” McDonough says. “This is about finding windows — things you wouldn’t ordinarily see or do but that help you feel more whole.”

“Ultimately, these experiences strengthen faculty vitality, inspire innovation in teaching and leadership, and deepen connections to NMH’s mission of educating the head, heart, and hand,” says the fund’s manager Bea Garcia, assistant head of school for academic programs and dean of faculty. “With a particular emphasis on immersive and often travel-based experiences, the fund fosters deeper engagement with diverse communities, disciplines, and global contexts.”

Through her generosity, McDonough is helping ensure that future NMH students — like the “moody teen” she once was — have the opportunity to grow and to discover their potential, while also supporting the dedicated faculty who make those experiences meaningful. Investing in young learners and educators is an important pathway toward a more hopeful, healthy, and prosperous world. At its core, it’s simple, she says: “Kids are our future.”