Salesianum School receives $20 million gift

Once renovated, the new James V. Tigani, Jr. Theater will serve as the centerpiece and artistic home for Salesianum’s artists while also expanding opportunities for ongoing relationships with area arts organizations, the school stated.

The venue will allow Salesianum to offer more services to regional organizations like Opera Delaware and Delaware Shakespeare that  already work closely with the Salesianum community of artists.

“We are profoundly grateful to the Tigani Muse Foundation for this extraordinary investment in our students and in our mission,” said Thomas A. Kardish, president of Salesianum. “For generations, the arts - especially the performing arts - have been a vital part of the Salesianum experience, shaping the creativity, confidence, and the very voices of our young men. With yet another historic gift, we can build upon that rich tradition, creating new spaces where not only the arts will flourish, but also our call to be who we are, and be that well.” 

Lori Porter, Director of the Tigani Muse Foundation:  “Jimmy Tigani believed deeply in the power of education, and Salesianum played a defining role in his own journey. This gift reflects his conviction that the arts inspire creativity, discipline, and joy, and it will create opportunities for future students–and the community at large–to explore and express their gifts in meaningful ways at Salesianum.” 

This historic gift will serve as the foundation of the broader James V. Tigani, Jr. Arts & Innovation Center, including a $35 million renovation and expansion.

Once completed, the new Arts and Innovation Center will feature  a black box performance space, modern music and art studios, digital production suites, rehearsal rooms, and dedicated classrooms for design and innovation.

The Tigani gift comes during a decade of a  gifts totaling nearly $70 million that have bolstered the endowment, arts, academics, and athletics.

Gifts

* 2014 – $10 million from Anthony N. Fusco Sr. to strengthen the endowment.

* 2018 – $16 million from the Rocco A. & Mary Abessinio Foundation to rebuild Baynard Stadium and grow the endowment.

* 2021 – $12 million from Jacklyn and Miguel (“Mike”) Bezos ’63 to endow 24 scholarships and match additional gifts.

* 2023 – $10 million from Anthony N. Fusco Sr. to create the Fusco Fields athletics complex.

* 2025 – $20 million from the estate of James V. Tigani, Jr. ’54, the largest in school history.