We are excited to announce the establishment of the Brooks Family Endowed Scholarship, made possible through a generous family gift from Matthew ‘00 and Melissa Brooks P ‘35 ‘37.
The Brooks Family Endowed Scholarship is being established to honor the legacy of Matthew’s parents, Eileen B. Brooks and the late R. Steven Brooks. They placed a strong emphasis on education, choosing Gulliver Prep as a home for their two sons, Matthew and Steven ‘92. Today, Matthew’s sons William ‘35 and Ryan ‘37, and Steven’s son, Nathan ‘30, are following in their footsteps as Raiders.
“One of my father’s core beliefs was that you should leave a place better than you found it,” said Matthew. “It is a belief taught to me throughout my life and why we, as a family, have always been so encouraged to give philanthropically to schools we attended. This is a message that was instilled in my brother and I growing up, and something Melissa and I are thankful we can now pass along to our sons. Giving to Gulliver Prep, specifically creating the Brooks Family Endowed Scholarship, speaks to those core tenets in two key ways: the first is to give thanks to Gulliver for what it gave to me for 13 years and to my brother for eight years; and the second is our family’s hope that we can help families experience attending Gulliver, regardless of their financial situation.”
As part of Gulliver Prep’s financial aid program and ongoing capital campaign, Transformation. Together. 2026., scholarships like the Brooks Family Endowed Scholarship allow our school to attract and retain commendable and capable students who may not otherwise be able to afford a Gulliver education. Recognizing the tremendous influence Gulliver has had on the Brooks family, Matthew and Melissa hope the establishment of this scholarship will inspire other alumni and families to give back in any way they can, helping to further the Gulliver experience.
Gulliver had a profound impact on my education and upbringing, certainly more than I ever appreciated at the time. The things I learned went well beyond the classroom, and helped prepare me for life beyond high school. As I have learned how valuable my experience was, I want to give back as a way of giving thanks, and help Gulliver provide those same great opportunities to all students. Our true hope is that this scholarship will help the next generation of students come to Gulliver and allow them the opportunity to flourish as people and students. And hopefully, they too, will leave Gulliver a little bit better than they found it.
