At DSHA, we continue to advance our Forward in Faith campaign, marking significant progress across its first two phases and positioning the school for a transformative third phase focused on academic excellence. 

The Forward in Faith campaign is a multi-phase investment in DSHA’s campus, programs, scholarships, and student experience, ensuring the school continues to lead in educating and forming young women for generations to come. 

“Forward in Faith is our commitment to ensuring DSHA continues to lead, not just today, but for the future,” said President Katie Brown Konieczny, DSHA ’92. “Everything we are doing is grounded in our mission to educate and form young women who lead with faith, confidence, and purpose.” 

Phases 1 & 2: Strengthening the Foundation and Expanding Opportunity

The first phase of the campaign focused on strengthening the foundation of our campus through critical infrastructure improvements, including HVAC upgrades in the historic 1949 building, expanded parking, and growth in endowment support and scholarships. 

Phase 2 builds on that foundation, advancing key improvements that enhance the daily student experience, including campus safety measures, increased accessibility, and the addition of new competitive athletic facilities and expanded parking on campus for all students. 

This progress reflects strong leadership and sustained philanthropic investment from the DSHA community, including the fully met $500,000 match from the Jenifer and Joseph Tate family, as well as leadership support from families like Chris and John McDermott, Mary and Dean Klinger, and other major donors. 

“The groundbreaking represents a major moment where vision becomes reality,” Konieczny said. “It’s not just symbolic, it’s a tangible step forward for our students, especially our student athletes.” 

Groundbreaking Signals a Major Step Forward for Student Athletes 

A key milestone in Phase 2 is the groundbreaking for DSHA’s new athletic facilities. This investment directly supports the school’s 16 varsity athletic programs and reinforces its standing among the top 1%  of high school athletic programs nationally, according to Niche. 

At DSHA, athletics are an integral part of the student experience, with approximately 65% of students participating in a formal sport, reflecting the school’s strong culture of engagement, teamwork, and leadership development. 

“The groundbreaking marks a commitment to excellence and creating spaces for our girls to compete,” said DSHA Athletic Director Kevin Roethe. “This investment ensures our student athletes have the facilities to match their level of performance and achievement.” 

The new facilities will expand access to high-quality athletic resources while also creating a central space for school and community engagement. 

“Phase 2 aligns our campus environment with the level of excellence our students demonstrate every 
day,” Roethe added. 

Phase 3: Advancing the Academic Experience 

With Phase 2 construction underway, DSHA is advancing its focus to Phase 3, which will transform the academic experience within the 1949 building. 

“While Phase 2 moves into execution, Phase 3 represents our next strategic priority,” said Konieczny. “This phase is focused on ensuring our academic spaces reflect how our students learn, collaborate, and succeed.” 

Planned improvements include expanded STEM lab space, modernized classrooms designed for collaborative and technology-integrated learning, a refreshed media center, and ADA-compliant upgrades. Momentum for Phase 3 has already been established through an incremental $1 million gift from an anonymous alumna, who has already supported the campaign, accelerating the vision for the STEM floor and reinforcing the importance of continued investment in DSHA’s academic future. 

“Our students consistently achieve at a high level, particularly in STEM and professional pathways,” Konieczny said. “This investment ensures their environment supports and sustains that level of achievement.” 

A Strategic Investment in the Future of DSHA 

Forward in Faith reflects DSHA’s long-term commitment to strengthening its mission and preparing 
students for leadership in college, careers, and beyond. 

“This campaign is a direct investment in the future of our students and the strength of our institution,” said Konieczny. “We are building on a strong foundation to ensure DSHA remains a leader in Catholic education.”