Jen and Greg Grogan P ’26: 15 Years of Service to Kent Place — and a Commitment to Its Future

In 2011, Jen and Greg Grogan P ’26 enrolled their daughter, Cooper, in Jr. Pre-K at Kent Place. They became involved almost immediately, participating in school events and volunteering. 15 years later, Jen has served as a Trustee and in almost every available parent volunteer position. As a couple, they have been loyal supporters of the Kent Place Fund and, in recent years, the Leadership Center for Athletics, Wellness, and Performing Arts.

When they thought about making their gift to the Leadership Center, Jen was in the penultimate year of her nine-year tenure as a Kent Place Trustee. She was an integral player in the initial plans for the Center and its fundraising campaign, and she knew the building wouldn’t be completed until after Cooper graduated. The Grogans decided to support the project anyway.

Jen said the Trustees often noted that their role was to serve the girls who aren’t currently at Kent Place. The Board guides the school into the future and ensures that it will remain strong for the next generations. “That was very ingrained in me,” Jen says. “We knew the building wouldn’t open before our daughter graduated, and I expected to feel differently, to be more torn about my donation. But that didn’t really happen because the donation is for Kent Place as a whole. It’s very easy to connect our mission to that building and to see how we’ll continue to elevate our mission once it's done.”

Jen was able to see her own daughter in the Primary Schoolers of today and wanted to give them an incredible space for their Middle and Upper School years: “When I looked at it from the perspective of a donor, I could clearly see who that building would serve, to see it come to life for them.”

“There’s an aspect of paying it forward,” says Greg. “We were here for only a few years when they did the fundraising for the Center for Innovation,” and parents donated to that space even though their own children would graduate before construction was complete. And, he says, Cooper benefited from their generosity.

“To watch this school rally around this project is very gratifying,” Jen says, applauding the building as a testament to the power of female philanthropy. “Fundraising has become a hallmark of what we do here – it’s energetic and fun to be involved. We’ve realized that fundraising for women by women is a different animal altogether. To see that fundraising come to fruition has been really gratifying.”

The Grogans also consider their gift to be an investment in the school’s legacy. “The reputation of Kent Place is strong,” says Jen, “and preserving it for Cooper’s future is important to me.”

Greg, who has interviewed a number of KPS graduates at his law firm, adds, “Most people don’t put their high school on their résumé, but the Kent Place graduates do.”

Although the Grogans look forward to all the opportunities the Leadership Center will bring, they’re most enthusiastic about the possibilities for the Performing Arts program; Cooper has been dancing since she was 2½ years old. “From a technical perspective,” says Jen, “the flooring in the new Dance Studio will be better, with a fully sprung Marley floor. Dancers are extremely injury-prone, so having proper flooring is crucial.”

Greg adds that in the previous Arts Center, “the space constraints were the limiting factor for the size of the dance groups they could have performing, and there was no place to change costumes.” The Leadership Center will have dressing rooms and ample storage for costumes and props.

The Grogans say it will be wonderful to be able to host large-scale performances on campus, ones with greater audiences of parents, alumnae, the public, and — critically — younger students who can be inspired. “Throughout the preparation for their shows, the Upper School dancers can have special performances for the little kids during the school day; those shows are so important. Having a theater space that can hold a larger audience will be amazing,” says Jen.

Now, during Cooper’s senior year, the Grogans have been reminiscing about their involvement with the school. Greg speaks fondly of organizing camping trips with other KPS fathers when the kids were in Primary School, and they always host a year-end party for the Class of 2026 at their home. Jen, in addition to her time on the Board, has done everything from co-chairing Spring Fling and the Primary School Book Fair to volunteering in the School Store to serving as a Kent Place Fund Class Agent, Welcoming Liaison, and Girl Scout Troop Leader.

When asked what volunteering she found most rewarding, Jen says, “You’re going to laugh, but my favorite is working in the School Store. The girls can start coming in when they’re in sixth grade, and seeing them grow up is gratifying. In general, volunteering is my opportunity to give back to specific people on campus, mostly faculty and staff. And I’ve made lots of friends, too.”

Says Greg: “Particularly if you’re in the Primary School and your kid’s going to be here for the duration, you don’t want to be a stranger on campus when your daughter’s a senior. Knowing the other parents makes every event more meaningful and fun.”

The Grogans have also been mindful of modeling service and philanthropy to Cooper, who, in turn, has made gifts to the Kent Place Fund on Founders Day with her own money for the past seven years.

As their daughter nears graduation, the Grogans are excited about her future — and what lies ahead for the school. “I tell Cooper all the time, ‘Go change the world. It needs you to,’” says Jen. “What we do at Kent Place, I’m looking forward to seeing us keep doing it and thriving and growing. Because it’s never been more important to educate women.”