Celebrating Founder’s Day with A Practical Philanthropist
On October 13, 2026, Curtis celebrated Founder’s Day—and the 150th anniversary of Mary Louise Curtis Bok’s birth—with the release of her first published biography, A Practical Philanthropist. Written by Curtis’ senior archivist, Barbara Benedett, the book reveals never-before-published details of this remarkable woman and her powerful vision for Curtis.
Around 100 community members—including patrons, trustees, alumni, faculty, students, and staff— joined the celebration, which included:
- A reception and book signing with Benedett
- A pre-talk performance by the Viano Quartet (’23)
- An author’s talk and Q&A, featuring selected highlights from the book
Weren’t able to join us? Check out our photo highlights of this special evening below.
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Thank you to our generous donors for helping make this year’s Founder’s Day a success. Thanks to our generous supporters Casiana and Barry Hilton, every gift was doubled, up to $20,000.
Interested in reading A Practical Philanthropist? The book is currently available for pre-order on Amazon for $35; it will be released on November 10, 2026.
The publication of A Practical Philanthropist has been made possible through the generosity of the Mary Louise Curtis Bok Foundation.
