THE NEW LEARNING, innovation and athletics center currently under construction on the campus of Rosary Academy has been designed to expand opportunity where it matters most, enabling generations of young women to learn, pray, form friendships and serve.
SCHEDULED TO OPEN IN SEPTEMBER 2027, THE TWO-STORY, 12,000-SQUARE-FOOT BUILDING WILL HOUSE AN INNOVATION & ROBOTICS CENTER, DEDICATED ATHLETIC AND TRAINING SPACES, A CULINARY ARTS CLASSROOM, AND SPACES FOR MENTORSHIP, RETREATS AND MISSION-DRIVEN FORMATION. PHOTO BY IAN TRAN/DIOCESE OF ORANGE
Scheduled to open in September 2027, the two-story, 12,000 square-foot building will house an Innovation & Robotics Center, dedicated athletic and training spaces, a culinary arts classroom, and spaces for mentorship, retreats and mission-driven formation, Rosary officials said. An elevator will ensure the building is ADA-compliant. But there are benefits beyond brick-and-mortar, said Shawna Pautsch, Rosary’s head of school, during the official groundbreaking and dedication ceremony held Aug. 26 in the center of campus.
Pautsch framed the project as a collective dream of prayers, hard work and sacrifice.
“We gather not simply to break ground on a building project, but to celebrate faith, generosity, vision and the future of Rosary Academy,” Pautsch said. “We are planting our hope, we are planting opportunity, we are planting a future for generations of young women. The foundation of Rosary is not concrete or steel. Our foundation is Christ.”
Bishop Kevin Vann was present to bestow his blessing on the construction site. But before Bishop Vann imparted his blessing and asperged (sprinkled) the grounds with holy water, he shared his own sentiments regarding the project and the benefits of single-sex education.
“This is an evening for us to be grateful,” Bishop Vann said. “Because I’ll tell you, as I go around the country and see various places, not many dioceses can say they still have the possibility of single-sex Catholic education for high school students, for girls and for boys. It’s just not always around anymore. So, we’re grateful that we have Rosary.”
Rosary is among the diocesan high schools that offer multiple academic pathways to prepare students for specific careers, and the new building features four pathway aligned classrooms supporting these career-connected curricula. The culinary arts classroom launches Rosary’s eighth pathway, adding to medical, engineering, computer science, sports medicine, law, performing arts and leadership pathways.
Funding for the $10 million project has come from the Empower Rosary Capital Campaign, which was launched in April with a goal of raising $15 million. The total raised to date is $9 million. Many who donated to the project are Rosary alumni or have children who attend or will attend the academy.
Tracey Irving, a parent of 2012 and 2015 Rosary graduates, was anxious to serve on the fundraising committee.
“I just believe that what girls get out of single-sex Catholic education is amazing,” said Irving, who attended an all-girls Catholic high school in Missouri. “I knew I wanted that for my two daughters. And I wanted it available for the future.”
Annie Bertocchini Grand, a 2002 Rosary graduate, has two daughters in seventh grade and one in fifth grade. All three are future Royals, which motivated Bertocchini Grand to participate on the fundraising committee.
“For me it was important, because my girls will experience this,” she said. “It is important for my husband and me to see Rosary thrive and grow.”