Jesuit Dallas Receives Historic $17M Gift
Segal Aquatic Center scheduled to open in 2021
Honoring the memory of her late husband, Rachel Segal has committed the largest gift in the 78-year history of Jesuit Dallas as the single donor in the construction of the David A. Segal Family Aquatic Center.
The 29,000-square foot state-of-the-art natatorium, made possible thanks to Segal’s $17 million gift to The Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas, is scheduled to open in spring 2021.
“Walking under the ‘Men for Others’ signage every day was a walk-the-talk experience.”
Rachel Segal
“Jesuit is a unique institution in Dallas,” Rachel Segal said. “It is a backbone for the underserved locally and abroad, and the rigorous academics and discipline it offers provided a huge benefit to my sons.
“However, the biggest impact Jesuit made on the boys was the development of their emotional intellect,” she said. “Walking under the ‘Men for Others’ signage every day was a walk-the-talk experience. It is an honor to support the school, and it is a wonderful tribute to be able to preserve David’s memory in this way.”
In addition to serving as a practice and competitive venue for the swimming and diving teams, and the school’s water polo program, the facility, affectionately nicknamed, “The Gull,” will provide a space for injury rehab therapy, as well as endurance and flexibility training for other sports, learn-to-swim programs, scuba certification instruction, and lifeguard training and certification.
The facility will include an eight-lane, 25-yard competition pool as well as a four-lane warmup/teaching pool with separate climate and water controls. Featuring the latest in pool and video technology, the David A. Segal Family Aquatic Center will also include a climate-controlled gallery with chair-back spectator seating for 250 guests.
“Beyond its obvious application as a venue for athletic competition and training for all sports, the space will serve as an additional science lab of sorts by allowing our students to engage in experiments and activities not currently possible,” school president Mike Earsing said. “Our marine biology program, which focuses on addressing environmental issues across the globe and is unique in its scope among secondary schools, will also greatly benefit. When we consider fully all of the possibilities, the addition of a natatorium on our campus is wonderful and exciting.”
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