Deep Gratitude Inspires Gorelick Family to Give

Scott and Dana Gorelick think there might be something in the water at Providence Day.

Following their very first tour of campus with then- Admissions associate Barbara Bodycott, the two were struck by how warm, welcoming, and happy everyone was. “I remember so clearly,” explained Dana. “That night we were so excited…we knew that [Providence Day] was 100% where we wanted to be.”

Over time, that excitement never waned; rather, it was reinforced again and again as their three children — Maddie ’16, Elyssa ’11, and Zachary ’09 — spent time learning, growing, and finding themselves at PD. What the Gorelicks came to understand and appreciate, was the legitimacy of that original feeling as represented by the love, care and concern for their kids from the faculty and staff.

“The authenticity of this place is just something very special,” explains Scott.

The Gorelicks valued the “teams” that developed around each of their children, helping to navigate the sometimes challenging transitions from child, to adolescent, to young adult. “Anything that would normally be an issue somewhere else was just an opportunity for a solution here,” he said. The results from that collaborative approach are something the Gorelicks proudly recount.

Elyssa was fascinated by her PD psychology class, and is currently a practicing psychotherapist in Charlotte with a Master’s in Social Work. Maddie also discovered that she had a penchant for the subject, which has inspired her pursuit of a psychology major at UNC. Zach’s time spent working on the school newspaper furthered his passion for writing, which turned into a journalism degree and now law school.

In retrospect, each of their children benefited from the teachers, classes, and extra-curricular opportunities that helped them discover an interest they didn’t know they had, or the courage to do something that they never thought they would. The school challenges students to understand their capabilities and have confidence in their abilities.

“We have deep gratitude for what Providence Day has done for our children and our family,” added Dana.

It was a spirit of thankfulness that led the Gorelicks to make a commitment to the CHARGING forward campaign. Their esteem also extended to the intentionality and thoughtfulness of the campaign itself. “The way it was structured – including the endowment, capital, and annual giving – reflects a maturity, a discipline, and a long-term strategic awareness,” explained Scott.

Looking to the future, Scott hopes the campaign will have served two purposes: provide a sense of accomplishment and inculcate a deeper culture of philanthropy in students. “The community is what supports itself…no one’s going to give to Providence Day except Providence Day people,” he said. “But you’ll never regret it. You’ll be proud of it, especially when you see the results in your children, and hopefully grandchildren.”

“Fingers crossed,” added Dana, “we’ll have grandchildren here one day.”

Scott and Dana are the proud parents of Maddie ’16, Elyssa ’11, and Zachary ’09.