Shortly before her death in 2015, longtime Calvert supporter Dorothy “Dottie” Sloan Atkinson ’40 arranged to make one final, enduring gift to the school that sparked her educational journey: establishing a foundation to support her alma maters, including Calvert.
This selfless contribution, given through Dottie’s estate after her passing, created the Dottie Atkinson Foundation, highlighting Dottie’s passion for challenging academics and accessible education and ensuring in perpetuity the schools that she loved so dearly. Thanks to her generous forward thinking, countless students have been able to experience Calvert’s enriching curriculum regardless of their families’ financial means, and the campus will expand to include a dedicated athletic facility.
Alan Garten and Myron M. Oppenheimer, who represent Dottie’s foundation, said that she would be proud to know her charitable gift has paved a path forward for Calvert families.
“Calvert School has always had a place in Dottie Atkinson’s heart,” they said. “The school meant a lot to her, and she was thrilled to be able to help maintain its high standards and academic excellence with contributions from her Foundation.”
Raised in Baltimore, Dottie spent her earliest years on Tuscany Road, where she enjoyed shaking hands each morning and acting in class plays. These memories, along with an innate desire to make a difference in her community, led Dottie to become a high-level supporter of the Calvert Fund for many years, though she never sought recognition for her gifts.
After graduating with the Calvert Class of 1940, Dottie went on to attend Bryn Mawr School and Bryn Mawr College, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in social work. She later earned her master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania and spent more than 30 years working as a social worker with the Baltimore City Department of Social Services.
A resident of Towson’s Blakehurst community since 2003, Dottie passed away in December 2015. Her generous choice to include Calvert in her will reflects a giving spirit, a passion for education, and high esteem for the school that began her journey. We are endlessly grateful for Dottie’s enduring support and for the opportunities she has provided for students in the Calvert community.
“She would be thrilled to know how much the Foundation continues to help students attend and benefit from Calvert School,” Garten and Oppenheimer said.
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