Alumni Spotlight: Catherine Gouge ’01

IMS: Can you describe the role that IMS has played in your life? 

CG: IMS shaped me and set me up for success. It led me to my dream high school, Loomis Chaffee, which opened up so many doors for me both academically and athletically. My experiences at IMS are part of the reason I moved to California, which was always a dream of mine. So I would say that in many ways, IMS kickstarted my adult dream. 

IMS: How did you find yourself working in development, fundraising, and advancement? 

CG: I didn’t plan to go into fundraising, but it was the path I was meant to take. I care deeply about providing people access to education and community, and about helping others realize their full potential. After college, I worked at a small private school in NYC for about six months. It was there that I fell in love with development. I realized that it just fit who I was as a person. Development is about communicating, meeting different people, and encouraging others to support a cause. Later, I worked at a small, private all-girls school in San Francisco and then moved to the University of California, Berkeley. 

IMS: What was it like to work for such an influential public university? 

CG: That was a big shift. It was eye-opening to work for a public institution. I knew that the dollars we were raising were for the good of a university educating a massive number of people. I had to step up my game. I mean, I was meeting with faculty members who had Nobel Prizes! But it’s all the same on a fundamental level: it’s about creating opportunities for faculty and students.

IMS: Education has clearly played a very important, very consistent role in your life! What does it mean to you? 

CG: I was very fortunate to not have to worry about where I was going to school or if my parents could afford to send me to school. That’s not the case for many people, because there are so many financial and socio-economic barriers to education in this country. Access to education grants someone an opportunity to change their lives and their family’s lives. And it doesn’t have to be college – certificates and training programs and junior colleges provide amazing opportunities for people to grow and give back to their communities. The more we educate, the more we create opportunities, the more we’ll help build a robust democracy, full of diverse voices and opinions. At the end of the day, IMS changed my life. I’m very grateful that my job allows me to facilitate that kind of change in other people’s lives.

IMS: How has your perspective on development and the IMS community changed since becoming an IMS board member? 

CG: When Jody asked me to join the board, I couldn’t have thought of a better opportunity to support the school. Now, I feel an even greater drive to support the faculty and staff. As a board member, you’re giving faculty a green light to take their vision into the classroom, giving them both the tools they need to be successful teachers and the space they need to grow. My work as a trustee reinforced my belief that we must continue to support teachers and take an active role in creating a warm, middle school environment that challenges students, yes, but also shields them when necessary. 

IMS: Do you remember that warm, middle school environment from when you were a student? 

CG: Sure. When I went to IMS, it was so small. Everyone was an important part of the community and had to pull their weight. If someone asked you to move the backpacks… you had to move the backpacks! You realize that everyone has to help keep the school clean, safe, and fun. In some sense, that’s why you give back – you give back to the place that gave you safety, education, friends. That’s what giving back to IMS means to me. Living a life through service is about being loyal and supportive of my community, and that includes everyone from the current students to my classmates. 

IMS: Is there a specific memory from your time at IMS that’s still meaningful to you? 

CG: One of the earliest moments of pride in my life was when I got my first Mountain Card. My classmate, James Butler, and I volunteered to be head waiters one weekend, and when I raised my hand, I felt like a leader. Moments like those, where students are recognized for stepping up to the plate, can be so impactful and encouraging. 

My wilderness trip in eighth grade was also quite memorable. We went to the Adirondacks. It was supposed to rain, but instead, there was a freak snowstorm. It was certainly a bonding experience! I applaud IMS for taking us out of our comfort zones. I left the camping trip thinking, wow, I can handle a really tough situation. 

IMS: Any advice for recent alumni? 

CG: I wish I was more focused on remaining connected to the IMS community as a young alum. IMS will always be a part of your life, even if it’s not as immediate as your high school or college. The formative years of your education, of building self-confidence and an independent identity, begin in middle school.