PCD Announces Suzanne Young Murray Arts Center Following Historic Gift

"Suzanne’s passion for learning, her love for the arts, and her dedication to our students have left a lasting mark on PCD,” says Head of School, Kevin Folan. “This building will carry her legacy, inspiring creativity and curiosity in every student who walks through its doors for generations to come."

Suzanne and her family have a long history with PCD. Suzanne attended the Henry Barnard School, while her husband, Terry Murray Sr. ‘58, her son, Terry Murray Jr. ‘85, and her grandson, Kevin “Joe”  McNamara ’16, all attended PCD. Suzanne's daughter, Paula McNamara, serves on the school’s board of trustees.

“Supporting the creation of this Arts Center is incredibly meaningful to our family,” shared Paula McNamara. “Education was always at the heart of our mother Suzanne’s life, and knowing her name will be associated with a space where creativity, learning, and community flourish is truly inspiring. Providence Country Day School has shaped three generations of Murray men, and we are profoundly grateful to support a school where every student can excel. The Suzanne Young Murray Arts Center will carry forward our mother’s belief in the transformative power of education and the arts.”

The Suzanne Young Murray Arts Center at Providence Country Day will be the school’s first-ever building dedicated exclusively to the arts—a 12,000-square-foot facility scheduled to open in September 2026.

The center will feature a 700-square-foot art gallery that opens into a 2,100-square-foot, state-of-the-art theater, which will serve as the home of the PCD Players. Designed to support both theater and musical performances, the theater will also function as a versatile gathering and meeting space for students and faculty. In addition, the building will include new classrooms for visual arts and music, as well as a dedicated maker space.

By bringing all arts programs together under one roof, Providence Country Day will free up classroom space in Metcalf and Lund Halls for general academic use—allowing for expanded enrollment of up to 75 additional students while preserving the school’s hallmark small classroom sizes.

“We are so excited for the Suzanne Young Murray Arts Center to open on our campus as PCD’s first building dedicated specifically to the arts,” says Crystal Shillan, Director of the Chorus and Theater programs. “Our students will continue to shine as they create, collaborate, and express themselves across disciplines—in classrooms, studios, rehearsal spaces, and on the stage. The new arts center provides a true home for the PCD Players while also supporting instrumental music and visual arts, allowing for a more immersive, year-round artistic experience. It will serve as a space for our community to appreciate the creativity, skill, and dedication of our student artists. Thank you to all who have made this building possible!” 

“Suzanne Murray embodied the spirit of Providence Country Day through her curiosity, generosity, and deep belief in the transformative power of education,” shared President of the Board of Trustees, Patrick McQuade ‘06. “This remarkable gift not only honors her legacy, but will strengthen the entire PCD community for generations of Knights to come. The Board of Trustees is profoundly grateful to the Murray family for their extraordinary generosity and for advancing Country Day’s mission of developing students of engaged citizenship.”

The new art center is part of the school’s Centennial Campaign, which was announced by Folan during PCD’s Centennial Gala in June 2024. The Centennial Campaign is the first of its kind in school history, with targeted goals of $1.5 million for endowment, $5 million in unrestricted gifts, and $8.5 million for capital projects.

Learn more about Suzanne Young Murray and the news arts center in this video.