Steve Burke '77

Champions of Giving: Steve Burke '77

Meet the Donor

For Steve Burke ’77, Austin Prep is a family legacy that spans generations. “There is a large contingent of Burkes that have gone through here. Ten altogether,” he said, naming brothers Frank ’71, Terry ’75, Matt ’79, and Tony ’81, along with five nephews who continued the family tradition. The School has been woven into the Burke family story for more than fifty years.

Steve’s father discovered Austin Prep by chance. While driving along I-93 on the way to one of his businesses in East Boston, he heard about a new Catholic school opening in Reading. “He literally just drove in and stopped by,” Steve recalled. Impressed by the Augustinian mission and its academic focus, he enrolled his sons almost immediately. “He was really impressed with the place… and that it was intended to be a preparatory school. That was really important to him.”

Those early decisions shaped a lifetime of connection. “We all have many, many, many Austin Prep stories,” Steve said, describing the friendships that have endured across decades. When his brother Terry passed away, Steve was deeply moved by the classmates, teachers, and administrators who came to honor him. “It just reminded me of what close personal relationships that we developed during those obviously formative years.”

 

Steve also remembers Austin Prep as academically rigorous. “It was tough. We learned a lot,” he said. The School’s college preparatory identity mattered greatly to his parents, and it succeeded. “I felt really ready for college, prepared both emotionally and academically.” Over time, the School’s Catholic identity became even more meaningful. During a visit to Austin Prep’s Chapel of St. Augustine, he reflected, “Looking back, it really meant a lot to all of us.”

The Inspiration to Give

Although Steve now lives in New Hampshire, he remained closely tied to Austin Prep. He served on the Board of Trustees for 11 years and is now Trustee Emeritus. “Participating in the school as an alum and on the board has been really meaningful to me,” he said. Over the years, he traveled frequently to campus for his nephews’ games and family events.

His motivation to support Austin Prep has always centered on continuity and care. “Schools are fragile places. They are relationships and those relationships need to be tended to,” Steve said. He believes alumni share responsibility for keeping the School’s traditions strong. “Each of us has some responsibility to give back to make sure that continues.”

Steve has witnessed firsthand the School’s remarkable transformation under Dr. James Hickey’s leadership. “The school has just been transformed,” he noted, describing a decade of progress. Returning to campus stirs a sense of pride and nostalgia. “Just to drive onto the campus, it brings back so many memories and makes the effort worthwhile to see that things are continuing in such a wonderful way.”

The Burke Boys Feeling Right at Home in The Visitors' Dugout 

Baseball is where Steve’s Austin Prep journey took root. “A couple of my brothers and I played baseball,” he said, recalling a campus very different from today’s. “We didn’t even have home games, all of them were away.” Every season, the team played roughly twenty Merrimack Valley Conference games — all on the road.

That meant one thing: the Burkes lived in the visitor’s dugout.

 

“We were always the away team, for every baseball game we played in, we were in the visitor’s dugout,” Steve said. The lack of facilities never dimmed their spirit. They practiced wherever space was available, often at the Reading High School fields. “There was just something fun about thinking about [naming] the visitor’s dugout,” he said, remembering those early seasons with a smile.

Years later, as Austin Prep developed its modern baseball complex, Steve chose a gift that honored those memories, and as a result, his family name is on the Visitor’s Dugout — a symbolic nod to the resilience, camaraderie, and humor that defined his playing days. What had once been a necessity became a meaningful way to give back.

Seeing the completed facility brings him joy. “The baseball complex has just been an amazing transformation,” he said. “The fields are fantastic… it’s just a wonderful facility.” The program, he added, has become “a real signature activity sport for the school,” a far cry from twenty away games a year.

Why Giving Matters

For Steve, supporting Austin Prep is both personal and principled. “Support for the school is critical to make this legacy, this tradition continue,” he said. “It requires the time and treasure of people that are committed to the Augustinian faith and to this education.” Staying engaged as Trustee Emeritus allows him to remain close to a place that shaped him profoundly. “It also allows you the opportunity to get close to the institution again, which is personally meaningful.”

He takes pride in the School’s progress: “We’ve seen, through Dr. Hickey’s leadership, the school really follow a path of improvement and a path toward excellence. It resulted in amazing transformation.” That transformation makes his service — and his giving — deeply worthwhile.

Steve believes strongly in building a stronger philanthropic culture at Austin Prep. “To build a legacy… is going to require a culture of giving,” he said. “We need to develop a culture of development, a culture of giving.” If he could change just one thing, he added, it would be to significantly grow the School’s endowment to secure Austin Prep’s future.

In the end, Steve’s motivation is simple: “Why I support Austin Prep is really to make sure that this incredible institution continues.” His gift of the Visitor’s Dugout, his years of board service, and his enduring love for the School reflect a lifelong commitment to the legacy that shaped his family, strengthened his faith, and formed friendships that have lasted a lifetime.

 

       

Become a Champion of Giving

The article above is part of our Champions of Giving series, which highlights the individuals and families whose generosity transforms student lives and strengthens the Austin Prep experience. You too can be a Champion of Giving by supporting our students through annual giving, memorial scholarships, or campaign contributions. Your gift helps students learn boldly, lead with purpose, and serve with compassion — creating a lasting impact for generations to come.