Profiles in Giving Spring '26

Cory Hurley Mcpeek ’58, P’83 says that even before her first day at Winsor, she already felt like a student; the school had sent her a summer reading list and even connected her to another classmate. “My first memory was meeting Miss Knapp [Head of School Valeria Addams Knapp], who was waiting for me at the top of the stairs, and she greeted me by name,” recalls Cory.

From that moment on, Winsor was not just a school but the foundation from which she built a satisfying life that has included extensive international travel, launching her own business, and raising a family. Her connection to Winsor has truly spanned every era of her life, and she proactively became involved in volunteering as soon as possible. After graduating from college at Radcliffe she became a class agent, and later served two terms as president of the Winsor Alumnae Association. She also served as a trustee, a member of the corporation, and as editor of The Winsor Bulletin.

In 1980, she founded the Mary Pickard Winsor Associates, the leadership society for the Winsor Fund. “In the past, women had a tendency to give to their husbands’ schools rather than their own. It seemed necessary to introduce the idea of leadership giving.”

To launch the effort, Cory hand-wrote hundreds of letters, making the case for increased giving. This personal touch elicited an enthusiastic response, and those first Winsor Associates stepped up to contribute more than $70,000 toward the annual fund goal of $150,000.

“It really took off and started a whole different level of giving at Winsor,” says Cory. “The fact that it is still doing so well is heartwarming, and that result is because of the work of many of my successors, too. Everybody has had a part in its great success.”

However, for Cory, supporting the Winsor community has always been about something much bigger than a dollar amount: It was about honoring values instilled by her parents, Miriam and Donald Hurley, and endeavoring to make life better for others.
“I grew up feeling that you should help people out. My mother was a trustee of Radcliffe, and my father was the head of what is now the Boston Foundation. That was always my goal: to try to make life a little bit easier for people.”

Cory’s dedication to that goal is evident. She has supported the Winsor Fund for 43 consecutive years, proof positive that Winsor is a lifetime philanthropic priority for her. She encourages alumnae and other Winsor supporters to consider giving a personally meaningful gift consistently, rather than waiting to give.

“Every gift, regardless of amount, contributes to the final show of support. Through my early work with the Alumnae Association, I quickly understood the importance of Winsor graduates making yearly donations to the school,” says Cory. “Annual giving demonstrates our commitment, which is crucial when Winsor seeks grants and other major gifts.” Cory says that her trust in Winsor to use resources wisely comes from decades of multi-faceted experience with the school as an institution, but more importantly, as a community.

“I’ve seen [Winsor] from many different viewpoints. I’ve been there as a student, as a parent, and I’ve been there as a trustee and a volunteer. And we’ve had wonderful heads of school, and I have great confidence in how they take care of people.” She also insists that in her experience, people who invest their time and effort with Winsor reap the rewards of lasting, positive relationships.

“My volunteering at Winsor was a large part of my life, and it brought me great pleasure and many long lasting friendships. The parents and alumnae work very happily together,” notes Cory. “They became some of my closest friends, and we shared a deep love with Winsor and spent a great deal of time together.”

It’s been decades now since Cory first stood on the Winsor steps. Yet all these years later, with all the changes, improvements, and expansions at Winsor, there is still a familiar sense of welcome and warmth that keep drawing her back.
Most recently she returned with her daughter, alexandra mcpeek ’83, for the reopening of the science wing last fall. “The opportunity to reconnect with friends, and fellow classmates, and former faculty is what keeps me coming back,” says Cory. And it’s her belief in the generations to come that inspire her gift each year. ●