John and Lulu McPhee

Andrew started researching traditional liberal arts colleges but then discovered Parsons’ creative undergraduate programs. Could the school help channel Andrew’s abilities into a satisfying and successful career? John contacted New School graduate Alan Heller ’65—founder of the leading modern furniture and housewares company Heller Design—for guidance. Heller in turn connected John with Parsons Board of Governors member Michael Donovan, president (and co-founder, with his wife, Parsons grad Nancye Greene ’73) of the celebrated design agency Donovan/Green.

Over lunch with Donovan, John and Andrew got an insider’s view of Parsons. They learned about the community, the school’s partnerships, and Parsons’ faculty of design innovators, a feature that attracted the McPhees, whose own creative careers have benefited greatly from mentoring. An admission interview soon followed. “I have to tell you, she was so positive, and that interview was a pivotal moment in Andrew's life,” says Lulu. “She advised Andrew to consider the Bachelor of Business Administration in Strategic Design and Management (BBA SDM) degree, given his abilities and inclinations. 

While Andrew was at Parsons, he immersed himself in the city and his studies, collaborating with design students and combining his strategic abilities with their skills. Seeing their son thrive inspired the McPhees—who met in college and share a passion for education—to give back. Their donations have ranged from targeted gifts to help students competing in a design competition to broader giving, connected with John’s role on the Parsons Board of Governors, a position he has held since 2016. 

Lulu hopes others will be inspired to give by what she sees as the unique benefits of study at the university: “There’s something about a Parsons education—you learn to collaborate and think differently, come at things from a different approach. I remember explaining to people that Andrew was studying strategic business at an art school. They were taken aback by that at first. But after thinking for a minute, they’d say, ‘Boy, we could use more of that in our work environment.’ That's a real gift. You don't get that in most learning institutions.”

Reflecting on her philanthropy with the school, Lulu observes, “Human beings have a strong desire to connect. Among Parsons parents, that happens over the joy of seeing your son or daughter immersed in design and an environment they’re drawn to.” She recalls conversations from a parents tour of Parsons’ Making Center during which she heard families describe “just how moving it was to see their kids working with the equipment, freely creating, and finally really getting to fly”—something the McPhees hope others will experience through giving.