PRIDE THE
Summer 2019 Volume 24, Issue 2 St. Mark’s School of Texas Alumni Magazine
On the Path to Manhood Outside of the classroom, Marksmen receive an experiential education
The First 100 Days Students get to work in the Winn Science Center
2019 September 23 Austin Alumni Event September 24 Rice Alumni Event Houston Alumni Event College Station Alumni Event October 13 Boston Alumni Event October 14 Princeton Alumni Event October 15 New York City Alumni Event October 16 Philadelphia Alumni Event Washington, D.C. Alumni Event October 25 Homecoming
November 27 Young Alumni Holiday Party November 29 Class of 1999–2009 Alumni Holiday Party December 5 Alumni Holiday Luncheon December 19 College-Age Marksmen Day December 21 Alumni Games
2020 April 23–25 Alumni Weekend May 22 Commencement & Graduate Luncheon
See the full calendar of events at www.smtexas.org/AlumniEvents
Contents
THE
PRIDE St. Mark’s School of Texas Alumni Magazine Volume 24, Issue 2 • Summer 2019
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ON CAMPUS
28
2 | Letter from the Editor 4 | Student Art 8 | Sports News 14 | Student Accolades 16 | Campus Visitors 18 | Making a Difference 20 | Retiring Faculty & Staff 25 | Retiring Trustees 28 | St. Mark’s Scout Reports to Washington
ALUMNI NEWS
30
32 | Alumni Board Report 34 | Alumni Weekend
SPOTLIGHT ON PHILANTHROPY
48 | All Things Bright & Beautiful 50 | Reunion Giving
FEATURES 52 | Strengthening Physical & Experiential Education 60 | The First 100 Days 78 | Class of 2019 80 | Baccalaureate & Commencement 86 | College Matriculation
52
NOTES AND REMARKS
88 | Class Notes 92 | Faculty Notes 93 | In Memoriam 96 | Endnotes
ABOUT OUR COVER A group on the 2016 Pecos Wilderness Trip hikes up the Skyline Trail along Trailriders Wall in New Mexico.
St. Mark’s School of Texas
Summer 2019 | Contents
1
On Campus
from the editor
I I imagine few events in a Marksman’s life conjure
Under the guidance of Goals for St. Mark’s IV, the
up excitement, anticipation, and pride like putting
School is working hard to keep the Marksman
on a blue shirt for the first time as a rising senior.
experience strong, adding new opportunities
In May, I watched my own son button up his blue
and strengthening existing programs. In this
shirt and join his 89 fellow brothers in the Class
issue, you’ll see some of the incredible ways each
of 2020, and I can say that as a parent, I felt all of
Marksman is forging his own Path to Manhood,
those emotions and more. To be sure, the boys
both on and off campus.
have received a rigorous academic education and have been challenged in the art studio, in the
Best Wishes,
performance halls, and on the athletic fields. They have forged lifelong bonds with one another, with their teachers and coaches, and with all of us who love and care for them here on campus. The lessons they have learned are a vital part of their Marksman
Katy Rubarth
experience, one that doesn’t end when they cross
Director of Communications
the Commencement stage. Working in the Office of Development and Alumni Relations, I have the privilege of hearing firsthand the stories our Marksmen share after they graduate. While they travel far and wide, exploring their separate vocations and taking on new and greater challenges, they always find their home at 10600 Preston Road. During Alumni Weekend in April, I watched Marksmen from in the 1950’s reconnect as if not a day had gone by since their graduation. This year’s seniors might think their Marksman experience is nearing its end, but it truly is only the beginning. 2
On Campus | THE PRIDE
St. Mark’s School of Texas
On Campus
campus snapshot
The beautiful spring weather prompted many teachers to take their classes outdoors. Whether programming drones to fly across the Quad or reciting classic poetry, teachers and their boys enjoyed some fresh air along with their lessons.
St. Mark’s School of Texas
Summer 2019 | On Campus
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On Campus
A Collection of Student Photography & Painting
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On Campus | THE PRIDE
St. Mark’s School of Texas
On Campus
(clockwise from top) Tyler Nussbaumer ’20 Will Rocchio ’20 Collin Katz ’21
St. Mark’s School of Texas
(opposite) Matthew Coleman ’19
Summer 2019 | On Campus
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On Campus
(clockwise from top left) Benjamin Hao ’20 Cooper Cole ’22 Adnan Khan ’19 Chad Kim ’19
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On Campus | THE PRIDE
St. Mark’s School of Texas
On Campus
(clockwise from top) Ryan McCord ’20 Seth Weprin ’19 Kyle Smith ’19 (Presidential Scholar in the Arts)
St. Mark’s School of Texas
Summer 2019 | On Campus
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On Campus
(left) Colin Neuhoff ’19 pins his opponent
Swimming The 2018-2019 season proved challenging for the varsity swim team. Coached by Mihai Oprea and led by 12 seniors, the Lions often found themselves competing from behind due to the limited diving experience on the team. At the SPC Championship, the Lions swam a great meet with one of the best overall team performances, resulting in a third-place finish. The Lions took third in the 200 Medley Relay, the 100 Fly, and the 500 Free, and second in the 200 Free Relay, 100 Breast, and 400 Free Relay. Mark Weisberg ’19, Nicolas Gomez ’22, Jack Palmer ’21, Daniel Wu ’21, Ryan Park ’21, David Li ’20, and Robert Newman ’19 earned All-SPC honors for their performance.
Sports News The Lions completed another incredible year, with several Championship finishes and impressive individual
St. Mark’s wrestling celebrated its 50th year this season, and the current team of Lions wrestlers drew much inspiration from those who came before them. Coached by alumnus and former wrestler Reyno Arredondo ’87, in his second year back on campus, the rebuilding program made
achievements. St. Mark’s recaptured the SPC Athletic
several strides forward. In many matches, the
Director’s Cup as the overall winningest boys’ athletic
Lions’ improved depth was on display while their
program in the Southwest Preparatory Conference for the
youth gained valuable experience from being on
13th time in the past 15 years. At the Athletic Banquet in
the mat early and often. In the SPC Championship, the Lions improved on last year’s results with a
May, Athletic Director Mark Sullivan reflected on the year:
fourth-place finish. Senior captain Colin Neuhoff
“Specific scores and outcomes may fade, but the memories of
(170 lbs.) and freshman Elijah Ellis (182 lbs.) both
teammates and coaches will last forever. My hope is that for
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Wrestling
won their respective weight classes. Of the 11 SPC wrestlers, eight were underclassmen, a promising
each of these young men, these relationships hold a lifetime
sign for next year’s campaign. Colin and Elijah
of great fondness and satisfaction.”
both earned All-SPC honors.
On Campus | THE PRIDE
St. Mark’s School of Texas
On Campus
(clockwise from top left) James Carr ’21 on the starting block Andrew Laczkowski ’20 driving against Cistercian The varsity soccer team celebrates a win against Cistercian
Soccer
Basketball
The varsity soccer team, coached by Cory Martin,
Early season tournaments challenged a young
finished its SPC North Zone slate undefeated.
varsity basketball team to quickly figure out
Stout defense and timely offense became its
how to play together. Learning from these
calling cards as the season progressed. After
experiences, the dynamic Lions achieved an
securing a first-round bye in the SPC Tournament,
undefeated SPC regular season as large crowds
the Lions opened with The John Cooper School.
inside the Thomas O. Hicks Family Athletic
Unfortunately, this game followed a different
Center roared all winter. In the SPC Tournament,
script than the regular season, as the defense
the Lions beat the Kinkaid School after a
conceded two goals, and the Lions fell. The Lions
first-round bye. But against the highly touted
ultimately finished fifth at the SPC Tournament
Episcopal Houston, the Lions failed to find their
where William Holtby ’20 and Seth Weprin ’19
three-point accuracy and ultimately lost. The
earned All-SPC honors. The young Lions
team secured third place in the SPC Tournament
footballers will carry many positives into the next
and a successful 29-win season that leaves them
season as they work to redeem this year’s finish.
hungry for next year. Andrew Laczkowsi ’20 and Harrison Ingram ’21 earned All-SPC honors for their play. Laczkowski ’20 also surpassed 1,000 career points in his St. Mark’s career.
St. Mark’s School of Texas
Summer 2019 | On Campus
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On Campus
sports news
(above) Coach Mihai Oprea and the varsity water polo team celebrate the 2019 State Championship (right) The varsity golf team celebrates its win at the Chick-fil-A Invitational at Trinity Valley School
Water Polo After a 14-3 record in 2018, the varsity water polo team began the 2019 season with one goal — win a state title. This season, all the Lions starters returned to the pool, and a few freshmen played key roles. After an undefeated regular season, the Lions lost to Southlake Carroll in the North Region Championship Game. The following week, the team traveled to Austin for the State Championship. After two dominant wins, the Lions faced defending State Champion Flower Mound High School in the semifinals. A backand-forth game ended in dramatic fashion as the
Golf
Lions’ game-winning shot broke a 6-6 tie with
A busy season demanded the best of each of the
only four seconds left in the game. Foster High
varsity golfers this spring. Each tournament
School (Houston) awaited the Lions, and another
seemingly saw a different Marksman contribute
close game needed overtime to decide the State
to that tournament’s success. Ultimately,
Champion. The Lions scored two in the overtime
this competition paid dividends in the SPC
period, and Chase Honaker ’19 was unbeatable
Tournament amid windy conditions, quick greens,
in goal. The Lions secured their sixth Texas State
and challenging pin placements. Five Lion
Championship and Chase Honaker ’19, David Li ’20,
golfers competed, and all finished in the top 30,
Robert Newman ’19, and Mark Weisenberg ’19
combining to score better than the team’s season
earned All-State recognition.
average. Senior captain Romil Mathur earned All-SPC honors and led the Lions to fourth place, a seven-place improvement over last year’s finish.
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On Campus | THE PRIDE
St. Mark’s School of Texas
On Campus
(far left) Adnan Khan ’19 hits a forehand (left) The Lions batting against Oak Ridge
Tennis
Baseball
The varsity tennis team approached the
The varsity baseball team, led by coach Johnny
2019 season with renewed optimism after a
Hunter, struggled to find consistency in 2019, but
second-place SPC finish in 2018. Led by a
played well enough in SPC regular season games
group of returning seniors, the team exceeded
to secure a 5-2 record and the North Zone’s third
expectations early while also allowing skilled
seed. In the SPC Tournament, the inconsistency
underclassmen to grow in their leadership
continued as the bats and pitching could not put
roles. The Lions finished the season with a 9-2
it together in the same game to make a run at the
overall record, 6-1 in SPC matches. In the SPC
title. Senior Cole Arnett earned All-SPC honors
Tournament, the Lions easily handled their
after pitching seven shut-out innings in the
first-round opponent John Cooper and met
second round. The team will bring back most of its
defending SPC Champions Houston Christian
top talent in 2020 and work to develop other key
in the semifinals. Ultimately, Houston Christian
pieces on the mound and at the plate.
prevailed, and the Lions went on to secure third place in the tournament. Adnan Khan ’19 and Matthew Pollock ’19 earned All-SPC honors, and the underclassmen gained valuable experience for next year’s championship push.
St. Mark’s School of Texas
Summer 2019 | On Campus
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On Campus
sports news
(above) The Lions defense swarms St. John’s (right) St. Mark’s nationally ranked Varsity Quad (opposite) Pablo Arroyo ’20 runs his leg of the relay
Lacrosse
Crew
After losing a group of key seniors from last
The varsity crew team participated in three
year’s team, the varsity lacrosse team knew it
major regattas this season with more than 20
had an uphill climb in 2019. The Lions reloaded
rowers making an impact on the water. After
with seven freshmen making contributions
strong early-season performances, Christian
throughout the season, and the entire team
Duessel ’20 and Billy Lockhart ’20 guided the
worked hard while embracing the challenges
Varsity 2x to first place in the Texas Rowing State
of a new season against tough competition. In
Championship, becoming St. Mark’s first State
the SPC tournament, the Lions advanced to the
Champion since 2013. At the US Rowing’s Central
championship game for the ninth time in the past
Youth Championship in Oklahoma City, seven
10 years, this time facing rival Episcopal Dallas.
Lions boats placed with 21 individual rowers
ESD ultimately prevailed as the Lions offense
earning medals. The Varsity 2x, Duessel and
could not find its shooting touch. The following
Lockhart, and the Varsity 4x, Duessel, Lockhart,
week in the Texas State District Playoffs, the Lions
Jack Trahan ’20, and Blake Hudspeth ’21, both
ultimately fell to a tough Southlake Carroll team.
qualified for USRowing’s Youth National Regatta.
Jonathan Taylor ’19 earned All-American and
At Nationals, the Lions missed reaching the Mens
All-State, Parker Clark ’19 earned All-State, and
Youth 4x Semifinals by .2 seconds but finished
Titus McGowan ’20 and Blake Rogers ’19 earned
first in the C-Final. The crew program continues
All-District.
to develop its depth and potential for success in future years.
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On Campus | THE PRIDE
St. Mark’s School of Texas
On Campus
Collegiate Athletes The following members of the Class of 2019 will play
Track & Field A balanced and resolute group of Lions track and field athletes competed through a grueling season with 11 meets on the varsity schedule and only one, the 21st Annual Bradley V. Urschel Invitational, at home. Throughout the spring, many runners set new personal records as the
collegiately next year: • John Harbison – Football and Track & Field at Sewanee • Chase Honaker – Water Polo at UCLA • Albert Luo – Volleyball at MIT • Dylan Osimetha – Basketball at Kenyon College • Jonathan Taylor – Lacrosse at Villanova
team looked to improve on its third-place finish in the 2018 SPC meet. In this year’s tournament, the combination of speed and power drove the Lions to more than double their team scoring from last year, resulting in a second-place finish. Kit Colson ’21 earned All-SPC and posted Top 5 times in St. Mark’s history in both the 100M and 200M. Andrew Arroyo ’20, Pablo Arroyo ’20, Enoch Ellis ’22, George Lamb ’19, and Seth Weprin ’19 also earned All-SPC honors.
St. Mark’s School of Texas
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On Campus
student accolades Facts and Figures from Across Campus St. Mark’s students contributed more than 19,000 hours of service during the 2018–2019 school year. The Debate Team reached the elimination round of the National Debate Coaches Association National Championship for the 11th consecutive year. Samir
Parker Davis ’19 was named the 2019 National High School Journalist of the Year by the Journalism Education Association and National Scholastic Press Association. Parker is the seventh
Ratakonda ’19, Wheeler Sears ’19, David Vallejo ’19, and Max Wang ’19 were among fewer than 1,000 students across the country named Academic AllAmericans by the National Speech and Debate Association.
the young spellers who won the 2019 Scripps National Spelling Bee in an unprecedented eight-way tie.
consecutive Marksman to be named
The 37th Annual Texas High School
Texas High School Journalist of
Shootout presented 32 awards to
the Year.
St. Mark’s photographers, including eight
1st place, six 2nd place, three 3rd place, and fifteen Honorable Mentions.
Noah Carr ’19 was selected as a
Twenty-two musicians qualified for the
Presidential Scholar Semifinalist, one
TPSMEA’s All-State Choir, Orchestra, or
of only 638 students nationwide.
Jazz Band.
All four major student publications were
Kyle Smith ’19 was named a United
honored with Crown Awards by the
States Presidential Scholar in the
Columbia Scholastic Press Association.
Arts, one of only 20 graduating
Marksmen were inducted into the Latin
seniors in the country to receive
Honor Society.
The ReMarker student newspaper won its 16th consecutive Gold Crown, The Marque literary magazine won its sixth consecutive Gold Crown, The Mini-
won its third consecutive Gold Crown,
Dylan Liu ’19, Nicholas Tsao ’20, and Ben
and the Marksmen yearbook won a
Hao ’20 were among the 300 semifinalists
Silver Crown, its 10th consecutive
nationwide for the United States’
Crown Award.
International Physics Olympiad Team. Nicholas was also named one of the Top
The Middle School Math Team won the
20 students competing for a spot on the
4A State Championship.
U.S. Chemistry Olympiad Team.
On Campus | THE PRIDE
Nine Marksmen were inducted into the Chinese Honor Society and 17
the honor.
Marque Middle School literary magazine
14
Sohum Sukhatankar ’24 was one of
At the Texas State Junior Classical League Competition, the Certamen team of Creston Brooks ’19, Noah Carr ’19, Max Wang ’19, and Spencer Burke ’22 won third place. Thirteen Upper School students earned the rank of Eagle Scout.
St. Mark’s School of Texas
ST. MARK’S STUDENT STORE Located in the Alumni Commons across from the Great Hall
CAN’T MAKE IT TO CAMPUS? Order from the Student Store by phone at 214-346-8185.
Monday – Friday 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (Closed School Holidays)
On Campus
campus visitors
The 2018–2019 school year provided myriad opportunities for
Literary Festival
guest speakers to share their experiences and expertise with
St. Mark’s welcomed five extraordinary writers to campus for the 12th annual Literary Festival.
Marksmen. Throughout the year, St. Mark’s welcomed medical
This year’s panel included authors of books
researchers, military veterans, professional athletes, business
that regularly appear on St. Mark’s reading lists,
leaders, civil servants, and more, in addition to the incredible
including Karl Marlantes, author of Matterhorn,
guest speakers hosted by these three unique programs.
and Kimberly Willis Holt, author of When Zachary Beaver Came to Town. Journalist and author Amanda Petrusich discussed her work writing for The New York Times and publishing three books, while poet Joaquin Zihuatanejo shared how his personal story has shaped his writing. Finally, St. Mark’s own Montgomery Sutton ’05 spoke to students about his career as a playwright and stage actor, having appeared in plays from New York to London.
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On Campus | THE PRIDE
St. Mark’s School of Texas
On Campus
STEM Conference
Parent Education Speaker Series
The Winn Science Center served as the perfect
This year, through the coordination of the
venue for the sixth annual STEM Conference.
Hockaday and St. Mark’s Parents’ Associations,
This year’s panel included Dr. Taft Armandroff,
the Parent Education Speaker Series hosted five
astronomer and Director of the McDonald
events featuring world-renowned doctors, authors,
Observatory at the University of Texas at Austin;
educators, psychologists, and parenting experts.
Wyatt Smith, the Head of Business Development at
Dr. Hal Urschel ’77 explained substance abuse
Uber Elevate; Gideon Powell, CEO of Autonomous
and the dangerous new trend of vaping; Anya
Crypto Corp and a director at Cholla Petroleum
Kamenetz spoke about how to balance screen time;
Inc.; and Dr. Kesha Harris-Henderson, a radiation
Dr. Wendy Mogel explained how tone and voice
oncologist with Texas Oncology. Throughout the
can change a conversation; Dr. Kristen Ohlenforst
day, the four guests visited different classrooms
showed ways to identify and address anxiety
(from left to right) Wyatt Smith snaps a selfie during the STEM Conference Panel
Dr. Kesha Harris–Henderson Dr. Hal Urschel ’77
and took advantage of the Winn Science Center’s
in children; and Julie Lythcott-Haims shared
spacious Lecture Hall and state-of-the-art
cautionary tales of overparenting from her time as
Planetarium.
Stanford University’s Dean of Freshmen.
St. Mark’s School of Texas
Joaquin Zihuatanejo
Summer 2019 | On Campus
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On Campus
your support makes these moments possible
Making a Difference Each year, the St. Mark’s Fund supports campus life at 10600 Preston Road. Accounting for more than 11 percent of the overall budget, the St. Mark’s Fund helps create the extraordinary environment in which our Marksmen thrive.
(clockwise from above) Lower School students pull together during a round of tug-of-war during Blue & Gold Day Middle School students take a break from Humanities class The Upper School Quiz Bowl team takes on the faculty, winning 520–330
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On Campus | THE PRIDE
St. Mark’s School of Texas
THANK YOU! for another outstanding year
Thank you from the students, faculty, and staff of St. Mark’s School of Texas for making a gift to the 2018–2019 St. Mark’s Fund. You helped us surpass our goal and raise more than $4 million for the third time in the School’s history. These gifts provide our students and faculty with the necessary support to sustain excellence at 10600 Preston Road.
4
$ M CONTRIBUTED TO THE 2018-2019 ST. MARK’S FUND
87%
PARENT PARTICIPATION IN THE ST. MARK’S FUND IN 2018-2019
55%
ALUMNI PARTICIPATION IN THE ST. MARK’S FUND IN 2018-2019
On Campus
retiring faculty & staff
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On Campus | THE PRIDE
Fred Katani
Pam Elder-Helms
After 33 years of service as a Dallas Police Officer,
Pam joined the St. Mark’s community in 2010 as
Fred joined the St. Mark’s security team in 2016
a long-term substitute in the Green Library. She
and quickly adapted to the School’s schedule and
stayed on as a part-time Library Aide beginning
culture. He took on any job that needed doing, from
with the 2011 academic year. For the past eight
managing the flow of carpool traffic to keeping the
years, she has been a vital part of the library team.
security team’s golf carts clean and professional-
For years, she worked at the libraries at Southern
looking. In keeping with the security team’s overall
Methodist University, and it was there that she met
mission, Fred made sure that campus was open
Tinsley Silcox, St. Mark’s Director of Libraries, who
and welcoming to guests. At the same time, he was
hired her to join the Green Library staff. Her duties
constantly vigilant, politely ensuring all visitors
included maintaining the periodicals collection,
got to where they were supposed to be. He was
making sure all the library equipment was in
dependable, trustworthy, and always maintained a
working order, and contributing to the smooth
positive attitude.
daily operations of the Library.
St. Mark’s School of Texas
On Campus
Max Wood
Benjamin Muratalla
For the past 15 years, Max Wood contributed
Benjamin initially joined the staff in 1998 as a
greatly to the Fine Arts programs in the Middle
member of the physical plant team. After several
and Upper Schools. An artist herself, Max
years, he took a short hiatus, but returned to
emphasized the fundamentals of color, design,
St. Mark’s in 2003 to join the food services
and craftsmanship to the students in classes
team, where he has worked for the past 16 years
including Creative Arts, Drawing and Painting, and
providing support for the entire faculty, student
Art History. She helped to develop a passion for
body, and professional staff. Benjamin has made
creativity in all her students, and the art gallery in
many important contributions as a cook, menu
Nearburg Hall regularly displayed the results of
planner, and developer of new recipes, always with
her teaching. On days when weather permitted, it
a smile and enthusiasm for this community. He has
was common to see Marksmen standing at easels
undoubtedly left an important mark on the School
in the Perot Quadrangle as Max circulated among
community.
them providing encouragement and critique. The 2018 Marque literary magazine staff dedicated that edition to Max for her significant contributions to Fine Arts at St. Mark’s.
St. Mark’s School of Texas
Summer 2019 | On Campus
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On Campus
retiring faculty & staff
David Fray Beginning in 1999, David Fray led the orchestra program in the Middle and Upper School for 19 years. He built the program to a level of excellence
Cira Mesta
that was recognized quickly by not only people
Cira became a member of the Physical Plant
in the St. Mark’s community, but also the state,
Department in 1989 and for nearly 30 years, she
where his students regularly earned places in the
has been a quiet, efficient housekeeper who
All-State Orchestra of the Texas Private School
worked to maintain areas on campus that included
Music Educators Association. In 2001, David
the cafeteria, the break rooms, Centennial Hall,
earned the Murrell Excellence in Teaching Award,
the Chapel, and the Lower School. Her work was
and he was awarded the Ralph B. Rogers Alumni
rewarded with the Superior Staff Award in 1998.
Award in 2009. Year after year, the performances
Her dedication to keeping our campus looking its
of his orchestras reached a level of excellence that
best has been so appreciated.
made all on campus proud. David took an early retirement at the beginning of this academic year to take care of family needs.
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On Campus | THE PRIDE
St. Mark’s School of Texas
On Campus
JT Sutcliffe For 35 years, as a member of the St. Mark’s faculty,
Cindee McMahon Cindee initially joined the Middle School Humanities team in 1990 and taught here until 2006. In 1993, she had already impressed her peers and earned the Murrell Excellence in Teaching Award. She moved to California for a few years where she continued her career in education. After returning to the Dallas area, she taught at another independent school and helped in the St. Mark’s Admission Office during peak admission season. She returned to campus in 2017 to teach Middle School humanities and, most recently, she was part of the fourth-grade team.
JT has served the School well. She has served as Mathematics Department Chair, the Faculty Senior Master, Co-sponsor of the Junior/Senior rotation, President of Cum Laude, a holder of the Founders Master Teaching Chair, and the first holder of the Suzanne and Patrick McGee Family Master Teaching Chair in Mathematics. She has forged meaningful relationships with her students for more than three decades and has been a major draw when the Development Office travels to regional events as her beloved “fellas” want to renew their friendship with her. Beyond St. Mark’s, JT has been a member of the AP Calculus Test Development Committee and an AP Calculus Exam Leader. In 1985, she was honored with the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and she was honored as both a Tandy Technology Scholar and the first annual recipient of the Siemans Award. The Alumni Association awarded her the Ralph B. Rogers Alumni Award in 2004, and the classes of 1988 and 2004 dedicated their Marksmen yearbook to JT. Her masterful teaching and caring nature have earned her the respect and admiration of her students.
St. Mark’s School of Texas
Summer 2019 | On Campus
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On Campus
retiring faculty
Frank Jordan For the past 51 years, Frank Jordan has been an
recognitions, including the Murrell Excellence
inspiring and dedicated teacher of third-grade
in Teaching Award, the Ralph B. Rogers Alumni
Marksmen. He joined the Lower School faculty
Award, the Lower School Teacher of the Year
in 1968 and has taught approximately 2,000
Award, and the Ackerman Character Education
boys over the past five decades, including the
Award. In addition, the Class of 2008 dedicated its
sons of many of his former students. Outside the
Marksmen yearbook to “Mr. J.” His influence can
classroom, Frank has brought his passion for
hardly be measured, but he retires knowing that
sports and a genuine commitment to outdoor
thousands of third-graders have benefitted from
education. For the past 25 years, he has led rising
his dedication to them and the School.
fifth graders and their parents to Wyoming each summer to explore the wonders of the Tetons and Yellowstone National Park. Frank has received many well-deserved awards and
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On Campus | THE PRIDE
St. Mark’s School of Texas
On Campus
retiring trustees We are deeply grateful to the alumni
(far left) Debbie Jenevein
and parents who give of their time and
(left) Karen Pollock
energy to lead our school.
Karen Pollock Two years after her son Matthew came to St. Mark’s as a fifth-grader, Karen joined the Board of Trustees, where she served for six years across a variety of committees including the Education,
Debbie Jenevein
Development, and Facilities Committees. As a
In 2016, Debbie joined the Board as President-
St. Mark’s parent, Karen has been actively involved
Elect of the Parents’ Association. She has been
and has held several leadership positions in
a member of the Education and Facilities
the Parents’ Association. She served as a Class
Committees over the past three years and
Representative three separate times, was Middle
served as President of the Parents’ Association
School Coordinator, and most recently served as
from 2017–2018. During her tenure, Debbie
Co-Chair of the Marksmen Ball. Karen and Richard
has been a constant promoter of school spirit,
have two children, Matthew ’19 and Katherine.
helping to make community-wide events such as Fan Blizzard Night and Lion Pride Night a huge success. Debbie served as Upper School Coordinator and Faculty and Staff Appreciation Chair before her term as Parents’ Association President. She and her husband Bruce Jenevein ’78 are the parents of Nolan ’17 and Philip ’19.
St. Mark’s School of Texas
Summer 2019 | On Campus
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On Campus
retiring trustees (right) Jun Il Kwun (far right) Larry Lacerte (below) Drew Clancy ’84
Drew Clancy ’84 A proud member of the Class of 1984, Drew Clancy helped create St. Mark’s modern-day Alumni Association. In 2000, he joined the Alumni Board and served a two-year term as President beginning in 2007, the same year that he joined the Board of Trustees. He served on the Education, Audit, Finance, and Development Committees and chaired the St. Mark’s Fund for nearly a decade. Drew’s vision and leadership helped push Alumni participation in the St. Mark’s Fund past 50 percent, one of the highest in the country for independent schools. He is the father of three girls: Lucy, Kate, and Virginia.
Jun Il Kwun
Larry Lacerte
The Kwun family came to St. Mark’s when their son
For the past 24 years, Larry Lacerte has served as a
Mujin was in fifth grade. Within two years, Jun Il
member of the Board of Trustees. Early in his tenure
began his service on the Board. Throughout his
on the Board, he was a member of the Master Plan
two terms, June Il’s background and extensive
Committee, and he has served on the Education,
knowledge in finance made him an invaluable
Finance, Development, Trustees, and Executive
member of the Finance and Investment
Committees at various times. His expertise in
Committees. He has provided important insights
technology has been invaluable to St. Mark’s, and
as the School transitioned investment advisors
his company helped to fund and install the fiber
and reviewed its endowment policies. Jun Il and Jae
optic backbone of the School many years ago. He
Sun’s son Mujin is a member of the Class of 2019,
and his wife Joyce are the parents of seven children,
and they have two daughters, Mina Lydia
including Marksmen A.J. ’03, Adam ’09, and John ’11.
and Minje.
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St. Mark’s School of Texas
On Campus
new trustees
Nancy Carlson
Erin McKool
Nancy joins the Board of Trustees with a wealth of
Erin, a former corporate attorney, is now the owner
experience. She is a Partner in the Carlson Capital
of Start Restaurant in Dallas. She has been an active
company and the mother of three sons, including
St. Mark’s volunteer since her son Michael Finn ’26
Julian ’23. Nancy is a Trustee of the Rice University
arrived in the first grade. She was a second-grade
Board, the Dallas Museum of Art, the Dallas
Parents’ Association representative and has served
Theater Center, the SMU Meadows School of the
as a non-trustee member of the Development
Arts and has served on several other Dallas-area
Committee. Erin is a former Chairman of
arts and education boards.
Vogel Alcove and a former Director of Planned Parenthood. Her husband Mike McKool, Jr., is the
Paul Genender ’87 An Alumni Board member since 2012, Paul recently assumed the role of President of the Alumni Board and joins the Board of Trustees for a three-year term. He earned his A.B. and his J.D. from Duke University and currently serves as a partner at Weil, Gotshal & Manges, LLP. He and his wife Wendy are the parents of Jack ’21, George ’23, and Lucy.
President & Founder of McKool Smith law firm.
Katherine Steinbrueck An active parent volunteer since her family came to St. Mark’s in 2012, Katherine joins the Board of Trustees as the President-Elect of the Parents’ Association. She has served as Lower School Library Chairman, fifth-grade Class Representative, Vice President of Communications, and Lower School Coordinator. She and her husband Brian,
Jatin Kakkar
Founder of Breck Partners, are the parents of Parker ’23,
Jatin is the CIO and Managing Partner of Johkim
Will, and Cameron ’28.
Capital Partners. He earned his B.S. in Industrial Engineering from Texas A&M University and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. He currently serves on the Educational Committee at Texas A&M. His wife Sonia is a family physician, and they are the parents of Amar ’25 and Rohan ’26.
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Summer 2019 | On Campus
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On Campus
(left) Trevor Burke ’19 in front of the U.S. Capitol
T
he St. Mark’s senior and decorated Eagle Scout had arrived in Washington, D.C. a few days earlier as part of the delegation
selected to deliver the Boy Scouts of America’s
2018 Report to the Nation. The delegation included 12 young boys and girls, representing all facets of
St. Mark’s Scout Reports to Washington
the BSA program, from Eagle Scouts to Sea Scouts. While his St. Mark’s classmates were beginning their Spring Break, Trevor spent the week touring the U.S. Naval Academy, the Pentagon, the Goddard Space Center, Mount Vernon, Ford’s Theater, and many national monuments.
When he was advised to leave his phone at the hotel, Trevor Burke knew it was going to be an interesting day.
But Tuesday, March 12, 2019, was a particularly special day. The delegation donned their Scouting uniforms, left all electronics in their hotel rooms, and attended an early breakfast on Capitol Hill with the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives and the Secretary of the U.S. Senate. To complete the official reason for their trip, the Scouts presented the Clerk and Secretary with a copy of the Report to the Nation for inclusion in the Federal Register.
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St. Mark’s School of Texas
On Campus
Then, the Scouts took a short drive down Pennsylvania Avenue to tour the White House. The group walked around public sections and then were escorted by Secret Service to the more secure part of the building. Trevor and his fellow Scouts were ushered into the world’s most iconic room, the Oval Office. Moments later, a side door opened, and President Donald Trump entered. “One of the first things I noticed was that he was a lot taller in person than I imagined,” Trevor recalled. The President listened to the BSA leader’s presentation and asked some follow-up questions. Then, even as the meeting went far past the scheduled time, President Trump went to each Scout and asked about his or her personal experiences and accomplishments. Trevor had already rehearsed his answer: “I’m Trevor Burke, an Eagle Scout from Dallas, Texas, and I’ve earned all 139 Merit Badges.” President Trump complimented Trevor on the badges sewn onto the sash across his uniform.
(above) Trevor and his fellow Scouts meet with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office (right) Trevor presents a special neckerchief to Texas Senator Ted Cruz
“Although we were scheduled for just a brief presentation with the President, once we were in the Oval Office, he extended our meeting to hear each of our scouting stories,” Trevor said. “Seeing this extremely public figure wanting to connect with us, despite his schedule, was an incredible experience.” In addition to the White House, the delegation
“You see many of these people on television where
spent time at the U.S. Capitol, meeting with
they are only portrayed in a single dimension,”
numerous Congressional leaders. Trevor spoke
Trevor said. “It was interesting to see them as real
with and presented an honorary Scout pennant
people, genuinely engaged with us. I came away
to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and
with a totally new perspective.”
Texas Senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn, as well as the “Eagles on the Hill,” members of Congress who, like Trevor, earned the rank of Eagle Scout.
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On Campus
W
hile meeting the nation’s top elected
Trevor was nominated to be one of the Report
officials was certainly a highlight,
to the Nation delegates by the Scout Executive
Trevor’s favorite part of the trip
of Circle Ten Council, which represents the BSA
allowed him an opportunity to give back through
in North Texas. In addition to earning the rank
a community service project. After their White
of Eagle Scout, 139 merit badges, and 23 Eagle
House visit, the Scouts spent several hours on a
Palms, Trevor has worked tirelessly protecting and
service project at the Korean War Memorial. They
preserving the Blackland Prairie, a 20,000 square-
carried rakes, shovels, and wheelbarrows full of
mile endangered ecoregion in Texas. Through
gravel around the famous statues of 19 soldiers
both Scouting and his own personal life, Trevor
wading through patches of juniper meant to
has spent years working directly in the Prairie,
symbolize the rice paddies of Korea. The Scouts
removing invasive species and planting native
worked all afternoon, replacing gravel, picking
grasses and wildflowers. He even hatched 300
leaves, and beautifying the entire Memorial.
northern bobwhite quail in his living room to be released back into the Prairie.
“It was truly an honor to work on the Memorial and especially poignant given that my
Trevor has also spread the message of the
grandfather served in the Korean War,” Trevor
Blackland’s plight, delivering TEDx and EarthX
said. “Those people gave their all and it’s our
talks and recruiting dozens of volunteers. For his
duty to give back as much as we can. This is just
efforts, he was named the 2018 Texas Eagle Scout of
my way of saying thank you for their service and
the Year, in addition to many other honors. In July
sacrifice to our country.”
2019, Trevor returned to Washington to receive the President’s Environmental Youth Award.
The service project was also a chance for the BSA to renew its longstanding mutual friendship with
Trevor’s trip to our nation’s capital also marks
the National Park Service, which manages the
the second time in three years that a Marksman
Korean War Memorial. The United States’ pristine
has received an official White House invitation.
national parks serve as the setting of numerous
Gopal Raman ’17 visited the State Dining Room in
campouts and outdoor adventures, while Scouts
September 2016, where he was named a National
have always supported the Park Service through
Student Poet by First Lady Michelle Obama.
conservation, education, and service projects. While visiting the Department of the Interior, Trevor also presented an award on behalf of the BSA to Dan Smith, Acting Director of the National Park Service and a fellow Eagle Scout.
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St. Mark’s School of Texas
On Campus
(right) Trevor and his fellow Scouts perform a service project at the Korean War Memorial (far right) The Scouts visit the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial
(above) Trevor speaks at the Department of the Interior (above left) Trevor presents the BSA Report to the Nation to the Clerk of the House of Representatives and the Secretary of the Senate (left) During his Senior Exhibition, Trevor tells Lower Schoolers about his adventures in Scouting
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Alumni News alumni programs Board Report from Jeff Genecov ’77 Thank you for the privilege and honor of serving as your Alumni Association President the past two years. I remain grateful for the opportunity to work alongside our graduates to advance the mission of St. Mark’s and to become the best independent school Alumni Association in the country. Together, we continue to strengthen the bonds of alumni across the nation and across the decades. In partnership with the Office of Development and Alumni Relations, the Board continues to measure the success of our work by focusing on three primary efforts: (1) Dallas-based programming and involvement, (2) the expansion of the Marksman Network through regional activities, and (3) maintaining our high standard of philanthropic support with over 55 percent alumni participation in the St. Mark’s Fund. This year featured a full slate of events and activities that keep our alumni engaged with one another and St. Mark’s. The Alumni Leadership Speaker Series hosted its first online panel, featuring Jeb Beckwith ’80, Jeremy Downs ’96, and Richard Dzina ’81. The marquee event of the Speaker Series came in February, with a special evening at the Perot Companies, which you can read about on the following page. In April, Alumni Weekend set a new attendance record, welcoming 1,300 community members. As the summer began, Marksmen across the nation took part in our first-ever National Day of Service. Finally, the College Ambassador Program continues to encourage college students to stay connected. This year, 29 college-age Marksmen volunteered to serve as ambassadors, whose mission is to help younger Marksmen transition to college life. The Alumni Association continues to invest in providing future generations of Marksmen with the necessary resources to receive an unparalleled experience and education through the St. Mark’s Fund. For the 11th year in a row, our alumni exceeded 50 percent participation, achieving 55 percent overall participation. Together, our community raised more than $4 million. In addition, our alumni raised more than $2 million for the fourth time in School history, representing more than half of the dollars contributed to the St. Mark’s Fund. As an Alumni Association, we take great pride in ensuring that St. Mark’s remains a place where boys can be themselves, develop respect for others, and learn what it means to be a man of true character and integrity. The success of this year was made possible by the energy and dedication of the many volunteers who continue to raise the bar for alumni engagement and philanthropic support. I would like to thank my fellow 40 Alumni Board members for their tireless work on behalf of our Alumni Association. In particular, I would like to recognize this year’s Executive Committee for their leadership: Paul Genender ’87 (Vice President), Sandy Campbell ’76 (Secretary), Parag Vaidya ’00, Jake Wagner ’00, Jamie Rogers ’85, Lowell Ku ’89, Tom Fagadau ’76, Cory Morrow ’87, Robbie Baty ’02, and Hill Perot ’05. In addition, thank you to the enthusiastic support and leadership of the Class Agents, Reunion Committees, and Regional Club Committees for your work on behalf of the School. I am grateful for this incredible community, and as we transition to new leadership for the 2019-2020 school year, I wish the new President, Paul Genender ’87, and the Alumni Board continued success and best wishes for the years ahead.
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St. Mark’s School of Texas
Alumni News
Alumni Leadership Speaker Series In March, more than 125 alumni and guests gathered for “An Evening at the Perot Companies,” the latest installment of the Alumni Leadership Speaker Series. The newly constructed Perot Family Offices provided a stunning backdrop to an in-depth discussion about the past, present, and future of the City of Dallas. David McAtee ’87, Senior Executive Vice President and General Counsel of AT&T, served as moderator for a discussion between Robert Decherd ’69, President and CEO of A.H. Belo Corporation and Chairman of Parks for Downtown Dallas, and Ross Perot, Jr. ’77, Chairman of The Perot Group and Hillwood. The three discussed the growth of Dallas, which has more than doubled its population in the past 30 years and will see even greater growth in the coming decades. Today’s leaders now face unique challenges and opportunities across every sector, from transportation to infrastructure. In
In addition to their professional expertise, David,
recent decades, Robert and Ross have both been
Robert, and Ross have been longtime leaders
driving forces during Dallas’s tremendous growth.
within the St. Mark’s community. David currently
Through Parks for Downtown Dallas, Robert
serves on the Board of Trustees. Robert, a Life
has been instrumental in creating the plan for
Trustee of the Board of Trustees, served as
increased green space in the city center. Ross has
President from 1988–1991 and received the
helped shape the very landscape of the metroplex
Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1998. Ross served
as a leader of numerous developments through
for 24 years on the Board of Trustees, including
Hillwood Properties, including Alliance Airport
as President in 2004–2006, and received the
and Victory Park.
Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2002.
Robert and Ross both noted that Dallas’s incredible
The Alumni Leadership Speaker Series aims
(top) David McAtee ’87, Ross Perot, Jr. ’77, and Robert Decherd ’69 (above) Alumni listen to the panel discussion
growth has helped make it one of the nation’s
to provide Marksmen with lifelong learning
top cities to live in. As Ross said, “What you’ve
opportunities, hearing from guest speakers in a
seen here in Dallas has been so dramatic and so
variety of fields and interests.
powerful that you can’t take it for granted.”
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Alumni News
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St. Mark’s School of Texas
Alumni News
VISIT SMTEXAS.ORG/ALUMNIWEEKEND
to view more photos and videos from Alumni Weekend 2019
Alumni Association President Jeff Genecov ’77 perfectly captured the spirit of the weekend in his opening remarks at Spring Alumni Dinner on Saturday, April 26: “Alumni Weekend serves as a platform for all of us to connect and reconnect with the people in our lives who will always hold a special place in our hearts.” He added, “Tonight, we say thank you to those who make St. Mark’s the place we all love.” This year, more than 1,300 community members, including Marksmen from eight decades, returned to campus to reconnect with one another, their teachers, and their alma mater. Alumni Weekend spanned more than 72 hours of events and activities, from the Alumni Golf Tournament and Friday classes to the Spring Alumni Dinner, Family Cookout, and Reunion celebrations.
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Alumni News
spring alumni dinner Friday evening was a night of celebration and recognition of several special faculty and alumni, as more than 375 alumni and guests gathered in the W. W. Browning, Jr., Great Hall for the 23rd annual Spring Alumni Dinner. Retiring faculty members Pam Elder, David Fray, Frank Jordan, Cindee McMahon, Cira Mesta, Ben Muratalla, JT Sutcliffe, and Max Wood were honored for their combined 195 years of dedication to helping boys grow into men of character. Third-grade teacher Frank Jordan and JT Sutcliffe, Suzanne and Patrick McGee Family Master Teaching Chair in Mathematics, spoke to the audience and reflected on their fond memories of St. Mark’s and hopes for the future. “As St. Mark’s teachers, we have much to be grateful for and you, our Marksmen, are at the core of it all,” JT said.
(clockwise from top left) David Dini, Marcus Fraser ’72, and Jon Mosle '79 Members of the Class of 1974 Jeff Genecov ’77 greets Robert Behrendt ’86
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Alumni News
RALPH B. ROGERS ALUMNI AWARD RECIPIENTS
Ralph B. Rogers Alumni Award The Ralph B. Rogers Alumni Award honors the legacy of Ralph B. Rogers, the Rogers family, and the St. Mark’s faculty by recognizing a teacher or staff member who supports the School’s mission by extending himself or herself beyond the confines of the job description.
1998 ~ Frank H. Jordan III 1999 ~ Jeanie B. Laube 2000 ~ Stephen M. Seay ’68 2001 ~ Jay E. Sylvester 2002 ~ Curtis H. Smith 2003 ~ W. James Livengood 2004 ~ Judith T. Sutcliffe 2005 ~ Elizabeth Trice 2006 ~ Corindo I. Martin 2007 ~ Robert “Doc” Browning 2008 ~ Roberta L. Mailer 2009 ~ David L. Fray 2010 ~ M. Joseph Milliet 2011 ~ Stephanie B. Barta 2012 ~ Jerry E. Lacey 2013 ~ Martin F. Stegemoeller 2014 ~ Dwight L. Phillips 2015 ~ Mihai M. Oprea 2016 ~ Casey J. Gendason 2017 ~ Warren H. Foxworth ’66 2018 ~ Stephen N. Balog 2019 ~ David K. Cox
(left) Ralph B. Rogers Alumni Award winner David Cox in the classroom (below) JC Snead ’68 with Tom and Marcy Adams
This year’s Rogers Award Committee Chair and the grandson of Ralph B. Rogers, Jamie Rogers ’85, announced Kay Carrio, David Cox, and Michele Santosuosso as the 2019 finalists. At Final Assembly on May 24, David Cox was named the recipient of this year’s honor. In describing David during the nomination process, his students raved: “He’s the first person students go to when they have a problem, and I have never seen him have a bad day.” David is in his 10th year at St. Mark’s and serves as a Latin teacher in the Foreign Language Department.
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Alumni News
YOUNG ALUMNI SERVICE CITATION RECIPIENTS 2003 ~ David B. Ackerman ’89 2004 ~ B.A. Cullum ’99 2005 ~ Marwin T. Brown ’90 2006 ~ James A. Buckner III ’93 2007 ~ Joseph D. Zopolsky ’92 2008 ~ Veeral K. Rathod ’97 2009 ~ Daniel L. Hunt ’96 2010 ~ Christen E.J. Lee ’96 2011 ~ Gregory M. Sutton ’99 2012 ~ J. Carl Sewell III ’02 2013 ~ Michael E. Perrin ’05 2014 ~ Edward L. Wesneski ’03 2015 ~ Eric K. Kusin ’00 2016 ~ Bruce H. Harbour ’01 2017 ~ Seth B. Collins ’02 2018 ~ Ross E. Ruschhaupt ’04 2019 ~ Noah Q. Bricker ’10
ALUMNI SERVICE MEDAL RECIPIENTS 2003 ~ Allen E. Cullum ’64 2004 ~ Robert E.W. Sinclair ’74 2005 ~ Charles E. Nearburg ’68 2006 ~ R. Brock Compton ’73 2007 ~ J. Jeffery Stager, Sr. ’80 2008 ~ Harlan P. Cohen ’66 2009 ~ Wallace L. Hall, Jr. ’80 2010 ~ W. Bennett Cullum ’67 2011 ~ George S. Bayoud, Jr. ’73 2012 ~ Jeffrey S. Genecov ’77 2013 ~ Drew O. Clancy ’84 2014 ~ W. Casey McManemin ’79 2015 ~ Randall S. Fojtasek ’81 2016 ~ Jeffrey S. Hillier ’76 2017 ~ Taylor H. Wilson ’81 2018 ~ John E. Beckwith ’80 2019 ~ Jon L. Mosle ’79
Alumni Service Medal The Alumni Service Medal is St. Mark’s
Young Alumni Service Citation
highest volunteer service award.
The Young Alumni Service Citation
It is presented to an alumnus who has
recognizes a young alumnus who
distinguished himself through sustained and
has graduated within 15 years for his
outstanding service to the School.
outstanding service to the School and to the Alumni Association.
Jon Mosle ’79 has made a lasting impact on St. Mark’s over his more than 30 years of
Noah Bricker ’10 has enthusiastically led the
volunteer service, and he has proven to be
Class of 2010 for years, serving consistently
one of the School’s most loyal champions
as a Class Agent and Co-chair for his Class
and steadfast leaders. Jon joined the Alumni
Reunion. Noah is in his third year of service
Board in 1995 and has been an active
on the Alumni Board, always finding ways
St. Mark’s leader ever since. In 1996, he was
to lead. Noah served as the Chair of the
elected to serve as President of the Alumni
Washington, D.C., Regional Club for two
Association, and that same year, he also
years and now serves as the Boston Regional
began his more than two-decade tenure on
Club Chair while earning his MBA from
the Board of Trustees. Jon has served on
Harvard Business School.
and led virtually every Committee of the Board and has played important roles on the Head of School Search Committee, the Science Center Planning Committee, and Goals for St. Mark’s III and IV. Jon’s tireless support and unwavering leadership led to his appointment as President of the Board of Trustees from 2016–2018. Jon also served as Co-Chair of his 40th Reunion. He and Jennifer are the parents of Kate and Michael '16.
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Alumni News
Alumni News
alumni golf tournament Alumni, faculty, and friends kicked off the weekend with the annual Alumni Golf Tournament at Cowboys Golf Club. More than 120 golfers enjoyed a day on the course, followed by dinner and an awards reception. The Ivan Irwin, Jr. ’50 Cup was presented to the team with the low net score: Marwin Brown ’90, Chris Turner ’91, Joe Pruitt ’93, and faculty member Ron Turner.
(clockwise from top left) Rush Waghorne ’86 Chris Winn ’99 Robbie Baty ’02 A Class of 1995 team on the golf course
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Alumni News
Alumni News
(left) JT Sutcliffe reflects on how St. Mark’s has changed (below) Alumni and guests listen to David Brown’s talk (bottom) Eugene McDermott Headmaster David Dini welcomes alumni
friday on campus As students arrived at school on Friday morning, so did hundreds of alumni, ready to relive their days on campus. JT Sutcliffe, Suzanne and Patrick McGee Family Master Teaching Chair in Mathematics, and David Brown, Victor F. White Master Teaching Chair in English, hosted morning classes in the Winn Science Lecture Hall, while Dr. Steve Balog, Cecil H. and Ida Green Master Teaching Chair in Science, led a special show to demonstrate the capabilities of the new Planetarium. Golden Lions, Marksmen who graduated prior to 1969, enjoyed lunch with students and faculty, sharing memories and learning about current life on campus. At Alumni Chapel, New York Regional Club Chair Craig Meyers ’94 shared a homily reflecting on the impact St. Mark’s has had on his life: “Regardless of individual accolades, we are all a part of something bigger – something that not only defines us, but that we have the opportunity, the honor and the privilege of helping to define for those in the future.” In the afternoon, Upper School students heard an alumni panel discussion on engineering and technology featuring Ed McCullough ’99, Alexander Sobey ’04, and Alex St. Claire ’04. Immediately after, internationally renowned pianist Jeffrey Swann ’69 delighted the audience with a special concert.
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Alumni News | THE PRIDE
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Alumni News
Alumni News
(right) Andrew Goodman ’13, Charlie Goodman ’09, Mark Kane ’09, and Noah Bricker ’10 (below right) Chase Sanders ’05 and alumni families (below) Mark Sullivan and William Taylor ’93
saturday family cookout Alumni Weekend continued on Saturday morning with the family cookout, where more than 600 guests enjoyed lunch, games, fun, and live music from the student band. Planetarium shows led by Dr. Steve Balog, a science show by Ken Owens ’89, and guided tours of the Winn Science Center were a few highlights of the day.
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Alumni News
Alumni News
parents of alumni Even after their boys graduate, parents continue to maintain a strong bond with St. Mark’s. This ongoing partnership we share with parents of alumni is crucial to the School’s mission of helping every Marksman reach his full potential. From returning to volunteer in the student store and cafeteria to attending parent reunions, St. Mark’s strives to keep parents of alumni connected and engaged. This year, nearly 100 parents of alumni from the Class of 2004, 2009, and 2014 reconnected at Reunion parties held on the same night as their sons’ reunions.
(clockwise from top left) Paula Dobbs-Wiggins, Kevin Wiggins, and Janet Peña Tina Gokani and Pam Squires Frank St. Claire ’67, Meryl and Scott Nason, and Hope Hochster
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Alumni News | THE PRIDE
St. Mark’s School of Texas
Alumni News
Alumni News
(from top to bottom) Class of 1959 60th Reunion Class of 1964 55th Reunion Class of 1969 50th Reunion
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Alumni News
Alumni News
(top to bottom) Class of 1974 45th Reunion Class of 1979 40th Reunion Class of 1984 35th Reunion Class of 1989 30th Reunion
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Alumni News | THE PRIDE
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Alumni News
Alumni News
(from top to bottom) Class of 1994 25th Reunion Class of 1999 20th Reunion Class of 2004 15th Reunion Class of 2009 10th Reunion
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Alumni News
Alumni News
(from top to bottom) Class of 2014 5th Reunion Parents of the Class of 2004 Reunion Parents of the Class of 2009 Reunion Parents of the Class of 2014 Reunion
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Alumni News | THE PRIDE
St. Mark’s School of Texas
Homecoming 2019 October 25
Spotlight all things bright and beautiful
“From the get-go, we knew that the Class of 2020 was fabulous,” said Shikha. “The boys are so great, and we are constantly around the parents, growing closer to them as well.” Upon entering the fourth grade, when Marksmen select their musical path, Eddie decided he would join several of his classmates in becoming the St. Mark’s Choir’s first group of fourth-grade choristers under Choirmaster Tinsley Silcox. What began as an experimental interest formed into what Shikha describes “an unexpected, wonderful gift that St. Mark’s has shared with Eddie” as well as the entire Raj family. Through unique experiences like Evensong services, All-State and All-Region choir performances, Baccalaureates, the International (above) Members of the Class of 2020 in the St. Mark’s Chapel choir loft
From the moment they set foot on the St. Mark’s
Tours to England and Canada, and so much
campus, Dr. Ganesh Raj and Dr. Shikha Sethi knew
more, the Raj family developed an affinity for the
that this would be a home for them and their newly
Choir Program. They saw Eddie grow confident
enrolled first-grader, Eddie ’20. The Raj family was
as a performer and, even further, develop a keen
certainly looking for an institution that would
interest in music composition fostered by the
challenge their son academically, but they quickly
environment Mr. Silcox provided.
realized they had found something that could offer so much more. “The mission of St. Mark’s to
Eddie has now taken his love for the Choir
develop young men of intellect, as well as character
Program and music out into the broader
and leadership, is what we most wanted for our
community. This coming October, he and other
son,” said Shikha.
members of his class will help promote a Dallasarea benefit concert “RevAMP Dallas,” in support
Ever since Eddie began his first year in the fall of
of the North Texas Food Bank.
2008, the Raj family has fully invested themselves
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Spotlight | THE PRIDE
into the St. Mark’s community. Whether it
Seeing Eddie’s immense involvement with music
was sporting events, musical and theatrical
over the years, coupled with the family’s belief in
performances, parent interactions, or myriad
the mission of St. Mark’s, the Raj family decided in
other experiences, the community has been a
the spring of 2019 to make a gift that would support
constant force in their lives.
the School long after their son graduates in 2020.
St. Mark’s School of Texas
Spotlight
On March 29, 2019, the Raj family Choir Fund was officially created, ensuring that generations of choristers from the St. Mark’s community, as well as their families, would be able to experience similar opportunities that the Raj family has enjoyed over the past eight years. The goal of the Fund is to support the Choir Program as it stands today, but also to allow for new programming benefitting boys through the growth of musical excellence. While the Raj Family Choir Fund provides specific
on developing the whole boy, a mission that,
programmatic support, the family understands
according to Ganesh, “resonates with what makes a
that the impact of this gift will extend beyond
renaissance man act with character and integrity.”
Members of the choir on the 2015 International Choir Tour in New York City
St. Mark’s Choir. As Shikha explained, “Our support of the endowment is to enable the work
As Ganesh and Shikha both agree, “We want to
of educating brilliant young leaders in Dallas to
continue to build choral music as a cornerstone
continue to expand and innovate.”
component of the St. Mark’s experience and help to enable the next generation of boys to develop their
This gift from the Raj family in support of the
musical ear and grow with music in their lives.”
(clockwise from top left) Eddie and Ganesh at Blue Shirt Day in May 2019
The Choir at Wells Cathedral during the 2013 International Choir Tour in England
School’s endowment will continue to provide St. Mark’s with the best opportunity to focus
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Summer 2019 | Spotlight
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Spotlight reunion giving than $100,000 individually. The Classes of 1989, 1994, 1999, and 2004 all set a new record for their respective class. The Class of 1964, led by Allen Cullum ’64, Mike Phillips ’64, and Ley Waggoner ’64, set a 55th Reunion record for both giving and participation. The class raised more than $185,000 with 52 percent participation. For its incredible work, the Class received the Class of 1954 Award, which is given to the Class with the largest average gift size. The Class of 1999 secured two of the three signature Alumni Awards. With nearly 70 percent participation by Alumni Weekend, the Class won the Papert Bowl, named in honor of Samuel W. Papert, Jr. ’37 and given to the class with the
Each year, Alumni Weekend draws Marksmen all across the globe back to 10600 Preston Road. This year,
highest participation by Alumni Weekend. With a 13 percent increase in participation over last year, the Class of 1999 also received the
classmates return to campus to reconnect with one another,
Alumni Cup, given to the Class with the greatest
catch up with former teachers and mentors, and, for those
increase in participation over the previous year.
whose class year ends with 4 and 9, to celebrate their Reunion.
(above) Mike Levy ’64 greets a guest at the Class of 1964’s Reunion
Co-Chairs Patrick Collins ’99, B.A. Cullum ’99, and Chris Winn ’99 led the way.
The Reunion celebrations are a central part of the
Finally, the Class of 2004 set two incredible
Alumni Weekend experience, bringing together
records for 15th Reunion giving. Under the
classmates who may have graduated more than
leadership of Co-Chairs Nick Cassavechia ’04,
a half-century ago. As part of their celebration,
Bradley Hicks ’04, Ross Ruschhaupt ’04, and Kace
alumni also generously and graciously support
Phillips ’04, more than three-quarters of the Class
current students and faculty by contributing to
together contributed more than $100,000 to the
their Reunion Gift through the St. Mark’s Fund.
St. Mark’s Fund.
This year, alumni from Reunion classes raised
On the evening of Saturday, April 27, St. Mark’s
more than $955,000 for the 2018–2019 St. Mark’s
hosted 15 Reunion celebrations across Dallas.
Fund, the second-highest total since Alumni
Hundreds of alumni, their families, and their
Weekend started and accounting for 46 percent
former teachers and mentors, gathered to recall
of all alumni giving. Seven classes (1964, 1979,
their shared experience and, through their
1984, 1989, 1994, 1999, and 2004) raised more
generosity, ensure that experience for generations of Marksmen to come.
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St. Mark’s School of Texas
Spotlight
(clockwise from above) The Class of 1999 celebrates its Reunion Curtis Smith reconnects with Jaime Alvarez ’99 and Forrest Lensing ’99 Craig Prengler ’79 greets Jack Safrit ’79 Kent Middleton ’64, Allen Cullum ’64, Britt Kolar ’64, and Steve Sands ’64 pose for a photo Jimmy Tsoi ’84 and Bernie McGuire ’84
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Best Wishes,
Katy B. Rubarth (above)
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Director of Communications
St. Mark’s School of Texas
In the newly created role of Director of Physical & Experiential Education, Mark Sullivan is focused on helping Marksmen thrive on and off campus.
The Pecos Wilderness Trip is a defining moment in the lives of Marksmen. The days spent hiking throughout the Sangre de Cristo mountains and the nights gathered around campfires and tarps forge lifelong bonds of brotherhood. It is a journey that Mark Sullivan has witnessed firsthand 34 times. For nearly four decades, Mark has served St. Mark’s in a variety of roles — as coach, teacher, administrator, chaperone, and leader of the wilderness program. Throughout his years guiding Marksmen through the Pecos Wilderness, Mark recalls one moment that perfectly illustrates the impact of the trip.
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The next day, as they began the climb, Mark noticed a remarkably upbeat mood in the group. As they made their way up the steep switchbacks, the Marksmen offered their disabled classmate words of encouragement and took turns walking beside him. Despite everyone’s exhaustion, Mark remembers the group’s excited conversation and positive energy: “During the week, there are times when the kids are down, they’re tired, they’re moping. But on this particular day, the boys rallied together and focused on the natural beauty around them.” As the group crested the last ridge and looked out over the rolling green mountains and endless blue sky, they celebrated their collective achievement. “You could see the group’s satisfaction looking at one another and knowing they had accomplished (above) The 6th-grade class camps out at Mill Creek Farm in East Texas
It was late in the weeklong trip, and Mark and his
what they set out to do together. On that day, each
wife Sherri were leading a group of boys to the
of those ninth-graders knew what it meant to be
summit of East Pecos Baldy. At 12,530 feet, it’s
a team. These boys accomplished something and
one of the highest peaks in New Mexico and a
those lessons will never be forgotten,” Mark said.
challenging trek for rising ninth-graders hauling their own packs. The night before they were to
The moment perfectly captured how a weeklong
summit East Pecos Baldy, the group gathered
wilderness trip can teach young men about so
around the campfire. As on most nights, Mark took
much more than camping. Many of the most
this time to talk about the day, their experiences,
formative steps along a Marksman’s Path to
and what lay ahead.
Manhood take place outside of the classroom. After all, a St. Mark’s education is about more than
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The coming hike would be grueling for them
academics — St. Mark’s teaches boys to thrive.
all, but especially so for one boy with a physical
This is a lesson that transcends the school day and
disability that affected his ability to walk and
extends to every facet of a boy’s life. For years, the
climb. Despite this, the boy had carried his own
School has developed programs that teach boys
pack the entire trip, never complaining or seeking
to thrive in different ways. On the athletic fields,
accommodations. As the group thought of
boys learn the enduring value of determination
summiting East Pecos Baldy, Mark recalls: “They
and perseverance. In the wilderness, they become
took great pride in the notion that they were all
more self-reliant, while growing closer with their
going to complete the hike. Together. They set out
classmates. And on trips around the world, they
to achieve something, not as individual boys, but
learn to see themselves from a new perspective,
as a group.”
becoming truly global citizens.
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Real-World Learning Over the past few years, with the guidance of Goals for St. Mark’s IV, the School’s most recent strategic plan, learning opportunities outside of the classroom have flourished. Specifically, Goals IV recommends that St. Mark’s “identify and develop opportunities for learning beyond the St. Mark’s campus, including outdoor education and expanded domestic and international student travel” and “develop a more comprehensive health education curriculum in scope and sequence.” This year, St. Mark’s formed a new Department Chair position to help the School realize the goal of uniting the physical and experiential education programs, expanding health and wellness education, and strengthening current programming in these areas while developing new programming as needed. “By connecting these important program areas and thinking about them as a coherent experience for our students, we will continue to strengthen these important programs well into the future, and they will continue to have a positive impact on the education of every boy at St. Mark’s,” said John Ashton, Associate Headmaster. “These programs currently exist in different stages of development; for example, the Wilderness Program has decades of history to build upon while comprehensive health education has potential for growth to ensure that we are meeting the evolving needs of adolescent boys.” Considering his vast experience working with and leading Marksmen on campus and around
Director, Mark has been a constant presence
the globe, Mark Sullivan was the perfect choice
wherever Marksmen go and a stalwart supporter
to become the first Director of Physical and
of every program he will now oversee, including
Experiential Education. Throughout his 38-year
the wilderness program, student travel, physical
career at St. Mark’s, including 20 years as Athletic
education, and health and wellness.
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(above) Rising freshmen navigate a stream on the 2017 Pecos Wilderness Trip
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“There are so many opportunities for our boys when
With so many benefits that come with traveling
we expand the classroom off our campus,” Mark
outside of Dallas, St. Mark’s is working to expand
said. “We have to be intentional about teaching
student accessibility to these trips. Right now,
these boys what it means to be healthy and thriving
many of the school-sponsored trips, from Model
young adults so that they can carry those lessons
U.N. competitions in Boston to the Choir’s tour
forward when they leave St. Mark’s.”
of England, are available to students in specific
Many programs being housed within the new
to provide non-programmatic international
Physical and Experiential Education Department
trips each summer that visit Europe, Asia, or
have been steadily evolving over the past few years.
Latin America. This summer, Marksmen toured
The Student Travel Program, for one, has grown
France, visiting Paris, Waterloo, Dunkirk, and
immensely, both in the number of destinations and
Normandy, bolstering their history lessons and
boys participating. Scott Hunt, Arnold E. Holtberg
their understanding of the modern world. Upper
Master Teaching Chair and St. Mark’s Photography
School students interested in science could travel
(opposite) Middle School choristers prepare to climb to the top of the Salisbury Cathedral tower in England during the Choir’s 17th Biennial International Tour
programs. Moving forward, St. Mark’s plans
Instructor, has helped unite and organize these
with science faculty members to West Texas,
trips as the School’s first Director of Student Travel.
visiting the McDonald Observatory and exploring
Just this past school year, Marksmen and their
Carlsbad Caverns. And rising fifth-graders had the
teachers across all departments and divisions
opportunity to visit Wyoming with Frank Jordan.
left St. Mark’s for 27 individual trips, from debate tournaments in Atlanta to foreign-language trips
The opportunities for greater self-reliance and
in China. Scott himself spent the summer of
personal responsibility that travel provides are also
2019 leading Marksmen on trips through France,
inherent in the Wilderness Program. Boys must
Morocco, and the Pecos Wilderness.
step out of their comfortable routines and take ownership for themselves and their group. Lessons
In addition to broadening their worldview, Scott
in character and leadership come naturally when a
sees unique benefits to students when they are
group of boys are preparing their own food, setting
taken out of a familiar campus environment: “Leadership is best taught experientially, when
up their own shelter, navigating the wild terrain, and dealing with unpredictable weather. And while
you get boys to work as a team to solve problems,
Mark will help facilitate individual wilderness
whether they are navigating a foreign country
trips, he will also focus on reinforcing a broader
or starting a campfire in the Pecos. These are
institutional strength to ensure the program
situations where we can establish responsibilities
remains strong for decades to come.
and roles and put boys in a safe environment where they can learn to become both good leaders and good followers.”
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(above) Upper Schoolers explore Utah Beach just after the 75th anniversary of D-Day (above right) Math teacher and football coach Jeff Hale and Colin Campbell ’20 on the practice field
Thriving on Campus In addition to fine-tuning the wilderness and travel
In tandem with Mark’s work, St. Mark’s recently
programs, Mark, as the Director the Physical and
formed a Health & Wellness Committee, composed
Experiential Education, will also focus on how
of teachers, coaches, trainers, medical staff, and
boys thrive when they are on campus. Across
administrators. This Committee began its work in
10600 Preston Road, teachers, coaches, trainers,
the spring by launching a comprehensive review
and nurses work tirelessly to ensure Marksmen
of the School’s physical and health education
are developing into healthy young men. St. Mark’s
programs and curriculums. In 2019–2020, the
already provides a robust slate of programs and
Committee will review the program inventory,
curriculum aimed at promoting health and
identify learning outcomes for students, and build
wellness, from the Life Skills classes to strength and
or expand on programs to achieve those outcomes:
conditioning workouts.
equipping boys with the knowledge and skills to understand their physical, social, emotional, and
Now, as stated in Goals IV, the School is working to
relational health.
“develop a more comprehensive health education
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curriculum in scope and sequence.” Mark will
St. Mark’s mission is the development of the
provide oversight and facilitate a platform for
whole boy, a mission that extends well beyond the
greater collaboration among various teams and
academic classroom. The seniors who walk across
departments, including counseling, physical
the Commencement stage are expected to be well-
education, and health education programming.
rounded men of character, ready to thrive in an ever-
From mental health and stress management to
changing world. As Goals for St. Mark’s IV seeks
nutrition and injury prevention, these programs
new ways to build on this mission, the creation of
provide crucial lessons for the overall well-being
the Director of Physical and Experiential Education
of Marksmen.
marks another momentous step into the future.
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THE FIRST 100 DAYS After celebrating the opening of the Winn Science Center in January 2019, Marksmen and their teachers spent the spring getting to know the new state-of-the-art facility, from galactic field trips in the planetarium and micro-safaris in the biology labs, to drone flights in the computer science classroom and Spikeball games in the ellipse. After years of planning and construction, the last few months have been an exciting preview of how the Winn Science Center — and the nearly completed renovations to the McDermott-Green Science Building — will ignite curiosity for generations to come.
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The first few months in the Winn Science Center have been a great success. Students arrived on January 9, with a buzz of anticipation about the new building and everything they imagined doing inside. They haven’t been disappointed! The students in the Information Engineering class used the new Maker Space, shop, and computer science classroom to engineer solutions to design challenges, including projects in machine learning. Fifth-graders—temporarily occupying the new Lower School Lab—enjoyed a month-long unit in Lego Robotics. In the Biotechnology Lab, students were able to undertake investigations not previously possible, and a yearlong DNA Science elective will use the lab heavily in the coming school year. AP Computer Science classes began meeting in one of the two new technology labs, bringing the Science and Computer Science Departments under one roof as we strive for even closer coordination. And with the renovation of the McDermott-Green Science Building nearing completion, there are even more exciting opportunities on the horizon.
—FLETCHER CARRON Stephen M. Seay ’68 Science Department Chair
(right) Middle School students assemble a Lego robot (above right) Mr. Northcut ’81 inspects new specimens in the greenhouse (opposite) The north entrance to the Winn Science Center
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As one alumnus remarked while touring the Winn Science Center during Alumni Weekend, the new Maker Space is quite a step up from the robotics lab in a former TV studio behind the old Science Lecture Hall. We’ve already begun taking advantage of the newer, nicer surroundings: The carpeted computer lab has decreased the damage rate of our nanoquads, the fume hoods have drastically improved the air quality in the chemistry labs, and the front foyer has become a new study and socialization space that is very popular. And with some new tools arriving this summer, the best is yet to come!
—DOUG RUMMEL Founders’ Master Teaching Chair
(top and right) Information Technology students program quadcopters (above) Ms. Macaraeg leads a chemistry exam review (opposite) Lower School students assemble a computer in the atrium of the Winn Science Center
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Standing outside the Winn Science Center as the doors opened to our community was exciting as a parent, a Trustee, and a citizen of Dallas. We are fortunate to have faculty who see the potential for unique cross-curricular programs and boys who will capitalize on everything offered. Watching the faculty and staff work collaboratively in this building has been the best part of the process.
—KAREN POLLOCK Trustee & Parent
(top) Mr. Tholking teaches a Computer Science class (above) Mr. Mead prepares to dissect a shark (right) Students play Spikeball in the ellipse (opposite) Students between classes in the Winn Science Center atrium
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The new planetarium has been an incredible asset for teaching history. This year, with the help of Dr. Steve Balog, we set up a planetarium lesson linked to our unit on the Islamic Golden Age. Dr. Balog was able to show what Arabs knew of astronomy in the 9th century CE. He pointed out that many of the constellation and star names in use today are derived from Arabic. He also noted some of the very practical uses for astronomy at that time, including navigation, calendar making, and astrological forecasting. Next year, I hope to use the planetarium for our Modern World class, to illustrate how our understanding of the cosmos changed through the Scientific Revolution and the work of Einstein, Planck, and Hawking.
—DAVID FISHER History & Social Sciences Department Chair
(clockwise from top) Students perform a genetics experiment Students perform a physics experiment in the atrium of the Winn Science Center The Periodic Table was reinstalled in the chemistry wing of the Winn Science Center (opposite) Planetarium guests learn about the constellations
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(right) Students collaborate in class (below) An eight-foot cave bear skeleton from the Pleistocene era stands outside of the biology classrooms (opposite) Students perform a chemistry experiment
I have really been impressed with the new Science Center. Rather than a building full of classrooms, it really feels like a workspace. With the new additions of common areas and dedicated study rooms, it is now a great place to get some work done or even just take a quick break from the school day. And the School has done a really good job of making sure that the planetarium is easily accessible. Within one 45-minute period, I got a decent grasp on how to make some short clips to use on the dome. Throughout my course with Dr. Balog, I’ve learned that the planetarium software can be useful in teaching many subjects beyond science.
—MICHAEL VANESKO ’21
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(opposite) An Upper Schooler pauses between classes to watch third-graders assemble a computer
The boys are so excited about the science lab and classroom designated just for Lower School. Our Lower School boys are naturally curious about their world, and this new space will provide myriad possibilities in an environment that welcomes their explorations. Matt Dillon, our Lower School Science Specialist, has written new lessons and updated our already-strong curriculum in the physical, life, and earth sciences to meet the needs of 21st-century learners. I’ve witnessed firsthand the impact of his hands-on, project-based learning with the fourth grade and can’t wait to see that energy expanded to the first, second, and third grades. The Lower School has always provided a strong foundation in science for the boys, and as the Lower School science program takes full advantage of the Winn Science Center, the sky’s the limit, figuratively and literally for our youngest Marksmen.
—SHERRI DARVER Head of Lower School
(clockwise from top) Lower School students take a tour of the Winn Science Center Mrs. Murphy helps boys assemble a computer kit Mr. Dillon helps boys program a Lego robot First graders show off their rain forest frogs
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(right) Students conduct a chemistry experiment (below) Dr. Balog leads a planetarium show (bottom) Mr. Smith teaches the water cycle
St. Mark’s has always prided itself on its heavy investment in students, and the new Winn Science Center is continuing our long lineage of stellar facilities to foster great teaching and learning. The great investment so many people made will pay dividends in quality science education and learning opportunities. With this new building, the community has created a multitude of new opportunities, and we must be thankful for all of the work and sacrifice that so many people put into this great project. We are excited to see what the future holds with this new addition to campus and what the available opportunities will provide.
—STAFF EDITORIAL The ReMarker (February 2019)
(opposite) Students study and relax in the elipse outside of the McDermott-Green Science Building
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We are very excited for the renovations being made to the McDermottGreen Science Building. The larger physics lab spaces, for one, will allow us to set up multiple labs or demonstrations throughout the week. The classroom technology is being upgraded significantly with interactive video simulations, live sharing of data from lab experiments, and the ability to record lessons for students who are ill or traveling so they may stay current with their peers. I am already working on changes in my daily routine to maximize the new features of the renovated classrooms and labs.
—STEVE BALOG Cecil H. and Ida Green Master Teaching Chair in Science
(clockwise from top) New gas faucets are installed in a lab table Paul Hoehn and John Mead explore a renovated classroom The McDermott-Green Science Building looks out on the ellipse (opposite) A newly renovated classroom on the first floor of the McDermottGreen Science Building
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We progressed from Mrs. Rice’s bean sales to Mr. Jordan’s baseball cards, past four Blue & Gold Days and countless games of capture the flag and poison ball in Spencer Gym with Doc, only to arrive in fifth grade as unsure as we were when we first arrived at St. Mark’s. In Middle School, we navigated the brick pathways and locker-lined hallways on our own but never alone. The Class of 2019 was growing in numbers and growing closer together. After four years of Cornell Notes with Mrs. Jenkins, T-Ball games during Humanities breaks, and our first foray into final exams in May 2015, we again found ourselves the upperclassmen, sitting on the stage in Decherd at Middle School Final Assembly, finally ready to move on to become Upper Schoolers. As freshmen, we sat in the bleachers for the first time during football games, attended Chapel on Wednesdays and assembly on Fridays, and joined the ranks of SPC Champions. But we also longed to go back to the days when history and English were
ST. MARK’S SCHOOL OF TEXAS
Senior Reflections by Parker Davis ’19 and Sahit Dendekuri ’19
combined into a single double-period with a T-Ball break in between. As sophomores, we dove deeper into school life, investing more time in our clubs and extracurriculars, acquiring the skills necessary to
In 2007, when the first Marksmen from our Class stepped onto campus, 2019 didn’t feel real. Twelve years away, it was more of an abstract idea than a concrete reality.
assume leadership positions as juniors and seniors. As juniors, we organized a successful McDonald’s Week and had our first taste of real freedom with off-campus lunch privileges in the third trimester. We became editors and chairmen, captains and
In Lower School, we nervously let go of our parents’ hands at the doors of our
concertmasters.
classrooms and moved into the arms of our teachers and classmates, learning together how to long divide, dissect a pig’s heart, and navigate what we thought
But as we donned the stiff blue Oxford shirts for the
were the late nights and long weeks. As we rode on the shoulders of our senior
first time, we desperately tried to slow down the
buddies, we set in motion a 12-year journey, a journey from boy to man.
passage of time, realizing that 2019 was no longer that abstract idea, but the concrete reality we had once feared.
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In the blink of an eye, we stepped onto campus for our last first day of school. In another, we went “Back to SM” for our Back to the Future-theme homecoming. The weather turned cold as we spent countless hours on college applications, trying to plan our next steps. But the drudgery was broken with Xbox in the conference room and time spent with our little buddies, our journey coming full circle as we walked through the Great Hall at the Christmas party with them sitting high up on our shoulders. Before we knew it, the Commencement stage had taken shape on the quad, and the sun was about to set on our time at 10600 Preston Road. As May 24 arrived, and Mr. Dini officially introduced the Class of 2019, the single path we had all been on began to diverge into 94 individual journeys, and our future together may have looked a little uncertain. But while we are leaving campus behind, spreading out across the world from London to Los Angeles, we will always be connected through our time spent together at
(opposite) Seniors head to lunch after a Class meeting
10600 Preston Road.
(top) Landon Wood ’19 leads a pep rally (above) The Class of 2019 at its Middle School Final Assembly in May 2015 (left) As juniors, the Class of 2019 organizes McDonald’s Week in November 2017 (far left) Connor Pierce ’19 meets his Lower School buddy
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Baccalaureate & Commencement The Class of 2019 finished its senior year with a week full of milestones and traditions, culminating as 94 men stood together in white dinner jackets and joined the ranks of St. Mark’s alumni.
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Baccalaureate As the sun set on Tuesday, May 21, the Class of 2019 prepared for its Baccalaureate service by forming two rows leading into the Chapel. In a timehonored tradition, the faculty processed into the Chapel to the applause of their graduating seniors. Chosen to speak on behalf of his class, Blake Rogers ’19 reminded classmates that the years of hard work that led to that night were not over, and that they should always remember the people who helped them realize their goals. “Our time here at Preston Road is not an end to the long nights and dedication to excellence. It is just the beginning,” Blake said. “We must be willing to go the extra mile in college and our careers, as so many have done before us. But never forget the hallways, the laughs, and the smiles that keep us
Following the service, the faculty lined the walkway
going.”
outside the Chapel and applauded their former students, completing the cycle of gratitude and
Coach Dwight Phillips, chosen by the students
mutual appreciation.
to respond on behalf of the faculty, encouraged students to positively impact the people in their lives and to move their communities forward even after they leave St. Mark’s: “My advice for you, the Class of 2019, is to be selfless and not selfish. Be delightful and not spiteful. Be inclusive and not exclusive. Be encouraging and not discouraging. Be grateful and not hateful. And be of service and not disservice.”
Final Assembly & Graduate Luncheon On Friday, May 24, the Upper School held its final assembly of the year, where year-end awards were presented, and the Class of 2019 heard “Seniors,
(opposite) Seniors listen to the choir perform at Baccalaureate (above) The community applauds following Coach Phillips’ speech (below left) Students process out of the Chapel
dismissed,” for the final time. In Spencer Gym, the seniors met with their families for the annual Graduate Luncheon, where St. Mark’s Alumni Association President Jeff Genecov ’77 welcomed them into the ranks of more than 4,000 St. Mark’s graduates: “This St. Mark’s community is certainly like no other in the country. The buildings and physical appearance of this campus may change, but our relationship to one another and this place is enduring. It is our shared legacy.” Senior Class President Joshua Kang ’19 presented the Senior Legacy Gift to Eugene McDermott Headmaster David W. Dini. Totaling $25,000, the Class of 2019 unanimously made a gift to the St. Mark’s Fund of $2,019, a gift to the
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(above) Joshua Kang ’19 presents the Legacy Gift (right) Victor Vescovo '84 addresses the Class of 2019 (opposite) The Class of 2019 on the Commencement stage
Path to Manhood Scholarship Fund of $20,000, and a gift to the Senior Support Fund of over $2,900, to assist Marksmen with senior year expenses. “We have spent our time working to connect the entire student body,” said Joshua. “Our hope has been to leave this School stronger than we found it for future generations and we are excited to find new ways to make St. Mark’s better as alumni.”
Commencement Donning the traditional white dinner jackets, the Class of 2019 joined the rest of the community on Friday evening in celebrating the culmination of their St. Mark’s experience. Senior Class President Joshua Kang ’19 was the first to speak, retelling the Class’s story, giving the students’ final remarks, and thanking the community that had worked to put the spotlight on them that evening: “I guess the underlying theme here is simple: thank you, St. Mark’s. Thank you for being our mentors. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to be mentors, especially to our little buddies. Thank you for fostering a network of friendship among 94 boys. Thank you for the Path to Manhood statue that reminds us that we once sat on the shoulders of giants and that we now serve as the giants.”
Following Kang’s speech, David Vallejo ’19 delivered the valedictory address, sharing his thoughts on the class’s journey to come: “We all understand that this School’s dedication to instill in us a selfless devotion to the students, faculty, and parents that make up our St. Mark’s community is what makes it a place like no other. We understand that one person’s struggle is another’s call to action, that one person’s success is an opportunity for everyone to rejoice. We hold each other accountable, and we accept everyone as a brother.” The Class of 2019 invited Victor Vescovo ’84 to deliver the Commencement Address. A retired naval officer and co-founder of the private equity firm Insight Equity, Vescovo has spent much of his life exploring the world. He became the 53rd person in history to complete the Explorers Grand Slam, which includes climbing the Seven Summits and skiing to both the North and South Poles. He is currently in the midst of the historic Five Deeps Expedition, diving to the deepest point in each of the world’s oceans. Just weeks before Commencement, Vescovo set a new world record for the deepest dive in history.
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Vescovo offered 25 pieces of advice to the members
Gabe, determined to not miss this special moment
of the Class of 2019. He opened with his most
with his class, had arrived on campus right as the
important advice: “You only have a limited amount
names were being read. As the final diploma was
of time on this earth. Use it.” The list went on to
given out, one more white-jacketed senior gingerly
include lighthearted points such as “Play chess or
stepped onto the stage. The Class stood and
any strategic game. Stop playing Call of Duty!” and
cheered as “Gabriel Maximus Nemecek Bankston”
“Put down your phone and look people in the eye,”
was announced. With careful determination,
as well as more direct points, such as “Focus. You
Gabe walked across the stage to join his brothers,
cannot do big things in this life without focus.”
receiving his diploma with tears of pain and joy.
As the 94 seniors crossed the stage to receive
Finally, the now-complete Class of 2019 joined
their diplomas, there was a bittersweet moment when one name was called in absentia. Gabriel
arms and, swaying together, sang the alma mater: “Ever greater may you rise, endless be your fame.”
Bankston ’19 had been rushed into surgery for acute appendicitis earlier that afternoon, leaving an empty chair on the stage. Then, as one of the final seniors received his diploma, he whispered to Mr. Dini, “Gabe is here.”
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baccalaureate address Blake Rogers ’19 As I stand here in front of you,
One of my favorite parts about this school is the five-
I look upon so many talented
minute walk to your next class between each period.
faces in the Senior section, and
From the Lower School to Centennial, walking through
I also see amazing parents and
the hallways here is never lonely. You share a St. Mark’s
faculty who have mentored us
experience with everyone you see in the hallways,
into who we are today. They
whether it be faculty, staff, or students. You can begin to
molded and crafted us into men
see new friends forming and what it looks like for two
of character whom we need more of in society than ever.
old friends to see each other in a long day. The hallways
That is why this School is so special.
don’t care about what grade you’re in or what you’re interested in.
With our wide-ranging interests, we are truly a diverse class in every sense of the word. From a Presidential
Figuratively, the hallways of St. Marks lead to so much.
Scholar in the arts to an All-American in lacrosse, this
The paths this school can take you through are windy
Class can do it all. And despite all our differences, this
and not always certain. They contain many different
Class has become extremely tight-knit.
avenues which my classmates have thrived in. And, after every hallway ended, this School always provided a new
But how did we get here? How did we become such an
hallway for us to thrive in.
accomplished, cohesive, and principled group? Many of us don’t have classes, sports, or free periods together, but
Here we are, the boys on Preston Road with the ability
the little interactions we have with one another keep us
to go in any direction we want. Achieving this level of
connected and feeling like we are never alone.
success is no secret. It’s hard work, dedication, and a love for the grind. Our time here on Preston Road is not
Coach Lee always says, “You gotta love the grind.” It’s simple but means everything: You have to love what you do and the hard work it takes to succeed. Our collaborative and helpful nature towards each other is something that is not always seen in other schools. I’ve learned that others who excel in a class are always eager to help those who are struggling.
an end to the long nights and dedication to excellence. It is just the beginning, but we must be willing to go the extra mile in college and in our careers as so many have done before us. But never forget the hallways, the laughs, and the smiles that keep us going. To our parents, faculty, and fellow classmates, the things you have done for our community will never be forgotten, and we will always remember you are the ones who got us here today.
These excerpts were taken from Blake Rogers’ Baccalaureate address and David Vallejo’s Commencement address. To view their full speeches and see more from both events, visit www.smtexas.org/classof2019.
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St. Mark’s School of Texas
Features
commencement address David Vallejo ’19 A year or two ago, I found a
have each other’s backs. I remember when Mr. Foxworth
package from St. Mark’s in the
spotted a scared fifth-grade David from across the Quad
mail, and inside, a blue book
and helped me find Jinbo-sensei’s Asian studies class on my
entitled Path to Manhood:
first day here at St. Mark’s. Even as a small fifth-grader, this
Character & Leadership
School was already showing me what a true Marksman
Handbook. In that book, I
ought to do.
took note of some words that made me stop and reflect: What makes a Marksman? The handbook defines the concept Marksman as a telos for the boys in our community, an exalted but achievable ideal for every student. A Marksman understands his own identity, success, and happiness as inseparable from his community and strives to move his communities forward. He takes responsibility for his duties and insists upon his personal value and honor.
When we cross that stage, our physical journey here at St. Mark’s will have ended, but what of our journey as Marksmen? What of our commitment to selflessly devote ourselves to our communities’ missions and to uphold the same personal values—courage and honor—that have brought us together as brothers? Gentlemen, we cannot afford to abandon these noble pursuits when we depart tonight. Tonight’s Commencement commemorates our large achievement: Whether we have been here for twelve
I can say with absolute sincerity: Class of 2019, we have
years or four years, we 94 are well-prepared to face a whole
given it our all to be the best Marksmen we can be. We all
new world with its new challenges on our departure. But
understand that this School’s dedication to instill in each of
tonight’s Commencement also prompts us to continue on
us a selfless devotion to the St. Mark’s community is what
the as-yet-unrealized trajectory to become our fullest selves.
makes it a place like no other. We understand that one
St. Mark’s has provided us with the strong foundation to
person’s struggle is another’s call to action and that any
one day, perhaps, become the ideal Marksman, or at least
person’s success is an opportunity to rejoice. We hold each
get close. It is a goal we all share and we all work hard at. It
other accountable, and we accept everyone as a brother. I
is the idea at the heart of each of our individual experiences
believe that this class has done its best to live up to this ideal.
in this community. And it is the vision that keeps us going even when times get tough.
In the classroom, I have seen my classmates push others to expand their knowledge. Before each physics test, we helped
Now, Class of 2019, it is our duty to continue striving to be
each other walk through difficult derivations. My classmates
the best Marksmen we can be every day and in each of our
put the collective success of the class before their own. Their
endeavors, for if we do so, our hardships will become that
actions show how we at St. Mark’s have done our best to be
much easier to bear and nothing will be out of our reach.
true Marksmen in everything that we do. Simply put, we all
St. Mark’s School of Texas
Summer 2019 | Features
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class of 2019 college matriculation The University of Texas, Austin . . . . . . . . . . . . Shreyas Annaswamy Emmett Berger Noah Carr CJ Crawford Nathan Han Charlie Hubbard Will Kozmetsky Harrison Lee Joe Lofgren Kamal Mamdani Jack McCabe Austin Nadalini Shane Ndeda Colin Neuhoff Blake Rogers Ryan Warner Mark Weisberg Jake Yarckin Southern Methodist University . . . . . . . . . . . . Keeton Brewster Trevor Burke Connor Cheetham Eric Hirschbrich Philip Jenevein Harrison Pancerz Alex Tate Michael Then Vanderbilt University . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cole Arnett Andy Crowe Raymond Jurcak Jack Rocchio Wheeler Sears Davis Yoo Texas A&M University. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gabe Bankston John Burton Jahaziel Lopez Daniel Mirochna Billy Stalder Dartmouth College. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jason Peng Mark Tao Seth Weprin Duke University . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rhys Arana Parker Davis Joshua Kang Georgetown University . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Samir Ratakonda Ayush Saha Jonah Simon Harvard College . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alex Baker Mujin Kwun Robert Newman
New York University. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mateo Guevara Jack Katz Roshan Vemu University of Pennsylvania. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ruoming Fan Connor Pierce David Vallejo University of Richmond. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Matthew Pollock Madden Smith Nick Walsh Cornell University. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Darius Ganji Jayan Joshi Massachussetts Institute of Technology . . . . Dylan Liu Albert Luo Princeton University. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Creston Brooks Matthew Coleman University of Southern California. . . . . . . . . . . Colton Barber Will Hunt Villanova University. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lyle Ochs Jonathan Taylor American University of Paris . . . . . . . . . . . . . . James Rogers Austin College . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gabriel Castrillon Boston College . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cole Duffy Brown University . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Richard Shen Carnegie Mellon University . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alex Ching Case Western Reserve University . . . . . . . . . . Simon Unglaub Columbia University . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Max Wang Furman University . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . George Lamb Kenyon College . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dylan Osimetha Lehigh University . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . W illiam Haga Middlebury College . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chad Kim Rice University . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Matthew Zhang Santa Clara University . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Adnan Khan Sewanee: The University of the South . . . . . . John Harbison Stanford University . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sahit Dendekuri Tufts University . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Duncan Kirstein University of Alabama . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Landon Wood (Computer-Based Honors) University of California, Los Angeles . . . . . . . Chase Honaker University of Chicago . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A ntonio Ivarra University of Colorado at Boulder . . . . . . . . . . Kyle Smith University of Georgia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Davis Malouf University of Notre Dame . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Michael Lukowicz University of Oxford . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kristof Csaky University of Tulsa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alex Estrada University of Virginia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Parker Clark Virginia Tech . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Owen Ditore
2015–2019 college matriculation FOUR: Boston College Emory University Texas Christian University Tulane University University of Richmond THREE: Austin College Boston University Georgia Institute of Technology Indiana University Massachusetts Institute of Technology Northwestern University University of Alabama Villanova University
TEN OR MORE Dartmouth College Duke University Georgetown University Harvard University New York University Princeton University Southern Methodist University Stanford University Texas A&M University University of Chicago University of Pennsylvania University of Texas, Austin University of Texas, Dallas Vanderbilt University FIVE TO NINE: Carnegie Mellon University Colgate University Columbia University Cornell University Rice University Sewanee: The University of the South University of Southern California University of Virginia Washington and Lee University Washington University in St. Louis Yale University
TWO: Amherst College Arizona State University Austin Community College Baylor University Brown University Case Western Reserve University Furman University Middlebury College Santa Clara University St. Edward’s University Trinity University Tufts University University of California, Los Angeles University of Colorado, Boulder University of Mississippi University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill University of South Carolina University of Tulsa United States Air Force Academy ONE: American University American University in Paris California Institute of Technology Carleton College Claremont McKenna College Colby College Colorado State University Elon University Florida A&M University George Washington University Haverford College Johns Hopkins University Kansas State University
Kenyon College Lehigh University Louisiana State University Maryland Institute College of Art Oxford College of Emory University Pepperdine University Pomona College Purdue University Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Rhodes College Samford University University of California, Berkeley University of Georgia University of Houston University of Miami University of New Mexico University of Notre Dame University of Oklahoma University of St. Gallen United States Naval Academy University of Oxford University of St. Andrews Virginia Tech Whitman College Whittier College
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1989
GARY CLAYTON ’74 recently earned a Doctor of Psychology
TYLER COOPER ’89 was featured in a Q&A session of the 2019
degree in Mediation and Conflict Resolution from the University
edition of the Dallas 500, a special publication produced by
of the Rockies and has accepted a position at Southern
D CEO that profiles the region’s most influential business
Methodist University Annette Caldwell School of Education and
leaders. Tyler lives in Dallas with his wife Angie and two sons,
Human Development as an Assistant Clinical Professor in the
Clark ’24 and Kai ’28.
Department of Dispute Resolution and Counseling.
1991
1976
BOBBY WALKER, JR. ’91, CEO of the Boys and Girls Club
SID BALMAN JR. ’76 has written his first novel. A work of
of Greenwich, was recently honored as one of this year’s
historical fiction, Seventh Flag traces the arc of radicalization in
Changemakers recipients during the Greenwich International
the U.S. and Europe through four generations of two families in
Film Festival. Bobby and his wife Becky reside in Greenwich with
the small West Texas town of Dell City — a prosperous farming
their two children, Maya and Miles.
family and a family of Syrian-Muslim immigrants.
1993
1977
Emily and MATT ELLIS ’93 welcomed Scarlett Marie on March
In 2018, JAY HOUREN ’77 was named Vice Chairman of the
6, 2019, weighing 8 lbs., 2 oz. and 21 inches long. The family lives
Harris County Hospital District Foundation, a charitable
in Austin, and Matt regularly travels to Washington, D.C., where
organization serving the Harris County, Texas community. Also
he is a partner of Miller & Chevalier Chartered, and to Latin
in 2018, his law firm which includes predecessor law firms for
America where he performs fraud and corruption investigations
more than one hundred years changed its name to Crady Jewett
for companies.
McCulley & Houren LLP.
1997
1979
CHRISTIAN KELSO ’97 was recently named partner in the
JIM WASSERMAN ’79 wrote a three-book series on
firm of Farrow-Gillespie Heath Witter LLP. Christian and his
incorporating and teaching behavioral economics and media
wife Bethany live in Dallas with their two children, Preston
literacy in classrooms. Money, Marketing, and Me came out
and Campbell.
in January 2019. Jim and his wife, Jiab, live in Granada, Spain, where they both write about economics and finance, along with
VEERAL RATHOD ’97 has been named CEO of Spence
a blog on retirement and the expat life at yourthirdlife.com.
Diamonds, a leader in the lab-grown diamond retail sector.
1985
Veeral will lead the company from its Dallas offices.
The University of Texas at Dallas named MICHAEL THOMAS ’85
1998
as the Director of the Edith O’Donnell Institute of Art History.
Clair and FRED GIOIA ’98 welcomed their son Robert Amos to
As director, Thomas will hold the Edith O’Donnell Distinguished
the world on February 26, 2019. Robert joins big brother George,
University Chair in Art History and serve as a professor in
and the family lives in Dallas.
UT Dallas’ School of Arts and Humanities while directing its graduate studies programs. Michael and Estelle’s son Max is a
Chelsea and GARRETT MURPHREE ’98 welcomed their first
new Marksman in the Class of 2027.
child, Mabel Leigh, on April 8, 2019. The Murphree family lives in Dallas, where Garrett works at Accenture.
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St. Mark’s School of Texas
Class Notes
1999
2002
Megan and ALEXI MANTAS ’99 welcomed their second
SETH COLLINS ’02 accepted a position as Assistant Vice
child, Elizabeth Marie, on January 10, 2019. Alexi, Megan, big
President of Corporate Development at Vrio Corporation where
brother Michael, and Elizabeth reside in Dallas, where Alexi is a
he oversees mergers and acquisitions and business development
gastroenterologist.
activities for AT&T’s Latin American entertainment subsidiary.
2000
Bianca and MICHAEL MARTIN ’02 were married on May 31,
Lyndsey Olson and LYLE CHAPMAN ’00 were married on March
2019 at Fisherman’s Bastion in Budapest, Hungary. Fellow
2, 2019. The Chapmans reside in Dallas, where Lyle works for
Marksmen Kevin Budner '02, Keith Cohan '02, Nolan Shutler '02,
Insubuy, Inc.
and Matt Wallenstein '02 joined the celebration.
Jim Wasserman ’79 and his wife, Jiab Matt Ellis ’93 with his family Robert Amos Gioia Chelsea and Garrett Murphree ’98 with Mabel Leigh Alexi Mantas ’99 with Megan, Michael and Elizabeth Marie Lyle Chapman ’00 married Lyndsey Olson Bianca and Michael Martin ’02
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Zachary Samuel Norman Chase Park ’03 with his wife Naya and daughter Claire Winifred Rose Ruschhaupt Robert Neely ’06 with Grace Winifred and Brewer Joseph Josh Dunn ’07 married Lisa Graham Mike Genecov ’07 married MacKenzie Barnett Emmanuel Acho ’08 Nick Dyslin ’08 married Brittany Bory Greg Fijolek ’08 married Kelly Gilles
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St. Mark’s School of Texas
Remarks
2002 Zachary Samuel Norman arrived on November 21, 2018 to the
MIKE GENECOV ’07 married MacKenzie Barnett on
joy of his parents Sarah and MIKE NORMAN ’02. Zachary joins
June 30, 2018 in Vail, Colorado. A number of fellow Marksmen
his two older brothers in Reston, Virginia.
attended the wedding, including FRASER MARCUS ’72,
2003
VIROSLAV ’81, DAVID GENECOV ’82, JON ROSS ’82,
CHASE PARK ’03 was named Director of Finance for Highland
CRAIG BUDNER ’83, RYAN BRENNAN ’07, ROSS
Park ISD, after three years at Dallas ISD. Chase and his wife,
GRANOWSKI ’07, BEN HUDSON ’07, NICK HUMPHREY ’07,
JEFF GENECOV ’77, KEN HERSH ’81, SERGIO
Naya, reside in Dallas with their daughter Claire and are
WILL PLUNKET ’07, JOHN POPPLEWELL ’07, BARTON
expecting a second child in October.
SACKETT ’07, NEALE SHUTLER ’07, HARRISON
2004
TASSOPOULOS ’07, VINCENT TENORIO ’07, KEVIN VICHYASTIT ’07, ADAM GENECOV ’09, MAX GENECOV ’11,
DENIS LIN ’04 was recently named Director of Business
and MATTHEW GENECOV ’13. Mike and MacKenzie live in
Intelligence at US Anesthesia Partners.
Denver, Colorado.
ROSS RUSCHHAUPT ’04 and his wife Maggie welcomed
LUKE KLINE ’07 recently assumed the role of Director of
Winifred Rose on January 16, 2019. The Ruschhaupts reside
Acquisitions at Cypress Real Estate Advisors. Based in Austin,
in Dallas where Ross works as a Director for RBC Real Estate
Texas, Luke focuses on acquisitions nationwide, as well as
Capital Partners and serves on the St. Mark’s Alumni Board.
supporting local development efforts and capital markets
2005
objectives.
Pedernales Benjamin Austin was born on February 28, to the late
2008
PHILIP AUSTIN ’05 and Claire Jordan. Proud grandparents are
EMMANUEL ACHO ’08, a sports analyst for ESPN, was named
Kathryn and Earl Austin and Carol and Chris Jordan ’70.
on the 30 under 30 Forbes Sports list in 2019. He can be seen on
2006
College Football Scoreboard on ESPN2 this fall.
ROBERT NEELY ’06 and his wife Adair Meaden Neely welcomed
NICK DYSLIN ’08 married Brittany Bory at Middleton Place
Grace Winifred and Brewer Joseph on November 7, 2018.
in Charleston, South Carolina on April 6, 2019. Nick’s brother,
The family resides in Dallas, where Robert is the founder and
JORDAN DYSLIN ’11, was his best man, and CODY
CEO of InspireMore.
DUNLAP ’08 was a groomsman. Nick and Brittany live in
2007
New York.
MICHAEL ATTANASIO ’07 directed a music video featuring
GREG FIJOLEK ’08 married Kelly Gilles on September 9, 2018,
Conner Youngblood ‘08, whose debut album Cheyenne was
at Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Pocantico Hills, New York. Greg’s
released in August 2018.
brother, JEFF FIJOLEK ’05, served as the Best Man. Pictured: Stan Cunningham ’05, Mark Beneke ’05, Alex Brooks ’05, Reed
JOSH DUNN ’07 married Lisa Graham on November 17, 2018,
Ruschhaupt ’06, Kelly Fijolek, Greg Fijolek ’08, Jeff Fijolek ’05,
in Dallas, Texas at The Joule Hotel. DANIEL CULLINS ’07
Owen Goldberg ’21, and Ross Ruschhaupt ’04.
and DANIEL REDDIN ’07 both served as ushers, and CHRIS MCCLAIN ’07 and ZACH STREIT ’07 were fellow Marksmen
HAMILTON WISE ’08 was promoted to Assistant Director,
in attendance.
International Scouting for the Texas Rangers Baseball Club.
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Summer 2019 | Remarks
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2009 GAVIN MCALISTER ’09 and his wife Devon welcomed Charlotte
In May 2019, UMER NADIR ’15, a Eugene McDermott Scholar
Reese on September 23, 2018. The family resides in Sparks,
majoring in Biology with a minor in Performing Arts, received
Maryland, where Gavin works at Becton Dickinson, a global
the Outstanding Undergraduate Student Award at University of
medical technology company.
Texas at Dallas. Umer was the only undergraduate student in the
2010
class of 2019 to receive this award.
Friends and family participated in the Walk to End Epilepsy on
2017
March 30 at the Dallas Zoo in memory of L.C. CHANDLER ’10.
SAM CLAYMAN ’17 capped off his sophomore season with
Participants included L.C. Chandler, Sr., Carol Chandler,
the Princeton Tigers Golf Team that included winning the
Langston Chandler, Mark and Vicki Schmitmeyer, Theresa
2019 Ivy League Golf Championship and competing in the
Eichenwald, and Greg and Lea Guiler.
NCAA Division I Regional Championships. At the Ivy League
2011 REECE CANNADY ’11 recently relocated to Washington, D.C.,
Championship, Sam tied for third overall and was named to the All-Ivy League Team.
where he is the Manager of Global Trade for the US Grains
Faculty Notes
Council, connecting private grain, ethanol, and feed buyers
KENDALL MURPHY and her husband, Josh, welcomed Poppy
around the world with domestic suppliers to help facilitate grain
Lee on November 26, 2018. She weighed 7 lbs., 15 oz. and
exports.
measured 19.25 inches.
BEN CHESNUT ’11 and Sophie Vickers were married in Washington, D.C. on May 4th 2019. Fellow Marksmen, JOHN WETZEL ’11 and SCOTT POPPLEWELL ’11, were in the wedding party. The couple lives in Dallas, where Ben works for MHT Partners and Sophie for Southwest Airlines.
2013 BRYCE AHART ’13 wrote and TAUBERT NADALINI ’13 acted in the HBO produced film, “Sterling,” which premiered at South by Southwest in March 2019. The film was entered in the competitive category for episodic pilots.
2015 RISHI KSHATRIYA ’15 has published a book titled, El Valle de Silicio: Why Latin America Will be the World’s Next Tech Boom which became a number one new release on Amazon. BRODY LADD ’15 spent last summer at the Woodrow Wilson Center’s Polar Institute in Washington, D.C., While there, he researched the ongoing independence process in Greenland. His report has been published by the Wilson Center.
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Friends and family of L.C. Chandler ’10 at the Zoo Walk Ben Chesnut ’11, John Wetzel ’11 and Scott Popplewell ’11 Sam Clayman ’17 Poppy Lee Murphy
St. Mark’s School of Texas
Remarks
in memoriam
DANIEL NEVOT, St. Mark’s former fencing coach and decorated
ROSS PEROT, Texas pioneer and national patriot, passed
French warrior, passed away on July 2, 2019, at the age of 99.
away on July 9, 2019, at the age of 89, surrounded by his loving
Following a storied career in the French military, Mr. Nevot
family. A longtime supporter and 2011 Commencement
came to Texas in 1963 and commenced his 25 years as St. Mark’s
speaker (pictured above), Mr. Perot made important and lasting
fencing instructor. His fencers had many successful results in the
contributions to St. Mark’s for over five decades. His son, Ross
Junior Olympics and three later became NCAA All-Americans.
Perot, Jr. ’77 followed in his father’s footsteps, serving as a
Mr. Nevot also had the distinction of being one of three
St. Mark’s Trustee for more than twenty years, including two
instructors to train the U.S. Olympic Fencing Team for the 1972
years as Board President. In addition, a number of the Perot
Olympics in Munich.
grandchildren have passed through the halls of St. Mark’s, continuing a legacy of contribution and impact. The Perot family
In addition to coaching fencing, Mr. Nevot contributed to the
has supported many initiatives across the campus including
Outward Bound program (the precursor to the Pecos Wilderness
facilities, Master Teaching Chairs, student financial aid, faculty
Trip) and provided the occasional French history lectures. After
support and development, character education, and much,
retiring from St. Mark’s, Mr. Nevot stayed connected with many of
much more. The main quadrangle in the center of campus bears
his former students. In 2016, he returned to campus for a special
the Perot name in honor of the family’s longstanding leadership,
luncheon with some of his former colleagues and fencers.
vision, and generosity.
“Nevot taught us so much just out of his own personal qualities,
Ross Perot was not only a pioneer in business, he was also a
as well as his skills,” recalled Bill Hootkins ’66, in an interview for
service-minded family man, deeply devoted to the common good.
St. Mark’s centennial history book in 2006. “It was amazing for us
He and his wife Margot, along with their five children, have made
to hang out with a man who was a decorated hero — a man who
extraordinary contributions to medical research, cultural arts,
was a fencing teacher for the entire French army. Spending 30
education, scientific discovery, social services, and other civic
minutes in his company changed your life.”
organizations. But Mr. Perot’s most noteworthy and passionate cause was his unwavering support of the U.S. military, military
During World War II, Mr. Nevot served his native France valiantly
veterans, and the families of veterans. His quiet, unassuming, and
in numerous engagements, including the Battle of Kufra, the
often under-the-radar generosity, compassion, and leadership
D-Day invasion of Normandy, and the Liberation of Paris. For his
in support of veterans and veterans’ families demonstrated a
service, he received the Legion d’Honneur, the French equivalent
lifetime of commitment and service that is simply unparalleled.
of the Congressional Medal of Honor.
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Summer 2019 | Remarks
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in memoriam Community Members CATHERINE ADKINS, mother of Lamar K. Adkins ’83. VIRGINIA L. ARSERS, July 14, 2019, former staff member and
mother of Michael M. Arsers ’02. SUSAN LAY ATWELL, March 7, 2019, wife of Anthony Atwell ’53,
mother of James D. Campbell ’77, stepmother of Anthony Atwell, Jr. ’78, Webster Atwell, Jr. ’80 (deceased) and
Alumni
Christopher D. Atwell ’84.
PHILIP B. AUSTIN ’05, November 11, 2018, son-in-law of
JOSEPH STUART BRAND, August 21, 2018, father of
Christopher G. Jordan ’70 and Emeritus Trustee Carole B. Jordan,
Kevin J. Brand ’85.
and brother-in-law of Christopher G. Jordan, Jr. ’06. BOB E. BUDDENDORF, March 4, 2019, father of PATRICK H. BOOTH ’56, June 25, 2019, grandfather of
Graham P. Gillespie ’16. JAMES M. CHUD ’75, March 2019, brother of Laurence S. Chud ’68.
John H. Carlock IV ’91, father-in-law of Bennett C. Vig ’89, and grandfather of Henry D. Vig ’26. JACK J. BURKE, November 21, 2018, grandfather of
Chandler J. Burke ’13, Trevor D. Burke ’19, and DIXON W. CHRISTIAN ’56, February 6, 2019.
Spencer J. Burke ’22.
BRUCE M. DOUGHERTY, JR. ’53, May 15, 2019.
ROBERT CABAT, June 2019, grandfather of Samuel R. Goldfarb ’20.
HENRY W. DUBOIS, JR. ’66, May 6, 2019.
RAMON CORREA, July 6, 2019, father of Jorge Correa, Spanish
teacher & Community Service Director. HARVEY R. HALE ’46, March 24, 2019. AGNES LORRAINE CLARK, December 4, 2018, mother of EDWARD L. KOWNSLAR ’76, May 30, 2019.
Banks J. Clark ’74 and Roderic H. Clark ’76.
WALTER Q. LEBRUN ’89, March 13, 2019, brother of
ROBERT JOHN DISIMILE, June 16, 2019, father of Christopher M.
Edward G. LeBrun ’91.
Disimile, Assistant Head of Upper School.
FORREST H. MUIRE, JR. ’45, January 19, 2019.
MARGARET FREEMAN, April 23, 2019, grandmother of
James Culley Barragan III ’98. CHARLES F. MUTH, SR. ’71, December 17, 2018. ALICE W. GAITLEY, March 23, 2019, mother of staff member JOHN P. OWNBY ’50, December 26, 2018.
Ellen Jurgens.
ROBERT A. STRAUSS ’61, August 4, 2019, grandfather of Robert T.
RICKI L. GLENN, January 10, 2019, mother of staff member
Strauss ’24 and Timothy Strauss ’29.
Stefen Glenn. MOSE V. HALE, November 29, 2018, former faculty member. BARBARA A. JOLLY, mother of John S. Jolly, Senior Director of
Leadership Gifts, and grandmother of Zachary S. Jolly ’10. 94
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St. Mark’s School of Texas
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DARRELL E. JORDAN, January 30, 2019, grandfather of
LENORE R. RIGLER, January 25, 2019, mother of Assistant
James J. Rodriguez ’18.
Director of Development Jan Forrester and grandmother of Matthew A. Forrester ’93.
DOROTHY B. KENNINGTON, May 29, 2018, grandmother of
Grant Kennington ’27.
LAURA HAMILTON ROACH, November 30, 2018, mother of
John F. Roach ’78, Lawrence H. Roach ’81, and Kelly E. Roach ’84 WILBERT J. KEON, April 7, 2019, grandfather of Samuel Keon ’28. RUTH W. KLEINMAN, June 17, 2019, mother of Lee M. Kleinman ’77. WILLIAM NILES LINBURG, April 30, 2019, father of
Barrett N. Linburg ’00, Cole A. Linburg ’03, and Austin B. Linburg ’04. LUIS MARTÍN, December 11, 2018, father of Rafael O. Martín ’87.
and grandmother of Christopher K. Roach ’13 and Samuel G. Roach ’15. ELIZABETH “TINA” JOERS ROBERTS, April 23, 2019, mother of
John A. Broom IV ’79, Christopher K. Broom ’87, and Andrew H. Broom ’90, grandmother of Christopher K. Broom II ’16 and Blake E. Broom ’21 and, and mother-in-law of faculty member Teri Broom.
ELVIS L. MASON, December 24, 2018, President, Board of Trustees
JORDAN L. ROSEMAN, June 17, 2019, grandfather of
(1978–1980), father of Ross R. Mason ’81.
Kobe W. Roseman ’18.
LU MITCHELL, March 25, 2019, mother of Sean R. Mitchell ’66.
ELISSA B. SOMMERFIELD, November 16, 2018, mother of
John E. Sommerfield ’84. VIRGINIA W. MONTEITH, January 1, 2019, mother of Edward E.
Monteith, III ’70.
FRANK E. SOMMERFIELD, February 27, 2019, father of
John E. Sommerfield ’84. WARREN GEORGE NANCARROW, February 25, 2019, father of
Mark H. Nancarrow ’73 and Matthew T. Nancarrow ’75,
PAUL T. STOFFEL III, March 9, 2019, Emeritus Trustee, father of
grandfather of Jason L. Nancarrow ’02.
Paul Bradford Stoffel ’80 and Christopher J. Stoffel ’81.
DANIEL P. NEVOT, July 1, 2019, former faculty member. GEOFFREY D. OSBORN, April 13, 2019, father of
Phillip C. Osborn ’14. CHARLES S. PALMER, July 8, 2019, father of Scott F. Palmer ’01. TED F. PANCERZ, December 2018, father of David W. Pancerz ’78
and grandfather of Harrison B. Pancerz ’19.
ALEX TURNER, May 30, 2019, husband of Lucian Childs ’67. SANDRA B. WILGUS, January 30, 2019, grandmother of
John R. Wilgus ’07. ANNABELLE E. WILLIAMS, February 5, 2019, mother of
James E. Williams ’77. HERBERT G. WILLIAMS, April 24, 2019, father of staff member
Ann Hamilton.
KALPESH R. PATEL, July 27, 2019, father of Vivek K. Patel ’24.
In Memoriam submissions not included in this edition will appear H. ROSS PEROT, July 9, 2019, Emeritus Trustee, father of
in the next issue of The PRIDE.
Ross Perot, Jr. ’77, grandfather of Henry R. “Hill” Perot, III ’05, Peter Hunter Perot ’06, Ross C. Mulford, Jr. ’08, Patrick P. McGee ’11, Price P. Mulford ’11, and William W. McGee ’12, brother of Emeritus Trustee Bette Perot, father-in-law of Emeritus Trustee Patrick K. McGee and Eric M. Reeves ’82. St. Mark’s School of Texas
Summer 2019 | Remarks
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Endnotes ONLINE GIVING The St. Mark’s Fund is the School’s most important, ongoing fundraising priority, providing more than 10 percent of its annual operating budget. You may give online through our secure server at www.smtexas.org/smfund. Every gift makes a difference.
THE
PRIDE St. Mark’s School of Texas Alumni Magazine
EDITOR
ARCHIVES
Katy B. Rubarth
From the Terrill School, all the way to St. Mark’s School of Texas, ours is
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS
a school with a long and rich history. If you have something that you would like to donate to St. Mark’s to be preserved in our archives, please contact the Office of Development & Alumni Relations at 214.346.8800.
David Carden
COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR Alexandra Hughes
DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT Jim Bob Womack ’98
SUBMISSIONS
DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI RELATIONS Alex Eshelbrenner ’04
Do you have a great story you’d like to share with your fellow alumni? Have you made any changes in your life such as a new job, new degree, marriage, children, or other announcement? Please send your stories, along with any photos, to the Office of Development & Alumni Relations so we can include them in our next issue. Submissions may be made in any of three ways: • www.smtexas.org Use our online form to send in your “Remarks.” • Email | eshelbrennera@smtexas.org Send your information and high-resolution photos to Alex Eshelbrenner ’04 at eshelbrennera@smtexas.org. • U.S. Mail Send to St. Mark’s School of Texas, Attn. Alex Eshelbrenner, 10600 Preston Road, Dallas, TX 75230-4047 Submissions not included in this edition will appear in the next issue of The Pride.
THE PRIDE is published twice annually by St. Mark’s School of Texas, Office of Development & Alumni Relations, 10600 Preston Road, Dallas, Texas 75230-4047, and is distributed to alumni, parents, and friends of the School. In producing this magazine, every effort has been made to ensure that it is accurate. Please report any errors, or receipt of multiple copies, to the Office of Development & Alumni Relations, and accept our sincerest apologies. St. Mark’s School of Texas does not discriminate in the administration of its admission and education policies on the basis of race, color, religion, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin. ©2019 St. Mark’s School of Texas An Office of Development & Alumni Relations Publication
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Endnotes | THE PRIDE
St. Mark’s School of Texas
Leave a Lasting Mark At St. Mark’s, our passionate and generous community members ensure the educational experience enjoyed by today’s Marksmen will also endure for future generations. One of the most important ways that our community can support the long-term security and growth of these experiences is by making a legacy gift and becoming a member of the Menter B. Terrill Society. Over the past few months, the St. Mark’s Development Committee set a goal to double the number of members in the Terrill Society as well as reach $10 million in deferred commitments by June 2021. One of the recent members to join the Terrill Society and help St. Mark’s head toward this milestone is Jack Safrit ’72.
“A couple of years ago, I realized I had planned well for my family, my employees, and my company, but had not done so with St. Mark’s, the institution with which I have had over a 50-year relationship and care strongly about its mission and values. I came to realize it was time to step up and make a commitment to St. Mark’s as part of the Terrill Society.” —Jack Safrit ’72 Many others, along with Safrit, have made a lasting impact on the future of St. Mark’s by becoming members. “I was proud to see others in my class had also joined the Terrill Society, and I hope others in the St. Mark’s community will participate as well.” We invite you to join us and help strengthen our legacy society, ensuring that St. Mark’s will thrive for generations to come.
To learn more or join the Terrill Society, please visit the Planned Giving webpage at www.smtexas.org/plannedgiving, or contact Scott Jolly in the Office of Development & Alumni Relations at 214.346.8132 or jollys@smtexas.org.
St. Mark’s School of Texas 10600 Preston Road Dallas, Texas 75230-4047 214.346.8000 • www.smtexas.org
Weeks after setting a new record for deep-sea exploration, Victor Vescovo ’84 delivers the Commencement Address to the Class of 2019.