PRIDE THE
Discovering New Horizons: St. Mark’s connection to the year’s most historic discoveries
Fall 2015 Volume 20, Issue 2 St. Mark’s School of Texas Alumni Magazine
Sunday, January 3 Alumni Games (Soccer and Basketball) Thursday, January 21 Alumni Leadership Speaker Series presents an Evening with Beck Weathers
Wednesday, February 3 Alumni Leadership Speaker Series presents a breakfast with Dr. David Eagleman Thursday–Saturday, April 14–16 Alumni Weekend Reunions for classes ending in 1 and 6
See the full calendar of events at www.smtexas.org/AlumniEvents
Contents
THE
PRIDE St. Mark’s School of Texas Alumni Magazine Volume 20, Issue 2 • Fall 2015
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ON CAMPUS
26
2 | Letter from the Editor 4 | Student Art 8 | Sports News 10 | Student Accolades 12 | Retiring Faculty 14 | Retiring Trustees 16 | Life Trustee: Charles Nearburg ’68 18 | Choir on the Road
ALUMNI NEWS
40
20 | Alumni Board Report 24 | Alumni in the News 26 | Alumni Weekend
SPOTLIGHT ON PHILANTHROPY
38 | Class of 1965
FEATURES
48
40 | Band of Brothers 42 | Baccalaureate & Commencement 46 | College Matriculation 48 | Imagine the Possibilities
NOTES AND REMARKS
66 | Class Notes 73 | Faculty Notes 74 | In Memoriam 76 | Endnotes
ABOUT OUR COVER In the planetarium, Lower School students gaze up in wonder.
St. Mark’s School of Texas
Fall 2015 | Contents
1
On Campus
“I wonder what would happen if I put a hard-boiled egg in the microwave.”
from the editor
I saw this childhood wonder again this year in the eyes of Alan Stern ’75 and life sciences teacher John Mead as they brought groundbreaking
“I wonder what would happen if I injected new DNA into a cancerous cell.”
scientific discoveries back to St. Mark’s. I saw this in my youngest child’s eyes as I told him
“I wonder what the world will look like when I have grown up?”
about the St. Mark’s alumnus who was exploring Pluto. I could see him wondering to himself: “Could that be me one day?” This is the inspiration
One of the best things about working at a school
we strive to instill in all of our Marksmen—the
is the constant exposure to the childhood wonder
hope that one day they will be as complete as our
that we so often lose sight of as we grow older.
iconic statue suggests.
It’s the wonder in the eyes of science students in the planetarium who travel across the universe
At St. Mark’s, this kind of wonder is all around
without ever leaving their seats. It’s the wonder as
us and makes each day on campus, well,
the Lower Schoolers stare across the Great Hall at
simply wonderful.
the giants in the blue shirts who they will one day become. And, it’s the wonder you can catch in the
Best Wishes,
gaze of students crossing the quad as they pass the Path to Manhood statue—two larger-than-life Marksmen eternally frozen in time: the littlest one contemplating growing so big and tall, and the
Katy B. Rubarth
older boy thinking about what life has in store
Director of Communications
after St. Mark’s.
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On Campus | THE PRIDE
St. Mark’s School of Texas
On Campus
campus snapshot
The 2015 Senior Class plays an impromptu game of Frisbee on the Perot Quadrangle. Read more about their focus on inclusion on p. 40.
St. Mark’s School of Texas
Fall 2015 | On Campus
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Photo by Rob Crow ’17
A Collection of Student Art
On Campus
(above left) Joon Park ’17 (above) Joshua Goforth ’26 (left) Nick Chaiken ’17
St. Mark’s School of Texas
Fall 2015 | On Campus
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On Campus
state of the arts
(above) John Landry ’16 (immediate right) Tucker Ribman ’18 (far right) Luke Anderson ’24
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On Campus | THE PRIDE
St. Mark’s School of Texas
On Campus
(immediate left) Whit Payne ’17 (far left) Zak Houillion ’16 (below) Alden James ’16
St. Mark’s School of Texas
Fall 2015 | On Campus
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On Campus
sports news
(above) The varsity water polo team celebrates their victory in the pool with Coach Mihai Oprea
This was the team’s fifth State Championship. Tim Simenc ’15 was awarded State MVP and First Team All-State. Nathan Ondracek ’15 and Mason Smith ’15 were also selected as First Team All-State, while George Lin ’15 was named to the Honorable
(right) Will Hardage ’16 gets ready to serve during the Spring 2015 SPC Tournament at St. Stephen’s
Mention All-State Team. The team was coached by Mihai Oprea, Peter Hudak, and Spencer Dornin.
Tennis The varsity tennis team entered the SPC Tournament as the #2 seed from the North Zone. In the quarterfinals, the Lions defeated St. Stephen’s 4–1. Moving on to the semifinals, the Lions took on Kinkaid in a close match, but lost 3-2. Winning points for the Lions were Harris Wilson ’18 and Davis Bailey ’18 at #2 and
Water Polo
#3 singles respectively. The team showed great
In May, the varsity water polo team traveled to
sportsmanship, earning praise from opposing
Austin for the 2015 State Championship. As the
coaches. The next day, the Lions bounced back and
champions of the North Texas Region, the Lions
defeated St. John’s in the third place match by a 3–2
took on Alamo Heights, Lamar, and Jersey Village
score. Will Garden ’16 filled in at #3 singles to earn
before advancing to the championship game where
the decisive victory. The team was coached by
they defeated The Woodlands High School 6–5,
Scott Palmer ’01 and Jerry Lacey.
winning back-to-back State Championships.
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On Campus | THE PRIDE
St. Mark’s School of Texas
On Campus
(top left) Jack Dayton ’15, takes a swing during the final SPC contest against Houston Kinkaid
Baseball
(top right) The varsity crew team
The varsity baseball team qualified for the SPC tournament as the #1 seed in the SPC North Zone.
(left) Shourya Kumar ’15 during the track and field competition
In the opening round of play, the Lions defeated St. Stephen’s behind the pitching of Jackson Cole ’16. In a repeat of last year’s second round match, St. Mark’s played Houston Christian. Rallying behind pitcher William Caldwell ’16, the Lions won in an emotional victory. In the final contest, the Lions met the #1 South Zone seed, Kinkaid. Despite a valiant effort, St. Mark’s lost 5–3. The Lions earned a second place showing in SPC and ended their remarkable year with a 10–5 record. The varsity baseball team was coached by Johnny Hunter, Sam Carpenter, and Jim Perry.
Track & Field The varsity track and field team finished third
Crew
at the SPC Conference Meet. The Lions earned
The varsity crew qualified two boats for the Central
81 points, 21 of which came from an outstanding
District Championships in Oklahoma City.
performance from Nick Buckenham ’15. The
The varsity quad of Luke Hudspeth ’15,
highlight of the meet for the team was the 4 x 800
Matt Woodberry ’15, Taylor Rohrich ’16, and
relay, which set a new School record with a time of
Alden James ’16 won the bronze medal for their
8:00.24. Of the 21 athletes on the squad, 16 equaled
effort in the district varsity race. The JV quad of
or bettered a personal record. In all, four athletes
Ian Fitzgerald ’17, Cameron Bossalini ’17, Parker
earned seven All-SPC awards, one relay team broke a
McWatters ’17, and Aiden Blinn ’17 also finished
School record, and two athletes made the St. Mark’s
third in their competition. The team was coached
Top 5 All-Time List. The team was coached by John
by Pitts Yandell, Walt Miga, and Lisa Boyd.
Turek, Kevin Dilworth, and Ryan Hershner.
St. Mark’s School of Texas
Fall 2015 | On Campus
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On Campus
student accolades by the numbers Facts and Figures from Across Campus
58
31
242
Semifinalists or Commended Students by
the National Latin Exams in levels I–IV
Ammar Plumber ’16, and Darwin Yang ’15
Members of the Class of 2015 named
Marksmen who earned gold medals at
Debate teams defeated by Aakash Pattabi ’15, to win the 14th Annual International Public
the National Merit Scholarship Program
Policy Forums
18
Members from the Classes of 2015 and 2016 inducted into the Cum Laude Society, joining the ten current members (right)
125,000 $5,000 Students who participated in the annual
Army Research Education Outreach
10
WordMasters Challenge, for which the
Program grant awarded to Sahitya
to playing collegiate sports
Class of 2023 placed first in the national
Senapathy ’20 and his teammates for their
Blue Division
emergency response smartphone app
6
120
3
including Henry Goldberg ’16,
who attended Tera Byte, a computer
to the Biology Olympiad Semifinals
accepted to the UNICEF High School
programming summer camp founded
National Council
by Jake Galant ’16
High school students nationwide,
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On Campus | THE PRIDE
Number of Dallas-area students
Members of the Class of 2015 committed
Upper School students who advanced
St. Mark’s School of Texas
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On Campus
retiring faculty
Dean Baird Throughout the course of the last 39 years, Dean Baird served as a leading member of the St. Mark’s faculty. A veteran of multiple disciplines, subjects, and grade levels, he did it all. While well known for his proficiency in computer science, having contributed greatly to the School’s advancement in this area, Baird’s impact is far wider than just campus technology. Over four decades, Baird touched the lives of
St. Mark’s is blessed with some of the most loyal and devoted teachers in the nation. This year, we honored three teachers who together dedicated nearly a century of service
thousands of Marksmen as a teacher, advisor, coach, and mentor. He was the fifth-grade class sponsor for most of those four decades and his contributions will be felt for years to come.
to the School community. They influenced generations of Marksmen in virtually every aspect of campus life, from the playing fields and theaters to the classrooms and computer labs. Dean Baird, Rod Blaydes, and Bob Rozelle ’66 can truly
“Mr. Baird was one of my favorite teachers because of the fun environment and care he provided for every student. He really taught me how valuable it is to be a computer geek,” said Will Mallick ’20.
be considered St. Mark’s legends. His energy, creativity, and intelligence kept
—David W. Dini, Eugene McDermott Headmaster
St. Mark’s on the cutting edge of technology. From computer classes for second graders to his role as fifth-grade sponsor, students grew not only in their knowledge of technology, but in their understanding of leadership, thanks to his mentorship and guidance.
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St. Mark’s School of Texas
On Campus
Bob Rozelle ’66 After more than two decades teaching at his alma
(left to right) Dean Baird preparing for Baccalaureate
mater, Bob Rozelle ’66 has decided to “hang up the
Rod Blaydes
chalk.” A dedicated Marksman, Rozelle contributed
Drama instructor Rod Blaydes began his career at
greatly to the Middle School Humanities program
St. Mark’s over 35 years ago, and since then, has
and made a difference in the lives of his students.
had a profound impact on the lives of Marksmen.
Serving as a coach, advisor, mentor, and guide, he
Every year he directed several plays and musicals,
set a positive course forward for Marksmen and
which always drew large crowds. Upon his arrival,
inspired them to develop into men of substance
he began developing the dramatic arts and theater
and character. Having walked the halls of 10600
program, teaching young thespians from both
Preston Road as a student, Rozelle was able to
Hockaday and St. Mark’s. Through his leadership
connect with his students and players when he
in countless performances of famous productions,
returned as a faculty member.
Rod Blaydes surrounded by playbills from the productions he directed with St. Mark’s and Hockaday students Humanities teacher and alumnus, Bob Rozelle ’66, with his students before retiring after 22 years in the spring of 2015
from The Sound of Music to The Tempest, he’s inspired many Marksmen to move out of their
“From his urgent cries of ‘introductory dependent
comfort zones and even pursue careers in the
clause’ to hanging out with his students in the
creative arts.
break between periods, Mr. Rozelle put fun in education. He was a living example of how to
As former student Kyle Weinstein ’15 said, “He
have fun and get work done simultaneously,
developed my character and helped me become a
transforming the way I look at school and work,”
more humble and compassionate person. Through
Andrew Lin ’17 said.
his encouragement, he instilled a solid work ethic and a desire to always perform at my best.”
Whether leading the football team to an undefeated season or simply talking about the
Over three decades leading the drama department,
proper grammar of a sentence, his enthusiasm for
Blaydes built a culture of excellence in the arts that
both St. Mark’s and learning touched the lives of
students have come to venerate.
countless students. He has left a mark that will last for years to come.
St. Mark’s School of Texas
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On Campus
retiring trustees
(clockwise from top left) Ken Hersh ’81 with his family: Rachel, Daniel ’13, and wife Julie Randall Fojtasek ’81 and his wife, Ola Trevor Ahlberg ’86 and Bill Graue ’84 Pallavi Chavda and her husband Deepak Chavda
Randall Fojtasek ’81 Randall Fojtasek ’81 retires after 18 years on the Board of Trustees. During his tenure, Randall
Trevor Ahlberg ’86
served on and chaired nearly every committee,
Trevor Ahlberg, a member of the Class of 1986,
including the Executive Committee and the
retires from the Board after six years of dedicated
Investment Committee. He served as President
service. Trevor has been an active volunteer and
of the Board of Trustees from 2012 to 2014.
supporter of St. Mark’s since his graduation, and
Randall is the father of two Marksmen, Jack ’15
his service on the Board includes involvement on
and Randall, Jr. ’20. He was awarded the Alumni
the Development, Education, Long Range Planning,
Service Medal in 2015.
and Executive Committees. He also served on the Alumni Board from 2003 to 2006.
Ken Hersh ’81 Ken Hersh ’81 retires after 17 years on the Board
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On Campus | THE PRIDE
Pallavi Chavda
of Trustees. During his tenure on the Board, Ken
Pallavi Chavda, mother of Marksmen Kahan ’12
served on nearly every committee. He was a
and Aarav ’13, joined the Board in 2006. During her
member of the Executive Committee for 11 of his
nine-year tenure, she was an active member of the
17 years and played a critical role as Co-Chair of
Education and Long Range Planning Committees.
the Head of School Search Committee. He also
Her commitment to the School has inspired and
served as Board President from 2010 to 2012. Ken is
touched many others on the Board.
the father of Marksman Daniel ’13.
St. Mark’s School of Texas
On Campus
(clockwise from top left) Patrick McGee with his wife Suzanne and son Patrick ’11 Connie O’Neill poses with family members at the graduation of son Jack ’15 Kama Koudelka (left) with Les and Amy Ware Randy Zisk ’77 at the West Coast Launch of The Centennial Challenge
Patrick McGee Patrick McGee, father of Marksmen Patrick ’11 and William ’12, joined the Board in 2009. During his six-year tenure, he faithfully served as a longstanding member of the Investment Committee. His enthusiasm for the School has brought out the best in all of those around him.
Connie O’Neill Connie O’Neill, mother of Marksman Jack ’15, joined the Board in 2012 as President-elect of the Parents’ Association. During her tenure on the Board, Connie was an active member on both the Committee on Trustees and the Education Committee, as well as the Headmaster Transition Committee.
Amy Ware Amy Ware, mother of Marksmen Elias ’17 and Orlin ’18, retires from the Board after six years of dedicated service. Amy has been an active volunteer and supporter of St. Mark’s for many years. Her service on the Board includes involvement on the Education, Development, and Facilities Committees.
New Trustees Mary Beth V. Duffy Amee M. Joshi
Randy Zisk ’77 Randy Zisk, a member of the Class of 1977, retires after three years of service on the Board of Trustees.
David R. McAtee ’87 Ryan K. Robinson ’86
He was an important asset to the Board as one
Ryan T. Rogers ’95
of six regional members. He served on both the
Alan C. Schoellkopf, Jr. ’91
Education Committee and the Development
J. Carl Sewell III ’02
Committee, laying the groundwork for the success
Heather H. Washburne
of future Marksmen.
St. Mark’s School of Texas
Fall 2015 | On Campus
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On Campus
life trustee: charles e. nearburg ’68
(above) Charles Nearburg ’68 accepting the Life Trustee award at the Trustee Dinner (right) Nearburg and his family
When the St. Mark’s Board of Trustees elected Charlie Nearburg ’68 as a Life Trustee it was no surprise to those who had served with him for 21 years. He was a member of virtually every committee during his tenure, and his involvement demonstrated a level of loyalty and dedication worthy of this honor. Charlie conducted the first comprehensive audit of the School’s campus facilities and helped to establish the Facilities Committee of the Board, on which he served for many years. Charlie was an instrumental leader on both The Campaign for St. Mark’s from 1996–2001 and The Centennial Challenge from 2007–2013, which, combined, raised more than $160 million for the School. During The Campaign for St. Mark’s, Charlie and his family donated funds to construct Nearburg Hall, which now houses the Admission, Business, and Development & Alumni offices as well as classrooms and meeting spaces. In addition, Nearburg Hall is home to the Industrial Arts facility,
being spread over several buildings on campus. His dedication, vision, commitment, and generosity to the School are hallmarks of his service on the Board of Trustees. In 2005, St. Mark’s Alumni Association awarded Charlie the Alumni Service Medal for his distinguished and longstanding contributions to the School. The official resolution naming Charles E. Nearburg ’68 a Life Trustee states, “Mr. Nearburg clearly has exhibited lengthy, outstanding, and meritorious service as a Trustee, which is indicative of a lifetime of extraordinary and substantive commitment to St. Mark’s School of Texas and its programs, including important and institution-shaping contributions of time, energy, creativity, vision, and resources.”
where Middle School and Upper School students first design artwork in the computer lab and then bring their ideas to life in the adjoining workshop. Charlie wanted to make sure that the Industrial Arts program had a permanent home after years of
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On Campus | THE PRIDE
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On Campus
Choir on the Road (above) Chaperone Jason Lange snaps a photo of the St. Mark’s Choir standing before the New York City skyline, with Tinsley Silcox, Glenn Stroh, and choir-trip sponsors Karan Windham and Ann Dilday (opposite) The Choir singing in Christ Church Cathedral in Montréal
Last summer, 28 boys brought the sound of St. Mark’s to the East Coast and Canada during the Choir’s 15th biennial international tour. Accompanied by Choirmaster Tinsley Silcox, Organist and Assistant Choirmaster Glenn Stroh, and three faculty chaperones, the Choir visited and performed in Washington, D.C., New York City, and Montréal. The biennial trip gave the boys a chance to share their incredible talent with the nation and experience the history and culture of three of the continent’s major cities. The first stop on the tour was Washington, D.C., and the boys engaged the nation’s capitol almost immediately. On the first evening, the boys put on an impromptu performance inside the Lincoln Memorial. At the feet of the statue of the 16th president, the choristers performed a rendition of the “Song for Unsung Heroes.” The next morning, the group met up with Ike Crews ’08, a member of Dallas Congressman Pete Sessions’ staff, who guided the Marksmen through the U.S. Capitol. The Choir then visited the Library of Congress, where
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On Campus | THE PRIDE
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On Campus
they received a special tour organized by
The choristers concluded their tour the next day
Nick Anderson ’61 and Ford Peatross, Founding
at the Basilique Notre-Dame de Montréal, where
Director for the Library’s Center for Architecture,
they performed in front of their largest crowd.
Design and Engineering. The third day began at
Hundreds of parishioners, tourists, and guests sat
Arlington National Cemetery, where the Choir
mesmerized while the boys sang.
(below) Glenn Stroh directing the novice choristers
laid a wreath at the tomb of John F. Kennedy and performed an a cappella concert in honor of America’s fallen heroes. That same evening, the boys sang a Choral Evensong service at Washington National Cathedral. Among those listening in the audience was St. Mark’s newly appointed Chaplain, Reverend Stephen Arbogast. From Washington, the Choir traveled to New York City, where they performed at the United Nations Headquarters. Throngs of international visitors stopped to revel in the harmonic sounds that filled the atrium. The boys sang a variety of songs, including pieces like “Famine Song,” which seemed to take on added significance and emotion at the United Nations. The Choir then headed north to the FrenchCanadian city of Montréal. After a bit of sightseeing, the boys performed a service at Christ Church Cathedral. Their voices beautifully filled one of Canada’s greatest houses of worship. The service was heard across the country on Canadian National Radio, which broadcast the event.
St. Mark’s School of Texas
Fall 2015 | On Campus
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Alumni News alumni programs Board Report from David Campbell ’86 The Alumni Board is pleased to share a final report
The Board, along with the Office of Development
summarizing the 2014–2015 school year. For our Alumni
and Alumni Relations, continues to measure the
Association, the past year has been one of camaraderie, progress, and advancement of key objectives. The Board’s
success of our efforts by focusing on three primary initiatives: (1) Dallas-based programming and engagement, (2) the growth of the Alumni Network
aspirational vision remains at the forefront: to become the
through the expansion of regional activities, and (3)
premier independent school alumni association in
maintaining our high standard of over 55 percent
the country.
alumni participation in the St. Mark’s Fund. With record attendance at events in Dallas and across the nation as well as record participation in the St. Mark’s Fund, alumni engagement has never been stronger.
Dallas Area Programming As families and friends gather for the holidays, so do Marksmen. The annual Alumni Holiday Luncheon in December 2014 welcomed seven decades of alumni. More than 125 attendees enjoyed a holiday meal together at Arlington Hall at Lee Park while Eugene McDermott Headmaster David W. Dini delivered an inspiring message about the characteristics of ethical leadership. Marksmen rang in the new year with the annual (above) The alumni and current soccer team members after the alumni narrowly beat the varsity soccer team in the annual Alumni Games (right) Enjoying a moment at the annual Alumni Holiday Luncheon, Jeff Hillier ’76, Bill Graue ’84, and Brad Cope ’84
Alumni Games, competing against the varsity basketball and soccer teams. More than 50 alumni athletes took to the court and field to enjoy competition against their Upper School opponents. The alumni defeated the soccer and basketball teams, both by the narrowest of margins. The Alumni Leadership Speaker Series (ALSS) engaged alumni and community members with several events throughout the year. In February, members of the Alumni Association were granted access to the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas to hear Richard W. Fisher, President and CEO of the Dallas Fed. Mr. Fisher, father of Anders ’95 and
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Alumni News | THE PRIDE
St. Mark’s School of Texas
Alumni News
Miles ’02, presented a frank and relatable report on the current condition of the national economic climate. With more than 200 alumni and guests in attendance, the evening concluded with a Q&A session and a self-guided tour through the Fed’s Economy in Action exhibit. (clockwise from top left) Outgoing President and CEO of the Dallas Fed speaks about the state of the Texas economy
The year concluded with the Young Alumni The ALSS also welcomed Robert E. Dennard
Community Service event in June, where
Visiting Scholar James O’Donnell, Organist and
young alumni volunteers served dinner at Austin
Master of Choristers at Westminster Abbey in
Street Center.
London. O’Donnell performed for alumni during a special evening recital on the newly dedicated
Alumni Weekend 2015 was another resounding
Roosevelt Family Pipe Organ.
success, welcoming more than 1,100 alumni and guests back on campus. The three-day celebration
Young Alumni engagement remains a focus as
continued to be the Alumni Association’s signature
St. Mark’s looks toward the future. More than 120
event, with activities including the annual golf
college-age alumni returned to campus last year
tournament, classes taught by faculty members,
to reconnect with classmates and faculty at the
alumni speaker panels, the Spring Alumni Dinner,
College-Age Holiday Luncheon and to share their
the family barbecue, and Reunions for classes
feedback at the annual Headmaster’s Roundtable.
ending in 0 and 5.
St. Mark’s School of Texas
The Headmaster’s Roundtable provides college-age alumni the opportunity to give feedback to the administrators of St. Mark’s about their college experiences Young Alumni and members of the St. Mark’s Blues Band at the Austin Street Center
Fall 2015 | Alumni News
21
Alumni News
(above) Sloan Rudberg ’10, Joe Milliet, Tomi Maxted ’07, and Matthew Feldman ’05 at the New York event
(above right) Micah Levin ’95, Tu U ’95 and Taylor Hamra ’95 at the Los Angeles event
Regional Events
These results are made possible by the hard work
With more than half of the Alumni Association
of many, but I would like to thank my 33 fellow
members living outside of North Texas, the
Alumni Board members for their tireless efforts.
Alumni Board continues to focus on strengthening
In particular, I would like to recognize this past
engagement through regional clubs and events.
year’s Executive Committee for their tireless
This year, the Alumni Board and Alumni Office
work on behalf of our Alumni Association: Alan
hosted 18 events across the nation. More than 300
Schoellkopf ’91 (Vice President), Perch Nelson ’79
alumni attended their respective events from coast
(Secretary), Ryan Bowles ’90, Seth Collins ’02,
to coast to reconnect with faculty members and
Jesse Diaz ’04, Paul Genender ’87, and Mike
fellow Marksmen.
Mac Adams ’65. The Reunion Committees and Class Agents also put in tremendous time and effort on behalf of the School and their classmates.
St. Mark’s Fund Participation
A special recognition goes out to Alex
The Alumni Board measures the engagement of
Eshelbrenner ’04, Director of Alumni Relations,
our Association members through participation
and the entire Development Office staff; our School
in the St. Mark’s Fund, the School’s annual
is blessed to have such a professional and capable
giving priority. This year, our alumni exceeded
group focused entirely on advancing the mission
50 percent participation for the seventh year in a
of St. Mark’s.
row, achieving 57 percent overall participation – a record high. Collectively, we raised more than $1.9
In conclusion, thank you to our alumni for
million – also a School record, representing more
engagement and continued dedication to making
than half of the total given to the St. Mark’s Fund.
St. Mark’s a better place.
As an Alumni Association, we take great pride in ensuring the School has the necessary resources to excel in every endeavor, and I want to thank you for your ongoing generosity as we strive to strengthen our school.
David Campbell ’86 President, 2013–2015
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Alumni News | THE PRIDE
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Alumni News
alumni in the news Photo credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls
(above) Alan Stern ’75 at a media briefing following New Horizons’ historic flyby (above right) Jon Stein ’97
Curtis Burch ’72
Jon Stein ’97
Curtis Burch ’72 recently produced 5 Flights Up,
Betterment, a company co-founded in 2008 by
a movie featuring Diane Keaton and Morgan
Jon Stein ’97, was showcased on the Disruptor
Freeman. The movie recounts the story of an
50 list by CNBC News. The list “features private
elderly couple selling their fifth-floor apartment for
companies in 16 industries whose innovations
a more age-friendly home without stairs. Featuring
are revolutionizing the business landscape.
the story of both their past and current lives, the
These forward-thinking upstarts have identified
film develops the couple’s beautiful relationship in
unexploited niches in the marketplace that have
the midst of troubles, ranging from a pet’s medical
the potential to become billion-dollar businesses.”
problems to the ability to purchase a new home
Betterment uses automated tools to maximize
in Manhattan.
returns and minimize taxes for business portfolios, with no minimum investment.
Alan Stern ’75 Alan Stern ’75 led the historic New Horizons Mission to research Pluto as the Principal Investigator. His team captured high-definition images of the dwarf planet and gathered data as the probe flew by on July 14, 2015. His recordbreaking exploratory mission is the first of its kind since Voyager in 1977. Read more about the mission on p. 48.
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Alumni News | THE PRIDE
St. Mark’s School of Texas
Alumni News
Photo credit: Green Bay Packers and Matt Becker
Photo credit: IBM Social Business
Scott Jacobs ’05 Recently, IBM launched a new reality show called “A New Way to Start Up.” Starting with 10 millennial
Ty Montgomery ’11 With the 94th overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft,
startups, IBM narrowed the pool down to five
the Green Bay Packers selected Ty Montgomery ’11
promising companies. One of these was Charity
in the third round. An All-American and standout
Charge, a benefit corporation that Scott Jacobs ’05
wide receiver and kick returner for Stanford, Ty
co-founded. The company is launching a credit
is quickly earning the respect of his coaches and
card that allows cardholders to earn donations for
teammates. Head Coach Mike McCarthy praises
the nonprofit of their choice. The series features
him, saying, “I thought Ty looked excellent.”
eight episodes during which Scott lives in a house
Veteran teammate Randall Cobb adds, “He believes
with four other startup founders and competes for
in himself, and once he gets this offense down,
a grand prize that may help take Charity Charge to
I think he’ll be pretty good.” On September 28,
new heights.
during the Packers’ game against the Kansas City
(left) Scott Jacobs ’05 and a co-founder, Stephen Garten, on the reality show highlighting their company Charity Charge (above) Ty Montgomery ’11 of the Green Bay Packers
Chiefs, Ty scored his first NFL touchdown, putting the Packers on the scoreboard in the first quarter.
St. Mark’s School of Texas
Fall 2015 | Alumni News
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Alumni News
Alumni Weekend “This weekend, Marksmen have traveled from around the globe to celebrate lifelong friendships, to recognize teachers who helped shape their lives, and to celebrate this School that has had such an impact on all of us.” —David Campbell ’86
For the fifth consecutive year, Alumni Weekend broke attendance records, welcoming more than 1,100 alumni and guests back to St. Mark’s. Generations of Marksmen reconnected with one another, their former teachers and mentors, and their alma mater for a weekend of celebrating Lion pride. On the golf course, in the classroom, and over the dinner table, the St. Mark’s community gathered together.
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St. Mark’s School of Texas
Craig Budner ’83, and David Campbell ’86 present Ken Hersh ’81 with the Distinguished Alumnus Award
Alumni News
spring alumni dinner On Friday night, hundreds of guests packed the W. W. Browning, Jr., Great Hall for the 19th annual Spring Alumni Dinner to recognize some of St. Mark’s most devoted alumni, faculty, and staff members.
Owens ’89 were honored. The following month, at Upper School Final Assembly, Mihai Oprea was announced as the winner of the 2015 Ralph B. Rogers Alumni Award.
Young Alumni Service Citation Eric Kusin ’00 received the Young Alumni Service (above) The Alumni Association honors Steve Walker for his 40 years of service (right) David Campbell ’86, and David Dini with Eric Kusin ’00, who received the Young Alumni Service Citation (opposite top) Eugene McDermott Headmaster David W. Dini giving his state-ofthe-school message (opposite bottom) David Campbell ’86 and David Dini with Alumni Service Medal recipient Randall Fojtasek ’81
40 Years of Service For his 40 years of service to St. Mark’s, the Alumni Association honored food services staff member Steve Walker, better known to Marksmen as “Hollywood.” “Steve views the boys here as part of his family,” Sally Stephens, Director of Food Services, said in a special tribute video. “He feels a responsibility to make sure that they are stepping up and doing what they’re supposed to be doing.”
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 honoring a teacher or staff member who supports the School’s mission by extending himself or herself beyond the confines of the job description. At the Spring Alumni Dinner,
Citation, which recognizes the outstanding service of an alumnus prior to his 15th Reunion. Eric has been a devoted supporter of the Alumni Association since the moment he graduated from USC. An engaged alumnus and longtime Class Agent, he helped launch and lead the Austin Regional Committee. After moving back to Dallas, Eric joined the Alumni Board in 2010 and has been an active leader in the School community, serving as Young Alumni Chair on the Board’s Executive Committee and leading his class to a recordbreaking 10th Reunion gift. Eric and his brother Ben ’97 gained national attention appearing on ABC’s Shark Tank and securing an investment for their company, Reviver. Eric brought the wisdom and business sense he gained from his experience back to St. Mark’s, speaking to current students just a few weeks after the episode aired.
finalists Casey Gendason, Mihai Oprea, and Ken
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St. Mark’s School of Texas
Distinguished Alumnus Award At the Spring Alumni Dinner, Ken Hersh ’81 was honored as the recipient of the Distinguished Alumnus Award. The Distinguished Alumnus Award recognizes achievement of exceptional nature in any field, vocation, or voluntary career. For the past three decades, Ken has earned a reputation as a leader in the energy and natural gas industry. As CEO of NGP Energy Capital Management, Ken pioneered an investment model that has now become the industry standard. His insights into the business make him a frequent guest
Alumni Service Medal Randall Fojtasek ’81 received the Alumni Service Medal, which is St. Mark’s highest volunteer service award. Randall has been one of the School’s most stalwart supporters for decades. For the past 18 years, Randall was a member of the Board of Trustees where he served on and chaired multiple committees. During his tenure as Board President from 2012–2014, Randall oversaw the retirement of Arnie Holtberg and the transition of David Dini as the School’s 18th Headmaster. As part of The Centennial Challenge, Randall and his family made a significant gift to name the Fojtasek Family Lower School in honor of his father. Randall is the managing partner of CenterOak Partners, an
on CNBC and Fox News, as well as a contributor to numerous energy and economic forums. Ken and his wife Julie are heavily involved in the nonprofit world through The Hersh Foundation. Ken served on the Board of Trustees for the past 17 years and as Board President from 2010–2012. In 2006, at the onset of The Centennial Challenge, Ken and Julie announced a $5 million gift to support construction of the Robert K. Hoffman Center, named in honor of his friend, mentor, and fellow ReMarker editor-in-chief. “St. Mark’s to me is home,” Ken said in accepting his award. “It’s an honor to be part of this School, and I hope that I can live up to half the example that St. Mark’s represents.” Ken and Julie have two children, Rachel and Daniel ’13. Daniel, like his father, served as editor-in-chief of The ReMarker his senior year.
investment team that has acquired and sold more than $1.6 billion of investments. He and his wife Ola have four children: Michael, Joe, Jack ’15, and Randall, Jr. ’20.
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Alumni News
alumni golf tournament As Alumni Weekend kicked off, Dallas’ uncharacteristically stormy spring weather cleared just in time for Marksmen to hit the links. A record number of alumni, faculty, trustees, and friends played at Brookhaven Country Club before dinner and awards.
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St. Mark’s School of Texas
Alumni News
friday on campus On Friday morning, hundreds of Marksmen arrived on campus for one more chance to be students and to relive their days at 10600 Preston Road. Eugene McDermott Headmaster David W. Dini welcomed alumni and their guests before releasing them to class. Marksmen of all ages paid close attention as Tom Adams, Master Teacher Emeritus, took the podium, delivering a history lesson in his legendary style. Throughout the day, alumni were able to explore the campus, observing the modern St. Mark’s classrooms and enjoying impromptu reunions with their former teachers. Curtis Smith taught a special alumni class exploring war and soldiers, from The Iliad to modern times. With the help of some eager Middle Schoolers, Amy Reck explained how she integrates leadership and ethics into her Middle School math lessons. The school day ended with a special panel discussion for alumni and Upper School students featuring Silicon Valley venture capitalist and 2005 Distinguished Alumnus Steve Jurvetson ’85. Steve shared stories from his career investing in technology companies, including SpaceX and Tesla.
St. Mark’s School of Texas
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Alumni News
saturday bbq As the weekend began, alumni and their families returned to campus for a morning of food and fun. St. Mark’s studio band provided the music for a festive barbeque lunch, complete with clowns, face-painters, balloon artists, and games with Doc Browning. Chemistry teacher Ken Owens ’89 entertained and educated families with explosions and homemade root beer while Steve Balog, Cecil H. and Ida Green Master Teaching Chair in Science, took visitors on a tour of the stars in the planetarium.
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St. Mark’s School of Texas
Alumni News
(from top to bottom) Class of 1965 50th Reunion Class of 1970 45th Reunion Class of 1975 40th Reunion
St. Mark’s School of Texas
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Alumni News
(from top to bottom) Class of 1980 35th Reunion Class of 1985 30th Reunion Class of 1990 25th Reunion
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St. Mark’s School of Texas
Alumni News
(from top to bottom) Class of 1995 20th Reunion Class of 2000 15th Reunion Class of 2005 10th Reunion Class of 2010 5th Reunion
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Alumni News
parents of alumni As the Class of 2010 attended their 5th Reunion at The Ginger Man over Alumni Weekend, their parents gathered at the home of Melinda and Jim Johnson for an evening of food and fellowship with one another. Many parents have stayed in touch, but for others, it was an opportunity to reconnect with those they had developed special bonds with during their sons’ time at St. Mark’s. Nearly 50 parents attended the reunion at the Johnson’s. While their sons graduated five years ago, their connection with the School community has remained strong.
(clockwise from top left) Barb Garcia and Swanie Smith Kurt Eichenwald ’79, Lori Watumull, Denton Watumull, and Theresa Eichenwald Jim Johnson, Melinda Johnson, Brian Miller, and Vicki Miller
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St. Mark’s School of Texas
Your Gift Makes A Difference At St. Mark’s School of Texas, our boys are given unlimited opportunities to learn and excel. With the help of their teachers, coaches, and advisors, Marksmen will be prepared to assume leadership and responsibility in an ever-changing world. Through your gift to the St. Mark’s Fund, you are responsible for changing lives.
~ Last year, 57 percent of alumni and 95 percent of parents participated
in the St. Mark’s Fund, helping the School raise a record $3.43 million.
~ The St. Mark’s Fund accounts for more than 10 percent of the School’s yearly
operating budget and provides ongoing opportunities for students and faculty.
~ The St. Mark’s Fund is a critical component of the day-to-day life on campus,
securing the resources necessary for our boys to thrive. To make your gift or pledge, please visit www.smtexas.org/makeagift
Thank you for being part of an extraordinary year at St. Mark’s.
Spotlight Each year, Alumni Weekend provides a special time to reconnect with classmates and return to campus. It also provides an opportunity for Reunion classes to come together in giving back to St. Mark’s, while strengthening individual and class ties to the School. The enthusiasm and spirit of these Reunion Classes serves as a crucial anchor for the St. Mark’s Fund. Last year, alumni celebrating Reunions contributed $634,806, accounting for more than one-third of all alumni giving to the St. Mark’s Fund.
The 22-person Reunion Committee led by Mike Mac Adams ’65 began discussing plans and ideas a year prior to their Reunion. Conference calls and lunches at the School became a regular occasion. The Committee members attempted to reach out to each and every classmate and encourage attendance in April. “It was really a team effort and each Committee member was instrumental in the Reunion’s success,” Mike noted. When excitement (above) A meeting of the St. Mark’s Dad’s Club in the 1950s
During Alumni Weekend 2015, the Class of 1965
began to build, they also saw an opportunity to
celebrated its 50th Reunion, and returned to
challenge the Class to consider joining a major
campus in record-breaking fashion. Fifty-two
giving effort as part of their Reunion. This push
of the 74 classmates attended the Reunion, and
resulted in a Reunion gift of $95,830, a
73 percent contributed to the Class Gift, making
record giving total for the Class of 1965.
a significant impact and cementing their class legacy of loyal support and inspiration to future
Mike was not the first in his family to inspire
generations of Marksmen. Following the Reunion,
giving to the St. Mark’s Fund. In 1959, when
one classmate commented, “Whether it’s two guys
Mike was still in Middle School, his father,
getting together for the first time, a new email
Lewis MacAdams, led the St. Mark’s Dads’ Club
friendship between classmates in different cities,
to initiate the first Annual Fund, raising $48,500
or new energy put into an old friendship, the most
to supplement tuition revenue.
enduring part of our 50th Reunion will be the part that we carry forward.”
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Spotlight
“We both loved St. Mark’s,” Mike said, “and wanted to give back to this special place.” In addition to the Reunion gift, the Class of 1965 compiled a self-published book in which each classmate had the opportunity to share his journey after St. Mark’s. Each page included a recent photo and was accompanied by a senior photo. “Without a doubt, the book was the main driving force that connected people and brought them back to campus,” Mike said. (top) The Class of 1965 gather for their 50th Reunion
In December, Mike hosted the first annual Class of 1965 Christmas Party at his home, continuing the
(middle) Classmates Robert Feldman, Tom Lively, Lee Smith, and Bob Moore
tradition of generosity his father started more than a half-century ago. While their 50th Reunion has passed, friendships were rekindled and new bonds were formed.
(bottom) Mike Mac Adams, host of the 50th Reunion, visits with classmates
A classmate echoed this sentiment, “Our 50th Reunion was as much about our future as it was about our past.”
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(above) The Class of 2015 Blue Shirt Day on May 30, 2014
We strived to make inclusion our legacy, to get the entire school to experience the sense of belonging that we shared when we got up early one Saturday morning and ran a 5k as a class. We decided to start this legacy by serving those who make our life on campus possible. During the first month of our senior year, the Class of 2015 arrived at 6:30 a.m. to serve breakfast tacos and share a meal with the maintenance, cafeteria, and security staff. It was a testament to the fact that the Class was invested in spreading involvement. We had a great time getting to know and show appreciation to the people who keep us safe and well-fed. That first success stoked our fire. From handdelivering thank-you notes, chocolates, and roses to members of the staff on Valentine’s Day to tossing beads and handing out Baby-King Cake
by Case Brabham ’15, Carrington Kyle ’15, and George Lin ’15
to wide-eyed Middle and Lower Schoolers on Mardi Gras, we let everyone know that they were valued and part of our pride of Lions. Each one of
It was Blue Shirt Day, and as the Class of 2015 stood linked arm-in-arm we realized that it was our time to give. From Pecos to the Sophomore Retreat to McDonald’s Week, teachers, faculty, and staff had poured care into our class, unifying us from a group of disparate athletes, scholars, and musicians into a team of brothers ninety-one strong. We had it all— brotherhood, drive, friendship—and we wanted to share it. 40
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the these events not only knit the whole School together but also brought our class even closer. As we stood, linked arm-in-arm once again on Commencement night, swaying as we belted out the alma mater, we knew in our hearts that we were brothers bound by the unbreakable bond of St. Mark’s. We hope we helped unite faculty, staff, students, and parents in our Marksmen pride as we shared our joy that night and celebrated the journey we had finished together.
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(top) For his Senior Exhibition Walter Johnson ’15 performs with his bluegrass band, Sally’s Fiddle Boys (above left) Seniors share a laugh at Opening Convocation (above right) A Senior greets a Lower Schooler at Spring Convocation (left) Seniors enjoy a conversation over breakfast with Maintenance Engineer Stefen Glenn
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“As we grow older and continue to put the community that we work for before ourselves, we will always have the comfort of knowing that we can rely on each other for wisdom, confidence, and a friendship forever,” Corson told his classmates. Dr. Stegemoeller thanked the boys for their hard work over the years and challenged them to live out the lessons they learned in class. “Don’t forget what you have learned when you leave here. Carry it with you, and use it to build thriving communities wherever life takes you.” Following the Baccalaureate service, faculty and staff members filed out of the Chapel and applauded the Senior Class as they recessed. A few days later, the Class of 2015 donned the familiar white dinner jackets and prepared to walk across the Commencement stage as alumni. Senior Class President Nathan Ondracek ’15 reminded his classmates, “No matter how far away we get from each other, the 91 members of the Class of 2015 will share an unbreakable bond, forged from years of proximity, love, care, and brotherhood.” The Class selected fellow Marksman and NFL Linebacker Sam Acho ’07 to deliver their Commencement address. Sam spoke of his personal journey through the NFL Draft, dealing with success and failure.
Just as generations of Marksmen have done before, the Class of 2015 completed their St. Mark’s careers with a week of traditions that marked their passage from students to alumni. On the Tuesday before Commencement, the senior class lined the walkway outside of the Chapel to welcome their teachers into Baccalaureate. Sitting together in Chapel for the last time as students, the Class of 2015 listened to reflections from Corson Purnell ’15 and Dr. Martin Stegemoeller, Malcolm K. and Minda Brachman Master Teaching Chair.
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“I remember being in your seats, not knowing what college was going to look like, but there was something inside of me, and it’s inside all of you,” Sam said. “Each and every one of you has that Lion spirit. There’s nothing and no one that can take that away from you.” Sam left the Class of 2015 with a challenge given to his class by St. Mark’s 2007 Commencement speaker, Tom Adams: “Go forth and conquer, men.”
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(above left) Seniors reminisce at Baccalaureate (above) Case Brabham ’15 takes a selfie with faculty member Lynn Steckler (left) NFL Linebacker Sam Acho ’07 leads the Class of 2015 in a war cry during his Commencement Address
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baccalaureate address Corson Purnell ’15 When I think of St. Mark’s
learned we always get back up. We have the strength
and what we learned, what
and resilience that this School has implanted in us
we experienced, the people
to bounce back from anything. No student graduates
we met, the things we did,
from St. Mark’s without becoming a man.
this is what I realized. Yes, we became better writers, better mathematicians, better athletes, better musicians, better artists…we improved at almost everything. But what St. Mark’s really did for us was prepare us. We are truly prepared for the challenges ahead—so many times our St. Mark’s community was preparing us, and we didn’t even realize it.
builders. The men in this room have contributed to neighborhoods here in Dallas, to churches, to teams, and to many other organizations. Mostly, we have helped build the St. Mark’s community. Our contributions have made a difference here on which future classes will continue to build. I know this will continue at college campuses everywhere. We know our work is not done. These guys in the Class
Always, my favorite part of the day is lunch. Not
of 2015 will continue to be the leaders of their
only for the delicious food, but for the camaraderie
new communities.
that takes place at the tables of the Great Hall. We can sit with anybody and carry on a conversation. The discussions are about political views, math tests, sports, intense debates on St. Mark’s as an institution, or recounting funny stories of our class throughout the years. Regardless of what the topic of conversation is, we all sit and look into each other’s eyes and listen to what each other has to say. Why? Because we all respect each other. Because we have all gone through the same rigorous schedule that is St. Mark’s.
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In summary, the Class of 2015 is full of community
Yesterday, we took our first-grade little buddies to the zoo. When lunchtime came, I noticed nothing was different. Like always, our grade sat together at long tables, but this time our little buddies joined us. Our conversations stayed the same with contributions from the first graders, and it felt like we were hanging out with them instead of taking care of them. It showed me how strong the St. Mark’s community is, from seniors to first graders. As we grow older and continue to put the community before ourselves, we
They push you here, sometimes to your breaking point.
always have the comfort of knowing that we can rely
Academically, athletically, or socially…St. Mark’s
on each other for wisdom, confidence, and most of all,
has knocked all of us down at least once. But we have
a friendship forever.
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valedictorian address George Lin ’15 It’s breathtaking to be
from this amazing School. They are the very backbone
lifted up with the honor of
on which all of our achievement rests.
valedictorian, but then I look down and see my stubby little legs swinging in their Velcro shoes I can’t even do up myself and my puny arms that can barely hold the books they are carrying. Then I realize that all I did was walk up to the giant that is the St. Mark’s community and ask for a lift. Most importantly, as I look down at the smiling giant holding me, I realize that he doesn’t just
As we climb to new pinnacles in our future, never forget whose shoulders we stand on. Our little legs alone could never have carried us to the soaring heights we will soon reach. Remember those truly magical people who, although we knuckleheads did nothing to deserve it, had the grace to stoop down and give a little guy a leg up. They shared their Godgiven talent, passion, drive, and wisdom with us to help us along our journey. We are ever in their debt.
have one face, but all the faces of everyone who have
My favorite thing about the Path to Manhood statue
made my six years at St. Mark’s a joyride.
is that you know the little guy on the shoulders will
Brotherhood permeates this place, especially in the classrooms. People will ask me, “Isn’t St. Mark’s super competitive?” I’ll say, “sure it’s a competition, but it’s a team sport, and I have ninety of the best teammates I could wish for.” I didn’t do it, guys. We all did it. You are my giants.
one day realize he has changed. The little fellow will look down, and his legs won’t seem so short and his books won’t seem so heavy, because, with time and care, he too has become a giant. Well, guys, that’s happened to us. The giants of our lives, the teachers, coaches, mentors, and parents have lifted us up so high that we grew big too. Our education, experience,
But for all the good we have going here, there is one
and brotherhood have turned us into a class of giants
thing that can destroy the team of brothers. It is
ninety-one strong, giants who look out for each other
academic dishonesty and lack of honor. To the classes
and the people around them. We are still getting used
who come after us, make honor your touchstone. No
to our new bodies and responsibilities, but, as we
matter how great or small your success, you will be
know from the Christmas party when we filed in with
able to say you succeeded well.
the little fellows on our shoulders, it’s our turn to start
The broad shoulders of our coaches and mentors
lifting. Let’s go raise up the future.
bear the brunt of lifting us into manhood. And those lessons on manhood, not mathematical proficiency or inspired writing, are the most precious things we take
St. Mark’s School of Texas
These excerpts were taken from Corson Purnell’s Baccalaureate address and George Lin’s Valedictorian address. To view their full speeches and see more from both events, visit www.smtexas.org/classof2015
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class of 2015 college matriculation Texas A&M University........................ Aditya Inaganti Will Jaynes Walter Johnson Andrew McClain Elton McIntosh Albert Weng University of Texas at Austin............. Michael Fletcher Harry Herz Benjamin Wilner Jacob Chernick (Plan II) Matthew Co (Plan II) Sam Dockery (Plan II) Dartmouth College............................. Luke Hudspeth Nick Jelsma Will Jelsma Matt Woodberry Georgetown University...................... Cyrus Ganji Rishi Kshatriya Brody Ladd Blake Spangler Southern Methodist University......... Weston Blair Jack Fojtasek Preston Hext Jack O’Neill University of Pennsylvania................ Nick Buckenham Raymond Chen Carrington Kyle Eric Rawot University of Texas at Arlington........ Matthew Meadows Michael Milosevich Miguel Plascencia Hilario Vargas Columbia University........................... Kunal Dixit William Su William Sydney Duke University................................... Matthew Conley Forest Cummings-Taylor Shourya Kumar Harvard University............................. Case Brabham Nathan Ondracek Darwin Yang Stanford University............................. Aakash Pattabi Vik Pattabi Mason Smith University of Texas at Dallas.............. Christian Cortés Umer Nadir Foster Stager
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Washington University....................... Rohan Pinto in St. Louis Momin Siddiqui Michael Windlinger Emory University................................ Timothy Cho Karim Jooma New York University........................... Richard Jiang Stephen Tan Princeton University.......................... Raymond Guo George Lin Sewanee: University of the South..... Sam Daniels Travis Nadalini Tulane University................................ Abeer Karim Kyle Weinstein Vanderbilt University......................... Landon Montgomery Conner Olson American University........................... Alex Kim Austin Community College............... Kyle Campbell Boston College..................................... Tommy Gudmundsson Carnegie Mellon University............... James Zhang Case Western Reserve University..... Roland Baumann Colby College....................................... Adam Merchant Colgate University............................... Connor Mullen Colorado State University.................. Alex Enthoven Cornell University............................... Jack Gordon Georgia Institute of Technology....... Christopher Carter Indiana University.............................. Mike Mulholland Louisiana State University................. Justin Jones Maryland Institute College of Art..... Zuyva Sevilla Pepperdine University....................... Wesley Cha Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute...... Vignesh Babu Rhodes College.................................... Jack Dayton Rice University.................................... Burke Garza Tufts University................................... Stuart Montgomery United States Naval Academy............ Jake Holder University of Alabama........................ Ben Naftalis University of California —................. Timothy Simenc Berkeley University of Chicago......................... Purujit Chatterjee University of Mississippi.................... Wyatt Martin University of New Mexico.................. David Wikman University of South Carolina............. Andrew Patison University of Southern California.... Connor Castilla University of Virginia......................... Daniel Wechsler Washington & Lee University............ Corson Purnell
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2011–2015 college matriculation FOUR Emory University Georgia Institute of Technology Texas Tech University Washington and Lee University Yale University
California Institute of Technology Case Western Reserve University Chapman University Clemson University College of William and Mary Franklin Olin College of Engineering George Washington University Gettysburg College Hendrix College Houston Baptist University Howard University Johns Hopkins University Lehigh University Louisiana State University Marion Military Institute Maryland Institute College of Art Northeastern University Oberlin Conservatory of Music Pepperdine University Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Rhode Island School of Design Rollins College Schreiner University St. John’s University St. Lawrence University Swarthmore College Tufts University United States Air Force Academy United States Military Academy University of California—Berkeley University of California—Los Angeles University of California—Santa Barbara University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign University of Kansas University of Minnesota University of Mississippi University of New Mexico University of North Carolina University of Oregon University of Richmond University of South Carolina University of Texas at San Antonio University of Wisconsin Villanova University Virginia Military Institute Williams College
THREE Baylor University Brown University Carnegie Mellon University Colgate University Massachusetts Institute of Technology Purdue University Rhodes College United States Naval Academy University of Miami University of Michigan University of Missouri Columbia University of Notre Dame University of Texas at Austin—PACE
TEN OR MORE Dartmouth College Duke University Harvard University New York University Princeton University Southern Methodist University Stanford University Texas A&M University University of Pennsylvania University of Southern California University of Texas at Austin Vanderbilt University Washington University in St. Louis FIVE TO NINE Columbia University Georgetown University Northwestern University Rice University Texas Christian University University of Chicago University of Texas at Arlington University of Texas at Austin—Plan II University of Texas at Dallas University of Virginia
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TWO Colby College Colorado State University Cornell University Haverford College Indiana University Bloomington Pomona College Sewanee: University of the South St. Edward’s University Trinity College Trinity University Tulane University University of Alabama University of Georgia University of Oklahoma Wake Forest University ONE American University Amherst College Arizona State University Auburn University Austin Community College Bates College Boston College Boston University Bowling Green State University Bucknell University
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From the farthest reaches of our solar system to the Cradle of Humankind, this summer brought two groundbreaking scientific explorations. Between these two discoveries lay a single link — a boys’ school in the heart of Dallas, where students and teachers dare to imagine the possibilities in the future of science education.
Features
(opposite) During the flyby, New Horizons came within 7,750 miles of Pluto’s surface.
Three scientists: one who cultivated his passion for astronomy at St. Marks, one who fosters wonder and curiosity in the minds of current Marksmen, and one who is just beginning to make his mark. These scientists connect the dots between historic, current, and future investments in campus infrastructure that give Marksmen an entrée into the ever-evolving world of science and technology.
From St. Mark’s to Pluto On July 14, 2015, the entire world looked to the sky as an historic event transpired 3 billion miles away. At the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Dr. Alan Stern ’75 and his team crowded around a computer and waited for a transmission from across the solar system. Just before 9 o’clock in the evening, a cheer rang out as confirmation arrived that the New Horizons spacecraft had successfully completed mankind’s first flyby of Pluto, coming within 7,800 miles of the dwarf planet’s surface. “Following in the footsteps of planetary exploration missions such as Mariner, Pioneer, and Voyager, New Horizons has triumphed at Pluto,” Alan said. “The New Horizons flyby completes the first era of planetary reconnaissance, a half century-long endeavor that will forever be a legacy of our time.” Close-up images of Pluto and its moons soon appeared in newspapers and on screens around the globe. The probe will spend more than a year transmitting all of the data it collected, but the information NASA has already received has rocked the scientific community. “This summer, we ran the anchor leg to humanity’s 50-year exploration of the planets,” Alan said.
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(above) Alan Stern ’75 and members of the New Horizons team display an image of the 1991 Pluto stamp (right) Alan shows off his New Horizons bumper sticker
After the flyby, Alan and his team held up a giant print of a 1991 postage stamp showing Pluto and the words “Not Yet Explored.” The stamp had served as a motivational image for Alan and his team, and one was lovingly placed on the side of the spacecraft itself. At the press conference announcing the flyby’s success, Alan’s team had crossed out the words “Not Yet.” New Horizons shows no signs of slowing down (in fact, thanks to physics, it can’t) and now the team is setting its sights on the next frontier of exploration: the Kuiper Belt. New Horizons has become the first spacecraft to explore the expanse beyond the planets of our solar system, and course corrections have already been made to point the craft toward its next target. In early 2019, pending NASA approval, New Horizons will
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“Going to the Kuiper Belt is like an archaeological dig into the history of the solar system.” —Alan Stern ’75 During the first full faculty/staff meeting in August, Eugene McDermott Headmaster David W. Dini reflected on the Marksman scientist who had made history. Then, to everyone’s surprise, David placed a Skype call to Dr. Stern, who appeared on screen from his home in Colorado. After greeting the teachers, Alan shared behindthe-scenes details of the Pluto mission and his own surprise at the public’s reaction. intercept 2014 MU69, a 28-mile wide object that may hold valuable clues to the earliest days of our solar system. “Exploring Kuiper Belt Objects is going to help us connect the dots of accretion [or how planets form],” Alan said. “Going to the Kuiper Belt is like an archaeological dig into the history of the solar system.” More groundbreaking discoveries are expected in the coming months and years as New Horizons slowly beams back the gigabytes of photos and data it collected from Pluto. There will certainly be more than enough to keep Alan and his team busy for years to come. But even with a packed schedule, Alan found time to wish a happy new year to the educators at his alma mater.
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“The day after we flew past Pluto, we were on the front page of over 450 newspapers. NASA had its biggest media sensation in a generation.” From the beginning, the New Horizons mission was fraught with political and budgetary hurdles, but thanks in part to Alan’s strong leadership, the mission was accomplished. Like a true Marksman, Alan was quick to divert praise away from himself, lauding the collaboration, cooperation, and creativity of the many other scientists, engineers, and colleagues. “I give all the credit to the team. Over 2,500 Americans worked tirelessly for four years to build New Horizons. Nights and weekends were the norm, but my team stood up to the challenge.”
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“I give a lot of credit to St. Mark’s for enabling my career and making me the man I am today.” —Alan Stern ’75
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(opposite) Alan gives a mission update at a NASA press conference
Before signing off, Alan also took time to thank the faculty and staff for continuing the tradition of instilling a passion for excellence in their students.
(above) The sun sets on Pluto as seen by New Horizons fifteen minutes after its closest approach
As a boy, Alan was caught up in the Space Race of the 1960s. One day, while driving down Preston Road with his parents, Alan noticed a private school with an observatory and
(left) Alan speaks at the first annual St. Mark’s STEM Conference
planetarium, and his interest was piqued. That observatory and planetarium were part of the newly dedicated, state-of-the-art
to campus multiple times. He was chosen as the
McDermott-Green Science Quadrangle.
Commencement Speaker for the Class of 2008, received the Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2009,
“When my parents got me into St. Mark’s, it was
was a panelist in the inaugural STEM Conference
probably the best thing that ever happened to me,”
in 2013, and celebrated his 40th Reunion this past
Alan said. “The School helped me toughen up
April, just three months before the Pluto flyby.
and become a much better student than I ever knew I could be. I give a lot of credit to St. Mark’s
“St. Mark’s is very much about making a man
for enabling my career and making me the man I
out of a boy,” Alan said. “And I felt that even in
am today.”
high school, I could feel I was on an escalator going somewhere.”
While Alan’s career has taken him across space, he has always remained dedicated to 10600 Preston
Forty years after donning his white dinner jacket at
Road, where his journey started. Since New
Commencement, Alan Stern is continuing to ride
Horizons launched in 2006, Alan has returned
that escalator into the farthest reaches of space.
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Dr. Lee Berger presents his findings at St. Mark’s
As the new school year got underway, students and faculty were still buzzing about St. Mark’s connection to the historic Pluto mission. Less than two months after New Horizons flew past Pluto, another discovery would rock the scientific community and, yet again, St. Mark’s was connected to the story.
A Discovery Right Here on Earth In September, the world looked underground, into a cave in an area of South Africa known as the Cradle of Humankind. In front of the worldwide press, paleoanthropologist Lee Berger and his team pulled the curtain back on a case containing the remains of Homo naledi, a newly discovered species of hominin. The remains are part of an anthropological treasure trove found in 2013 in the Rising Star Cave in South Africa. After their initial discovery, Dr. Berger began excavating the site with funding from the National Geographic Society. Berger had already garnered international fame for his discovery of a 2 million-yearold set of Australopithecus sediba skeletons in 2008. With these discoveries under his belt, some referred to Lee as a real-life Indiana Jones. He was just the sort of explorer who fascinated John Mead, Eugene McDermott Master Teaching Chair in Science. A few years ago, John was following Lee’s exploits and sent him a Facebook friend request. On a whim, John asked if Lee would be interested in fielding a few questions from his Middle School science class. Lee was able to do one better and spoke in person at St. Mark’s. Since then, Lee has kept John’s classes up to date on their progress through Skype and Twitter conversations. Lee also returned to campus last year, taking students on an in-depth tour of his excavation site at the Rising Star Cave and teasing a major upcoming announcement. Last summer, with assistance from professional development funds, John traveled to Africa to visit the dig site in person. On the way, he stopped by nThambo Tree Camp for a week of safaris. He tracked and photographed wild lions, hyenas, elephants, and other animals that he vividly discusses in his sixth-grade life science classes.
Features
“It’s a very exciting time for us because this is a creature that no one thought we would ever discover.” —Dr. Lee Berger (opposite) Lee signs a book for a student during his campus visit
“Our vehicle was easily within 20 feet of lions, and occasionally they were feeding on a kill,” John recalls. “That’s something that makes you really feel a part of the food web because you realize how wimpy we as humans are just in our natural selves.” After spending a week in the wild, John traveled south to the Rising Star Cave, located about an hour outside of Johannesburg, South Africa. There, Lee gave John a personal tour of what was then a top-secret discovery. Through a seven-inch-wide passageway, two cavers had discovered the final resting place of at least 15 individuals from a previously unknown human species. To date, Lee and his team have excavated 1,550 specimens from the cave, representing one of the most diverse discoveries of prehistoric human bones. During his time at the Rising Star Cave site, John was able to personally study and even hold some of these fossils. “I got to work with the researchers scanning over 200 teeth that were recovered,” John said. “We used a Micro CT-scanner with a resolution of 30 microns, and we could get the internal and the external structure to compare to other species.” During his time at Rising Star, John also filmed interviews about Homo naledi with Lee and key members of the research team, which he was
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finally able to share with his class and the St. Mark’s community after the worldwide announcement. “It’s a very exciting time for us because this is a creature that no one thought we would ever discover,” Lee told John during the interview. “It’s a creature that looks very different than any other member of the genus homo in many surprising ways.” One of the biggest questions Lee and his team faced was how so many individual skeletons ended up in an isolated cave. None of the remains showed teeth marks or signs of injury, and they had not all died together. Eventually, the team reached a
St. Mark’s School of Texas
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conclusion—one that might change the way we
(left) Lee and John at the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site
view early hominins. “We have reached the hypothesis that this is a ritualized disposal of the dead by a non-human animal,” Lee said. “None of the scientists who we have consulted with around the world can come to another conclusion other than that we were wrong that this behavior was unique to humans.” As with many major scientific discoveries, Homo naledi poses more questions than it answers. The excavation and examination of the Rising Star Cave are just beginning, and scientists expect many more exciting revelations to emerge in the coming years. St. Mark’s School of Texas
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“Who are these creatures?” Lee asks with boyish enthusiasm. “They’re not humans. What did they live like? That’s the exciting mystery that’s out there. It’s a completely unexpected encounter with another species with a complexity that we thought was special to us.” Just two weeks after the big reveal, Dr. Berger returned to St. Mark’s to share his discovery with the students. This time, he was joined by three of the “cave astronauts,” researchers who had crawled through narrow, dangerous tunnels to reach the cave chamber containing Homo naledi. Students were entranced watching footage of the explorers shimmying through passageways and
“It makes a big difference when students see their teachers directly involved with what they’re learning about.” —John Mead
navigating over deep chasms. In appreciation of his long-standing relationship with St. Mark’s,
“I remember walking into school that day and
Dr. Berger presented the School with the first casts
seeing Mr. Mead wearing his Rising Star hat,
of Homo naledi for students to study up close. After
and almost skipping down the path to the
the assembly, the boys crowded the stage to get
Commons,” said Bret Honaker ’22, one of John’s
autographs from the explorers.
Life Science students. “I might even become a paleoanthropologist myself.”
(opposite) Lee and John hold the skull of Homo naledi (below left) John brings knowledge from his trip to Africa back to the classroom
For both Lee and John, any discussion of Homo naledi brings out an infectious excitement for the
Just as St. Mark’s students are encouraged to go
sciences. This excitement was evident on the faces
beyond classroom learning, so too are faculty
of John’s Middle School science students the day he
encouraged to go beyond classroom teaching.
was finally allowed to share his personal encounter
Professional development has always been a
with the fossils and even wear the Rising Star hat
top priority for the School and is also part of
that Lee had given him.
what makes it so attractive to the nation’s finest educators. Last year, more than $200,000 in professional development grants were distributed, allowing teachers like John to travel the world, diving headfirst into their passions and bringing those experiences back to the classroom. “My trip to Africa ties directly back into my class and allows me to share the story with my students firsthand,” John said. “We’re not just reading things out of a book. It makes me a part of the science in a way that most teachers never get to realize. It makes a big difference when students see their teachers directly involved with what they’re learning about.”
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It’s no coincidence that a St. Mark’s alumnus and a St. Mark’s faculty member were connected to the two most important scientific stories of the year. For more than a century, the School has instilled a passion for the sciences into generations of explorers and innovators. The same passion that inspired Alan Stern ’75 during the Space Race is now capturing the imaginations of young Marksmen who dream of changing the world through STEM careers.
Breaking Ground for a New Generation For Joshua Choe ’16, that dream is quickly becoming a reality. Armed with an insatiable curiosity, as well as a firm foundation in biological study, Joshua has volunteered the past two years performing graduate-level cancer research at the University of Texas at Dallas. “I was very interested in researching so I wrote a research proposal on bacteria and the tumor microenvironment in relation to the progression of colorectal cancer,” Joshua said. “I went online, found a professor doing similar research, and met with him at UTD.” Joshua spent the summer after his sophomore year learning the basics of research techniques and how the lab ran. The next summer, he moved up to work with a part of the core team on an interdisciplinary research project. Joshua personally handled a majority of the in vitro experiments, treated lung cancer cells with experimental drugs, and analyzed samples with advanced tools and microscopes. With only a few years of Upper School science education under his belt, Joshua was able to stay in step with professional researchers.
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Joshua Choe ’16 begins an experiment at a St. Mark’s iGEM Team meeting
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(above) Joshua Choe ’16 performs cancer research at UTD
“Of all the students who have been involved in
with microscopes and incubators, under the
summer programs, I can’t think of many who
careful eye of world-class teachers.
have made the types of discoveries that Joshua has,” said Steve Balog, Cecil H. and Ida Green
“St. Mark’s prepared me very well in all aspects
Master Teaching Chair, one of Joshua’s mentors
from background knowledge and critical
at St. Mark’s. “In the next ten years, I see Joshua
thinking to scientific writing and exposure to
as a lead researcher in a cancer lab at one of the
the field,” Joshua said. “The way of scientific
top universities.”
thinking encouraged by my teachers helped me immediately begin interpreting results and
For Joshua, and other students like him, St.
planning experiments.”
Mark’s science education programs are providing
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a bedrock of knowledge, rivaling university
Joshua’s supervising professors were so impressed
programs. Outside of the classroom, students
with his contributions, he has been granted
continue their education through nationally
co-first authorship on a paper that will be
ranked clubs and activities, encompassing
submitted to a peer-reviewed scientific journal.
everything from robotics to genetic research. As
Joshua will even contribute a section with
part of the iGEM team, Joshua spends hours each
figures, summaries of his experiments, and
week after school getting hands-on experience
his own conclusions.
St. Mark’s School of Texas
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The team hopes to submit their paper before the end of the year. Joshua hopes to pursue his passion in medical school, eventually treating patients and researching cancer. “He has the potential to work through and earn his Ph.D. in just a few years,” Dr. Balog said. “I believe he could become the Alan Stern of biology.” Last year, in announcing the Winn Family Foundation’s $10 million anchor gift toward a new science center, Steve Winn ’64 said that “the next generation of great scientists and leaders will come from St. Mark’s.” Today, that next generation is evident in Joshua and the hundreds of Marksmen students who foster a passion for science. The Winn Family Science Center is still in the early phases of development. Much work lies ahead; additional funds must be raised and plans must be approved. Over the next few years, hundreds of individuals will dedicate countless hours to the Winn Family Science Center. But, in the end, it will be the dedicated educators who will bring the Center’s purpose to life. Because of this, from the
“The next generation of great scientists and leaders will come from St. Mark’s.” —Steve Winn ’64
very beginning, the Board of Trustees’ Architecture and Construction Committee has included the science faculty in each step of the process.
Fletcher Carron, Stephen M. Seay ’68 Science Department Chair, and Doug Rummel, science teacher and robotics coach, serve on the A&C Committee, which oversees the project and makes key decisions. In spring 2014, Fletch and Doug joined John Mead, Trustees, and administrators on a tour of top-rated science facilities at peer
(above) Dan Northcut ’81 shows curious Middle Schoolers a spider (left) Marksmen study together in the McDermott-Green Math-Science Quadrangle
schools in New England. To better advise the A&C Committee, the science faculty has also formed intradepartmental committees to research and report on specific topics from technology and classroom layout to public spaces and LEED certification. “This was a great way to do our homework and establish consensus before meetings began with the architects and lab planners,” Fletch said.
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“The McDermotts and Greens shared a lifelong
“The Science Department is preparing for a flexible and aspirational space worthy of the Winn Family’s commitment.” —Doug Rummel
passion and generosity aimed at improving the quality of life for humankind around the world. Within a year of the McDermott-Green MathScience Quadrangle’s opening, President Kennedy delivered his famous speech at Rice University challenging us to conquer the hazards of space and land on the moon, not because it was easy, but because it was hard. I feel like that speech captures the energy and the challenge that the Winn Family
(above) Upper School students perform a biology experiment (opposite) Sixth graders use a microscope and iPad to observe single-celled species
In the Winn Family Science Center, the science
has now provided St. Mark’s in the form of our own
faculty see a facility that combines Lower, Middle,
second moonshot.”
and Upper School science education, improves the overall campus experience, and provides
The topography of science and technology has
enhanced learning environments and affinity
changed dramatically in the past 50 years. A
spaces that allow students to explore their passions.
decade from now, the students of today will find themselves in careers that probably don’t exist yet.
In May 2015, Doug Rummel was invited to present some of these ideas at the annual Trustee Dinner.
“In response,” Doug said, “the Science Department
He began by paying tribute to two of the founders
is preparing for a flexible and aspirational space,
of Texas Instruments who made a transformative
worthy of the Winn Family’s commitment.”
investment in St. Mark’s.
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St. Mark’s School of Texas
Remarks 1963
1987
KEN ARTHUR ’63 recently had a mini-reunion with
GREG FOMIN ’87 recently became Chief Operating Officer
GEORGE BASHAM ’63, MARK BIERNER ’64, RICK GEYER ’66,
of Warrington Asset Management, LLC, an alternative asset
and Ted Whatley. Ken is retired from his architecture practice
management firm, founded by SCOTT KIMPLE ’84. Greg, his
and now has a website for his artwork. Ken resides in Austin with
wife Jennifer, and their daughter Aubrey, reside in Dallas.
his wife, Pamela.
1993
AL HILL JR. ’63 was inducted into the Trinity University Athletic
MATT ELLIS ’93 and his wife Emily are excited to introduce their
Hall of Fame in 2015 for his tennis career. Al had a singles
baby boy, Jett Burnett Ellis, who arrived fashionably late on
winning percentage of .775 during his time at Trinity, and he
May 4, 2015. Jett weighed 9 lbs. and measured 22 inches in
went on to become the president of World Championship Tennis
length. The Ellis family resides in Austin, and Matt works out of
for 23 years. Al resides in Dallas.
Washington, D.C. as a partner in international anti-corruption
1968 JERRY CARLSON ’68 traveled to Buenos Aires, Argentina in June
law at Miller & Chevalier.
1996 | 20th Reunion
2015 for a research trip. While in Argentina, Jerry met with fellow
STEVEN FEINBERG ’96 married Stacy Kaltenbach on
classmate BART WADE ’68 and his wife, Mary Sue, who were
January 18, 2015, in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico.
living in Buenos Aires for six months. Jerry is a professor of film
MATTHEW FULLER ’96 served as the officiant, and all five
and comparative literature at The City College of New York.
groomsmen were Marksmen, including COULOMB CHANG ’96,
1975
and PETER THOMPSON ’96. Steven and Stacy reside in Raleigh,
ROBERT M. EDSEL ’75 and Anna Bottinelli were married by
North Carolina.
St. Mark’s Chaplain Douglas Carter on April 18, 2015.
1977
THOR HERRIN ’96, J.J. MCCARTHY ’96, DEAN PUNHONG ’96,
1997 BRAD HIRSCH ’97, his wife Margaret (Hockaday ’97), and son
COURTNEY SUTTLE ’77 was awarded the 2nd runner-up prize
Jacob (2), were excited to welcome a baby girl, Charlotte Elise
for best script in the annual Beverly Hills Film Festival in May
Hirsch, on July 14, 2015. Charlotte weighed 8 lbs., 1 oz. Brad and
2015. His script, “Fire on Ice,” is based on the true story of world-
his family reside in Dallas, where Brad is a medical oncologist
record-setting speed skater, Irving Jaffee, and his triumph over
and serves as Senior Medical Director at Flatiron Health.
racism, abuse, and poverty to become the first Jewish athlete in history to win a gold medal in the Winter Olympics of 1928 and
VEERAL RATHOD ’97 was recognized by the Dallas Business
1932. Courtney currently resides in Los Angeles.
Journal as a 2015 “40 Under 40” honoree. Veeral is the CEO and
1983
co-founder of J. Hilburn, a direct-to-consumer luxury menswear brand, which he started without any previous experience in
JON LANGBERT ’83 and GLENN MAI ’83 reconnected while Jon
retail, fashion, or entrepreneurship. Veeral and his wife, Priya,
was in Washington, D.C. Glenn is an International Trade Analyst
reside in Dallas with their two daughters, Aria and Anya.
living in the D.C. area. Jon resides in Dallas and is the parent of a current Marksman.
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Class Notes | THE PRIDE
St. Mark’s School of Texas
Class Notes
Jerry Carlson ’68 with Bart Wade ’68 and his wife, Mary Sue Robert M. Edsel ’75 married Anna Bottinelli Courtney Suttle ’77 Jon Langbert ’83 and Glenn Mai ’83 Matt Ellis ’93, his wife Emily, and son Jett Burnett Ellis Steven Feinberg ’96 with his wife, Stacy, and members of the bridal party Brad Hirsch ’97, his wife Margaret, son Jacob, and daughter Charlotte Elise Hirsch
St. Mark’s School of Texas
Fall 2015 | Class Notes
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Class Notes
1998 PENN COLLINS ’98 was married to Jess Linn on March 21,
MATT GRAY ’99 completed eight years of active duty in the
2015, in Jackson, Wyoming. Penn’s brother, SETH COLLINS ’02,
United States Navy as an Intelligence Specialist, and is currently
was the best man, and classmates in attendance included
in the Navy Reserves based out of Naval Air Station Fort Worth.
DAVID BARTHOLOW ’98, HUNTER HILL ’98, and RYAN
Matt is also pursuing a Master of Arts in Christian Education
KIRKHAM ’98. Penn and Jess spent their honeymoon in
from Dallas Theological Seminary. He and his wife Kathleen and
Barcelona, Spain. The couple resides in Los Angeles, where
two daughters, Danica (3) and Lillian (1), reside in Allen, Texas.
Penn works in hotel development. JASON HINOJOSA ’99 and his wife, Dana, recently moved from JEFF RAY ’98 and his wife Ashley welcomed their third daughter,
Los Angeles to Iowa City. Jason will be pursuing his Master of
Josephine Meredith Ray, on July 3, 2015. Jeff and Ashley, along
Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing with a focus on fiction at the
with big sisters, Emma and Vera, praise God for such a precious
Iowa Writers’ Workshop.
blessing! The Ray family resides in Coppell. Laura and SEAN HUANG ’99 are excited to announce the arrival Sarah and JIM BOB WOMACK ’98 are proud to announce
of Felix Yee-Li Huang, born on May 22, 2015. Felix weighed 7 lbs.,
the birth of their fourth child (and second daughter) Sloane
14 oz. and measured 20 inches long. Older brother Evan (2) also
Alice Womack. Sloane was welcomed by siblings BRAYDON ’18
welcomed Felix’s arrival. Sean and his family reside in Frisco.
(15), Bo (5), and Layne (3) on June 22, 2015. Sloane and mom are happy and healthy, and the entire family is adjusting to the
Erin and SETH MAZOW ’99 welcomed their first child, Nora
craziness.
Josephine Mazow, on August 9, 2015. Nora arrived weighing 7 lbs., 1 oz. and was 19.5 inches long. The happy family resides in
1999
San Francisco.
CHRISTIAN COUSINS ’99 and YUVAL WEBER ’00 graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in May 2015 with their
ROBERT SCHNEIDER ’99 currently resides in Houston, and
PhDs. Christian earned his degree in contemporary Spanish
is developing his company, Schneider Precision, to support his
literature, and Yuval studied energy and Russian politics in the
amateur kart racing career.
Government Department. Christian will begin teaching upper school this fall at Princeton Day School in Princeton, New Jersey,
ALEX SCHOENEBERGER ’99 and his wife, Marie, are thrilled to
and Yuval currently works at the Higher School of Economics -
announce the birth of their son, Edward Vincent Schoeneberger.
National Research University in Moscow.
Edward was born on February 23, 2015, and weighed 9 lbs., 9 oz. and was 21 inches long. Alex and his family reside in Dallas,
ERIC BARTA ’99 and his wife Tiffanie reside in San Antonio
where he is a web product manager for Capital One.
with their two sons, Owen (4) and Jack (3), who are excited to start Pre-Kindergarten this year. Eric is the son of former faculty
COLIN STEWART ’99 completed his residency in San Francisco
member Stephanie Barta.
and fellowship in Atlanta, and settled in Washington, D.C., where he is the Associate Training Director for the Child & Adolescent
CHUCK CUMMINGS ’99 and his wife Angie moved from
Psychiatry Fellowship at Georgetown University Hospital.
Houston to the Austin Hill Country, where he works as a
Colin will also be taking on the role of the Psychiatry Clerkship
structural engineer in the energy industry.
Director for Georgetown School of Medicine. One of his favorite parts of living in D.C. has been getting to see classmates WRIGHT SIGMUND ’99 and BEN STEIN ’99 on a regular basis.
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Class Notes
Penn Collins ’98 married Jess Linn Emma, Vera, and Josephine Meredith Ray Sloane Alice Womack Christian Cousins ’99 and Yuval Weber ’00 Owen and Jack Barta Nora Josephine Mazow Robert Schneider ’99
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Class Notes
Lucas Batzer ’01 married Megan Sobel Ned Price ’01 Michael Norman ’02 and his wife, Sarah, with Jonah and Brendan Joseph Norman Carl Sewell ’02 married Josie McGray Michael Prentiss ’02 with his daughter, Isabella Louise Julius Jenkins ’03 married Pavielle Chriss Alex Eshelbrenner ’04 married Christy Tuohy (Ursuline ’05) Scott Jacobs ’05
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Class Notes | THE PRIDE
St. Mark’s School of Texas
Class Notes
2000
2003
Heather and BARRETT LINBURG ’00 are thrilled to announce
JULIUS JENKINS ’03 was married to Pavielle Chriss on
the arrival of their first child, Natalie Niles Linburg, born on
May 30, 2015, at First United Methodist Church Richardson.
January 20, 2015. Natalie weighed 5 lbs., 10 oz. Barrett and his
The ceremony was officiated by DR. CLAYTON OLIPHANT ’79,
family reside in Dallas.
the Senior Pastor at the church. A reception at the Renaissance
2001 | 15th Reunion LUCAS BATZER ’01 and Megan Sobel were happily married on
Dallas Hotel Richardson followed. The happy couple currently resides in Garland.
October 25, 2014, in New York City. Megan was able to convince
2004
Lucas to move out of his prior inhabitance, which he shared
ALEX ESHELBRENNER ’04 married Christy Tuohy
with five other Marksmen. The couple currently resides in New
(Ursuline ’05) on July 11, 2015, in Dallas, Texas. His brother,
York City.
MATTHEW ESHELBRENNER ’01, served as best man, and NICK MONIER ’04, STEPHEN UNTERBERG ’04,
In June 2015, the Obama Administration named NED PRICE ’01
BLAKELY THORNTON ’04, TRAVIS MORRISON ’04, and
the National Security Council (NSC) Spokesperson and Senior
NEIL FERRINI ’04 were all members of the wedding party.
Director for Strategic Communications. Previously, Ned
Alex and Christy live in Dallas, where Alex is St. Mark’s Director
served as Assistant Press Secretary and Director of Strategic
of Alumni Relations and Christy is a teacher at Preston Hollow
Communications on the NSC.
Presbyterian School.
2002
2005
MICHAEL NORMAN ’02 and his wife, Sarah, welcomed Brendan
SCOTT JACOBS ’05 is the co-founder of Charity Charge, and
Joseph Norman into their family on May 16, 2015. Big brother
was featured in IBM’s reality show, A New Way to Startup.
Jonah, who is currently designing a red rocket to the moon, has
Charity Charge is launching a credit card that allows you to
magnanimously agreed to build a purple one for Brendan as
earn donations to support any nonprofit of your choice. Scott is
well. Clara Ann Norman, grandmother and Upper School math
currently an MBA candidate at Yale University.
teacher, has enjoyed many opportunities to visit with the newest member of the family over the summer. Michael and his family
DREW LASSITER ’05 was married to Brittani Luecke on
reside in Reston, Virginia, where he is an engineer with the
February 21, 2015, at the Perkins Chapel at SMU in Dallas,
Aerospace Corporation.
followed by a reception at Brookhollow Golf Club. Marksmen in the wedding party included DANIEL BRANCH ’05,
CARL SEWELL ’02 married Josie McGray on March 28,
BARRY NEWELL ’05, and HILL PEROT ’05. Other Marksmen
2015, in Austin. Marksmen in the wedding party included
in attendance were ALEX BROOKS ’05, JEFF FIJOLEK ’05, and
ALAN EBERSTEIN ’02, WILLIAM DECHERD ’96, MILES
ROSS RUSCHHAUPT ’04. Following the wedding, Drew and
FISHER ’02, ALEX HICKS ’02, PETER LYNCH ’02, HILL
Brittani spent two weeks in Mexico for their honeymoon.
PEROT ’05, MICHAEL PRENTISS ’02, BRIAN PRYOR ’02, and
The couple resides in Dallas where Drew is an Associate for RBC
WILLIAM WOLCOTT ’02. Carl and Josie reside in Dallas.
Real Estate Capital Partners.
MICHAEL PRENTISS ’02 and his wife, Stefanie, were blessed
MICHAEL PERRIN ’05 received his MBA from the Tuck School
with a baby girl, Isabella Louise, born on February 18, 2015.
of Business at Dartmouth College in May 2015, and accepted a
Isabella weighed 7 lbs., 5 oz. and was 21 inches in length. The
job with Walmart as Senior Manager in Corporate Strategy and
Prentiss family resides in Dallas where Michael works for the
Finance. Michael will marry Kristy Huynh in Des Moines, Iowa,
private equity firm Argenta Partners and Stefanie manages her
in June 2016. Michael currently lives in Bentonville, Arkansas.
luxury travel company, Posh Voyage.
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Class Notes
2008
SPENCER WILLIAMS ’12 is a senior at Northwestern University,
MARK BUTLER ’08 joined Goldman Sachs as a credit analyst
where he is majoring in Computer Engineering. During the
in the Exotic Loans Department in April 2015. Previously, Mark
summer of 2015, Spencer completed an internship at Ford Motor
earned his degree in finance, with a minor in economics, from
Company headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan, working within
Southern Methodist University in 2012, and then spent three
Information Technology. Spencer designed the electrical system
years working for J.P. Morgan in the High Net Worth Department.
on the Solar Car team, and is currently the Project Manager and
2011 | 5th Reunion
Electrical Leader.
DEAN BUTLER ’11 earned his degree in petroleum engineering
2013
in four years from the University of Texas at Austin. Dean will begin
NOAH YONACK ’13 spent the summer in the Bay Area as a
his career at Chevron in the five-year Horizons New Employee
web developer intern at LinkedIn. Noah is currently a junior at
Development Program. He will be based in Houston during his first
Harvard University, where he is studying computer science.
rotation as a drilling engineer with the Mid-Continent Business Unit, but will work a two-weeks-on, two-weeks-off drilling schedule
2014
in the Permian Basin.
After completing his freshman year at Harvard University, RYAN O’MEARA ’14 spent his summer living and working for
MAX GENECOV ’11 graduated magna cum laude and Phi Beta
the Ministry of Social Evaluation in Santiago, Chile. During his
Kappa from Brown University with a degree in physics and English
first week in Chile, Ryan was introduced to KYLE WIGGINS ’04,
in May 2015. Max began a PhD program in astrophysics at Cal
who happened to be in Harvard’s Santiago Office for a meeting
Berkeley this fall.
regarding his startup company, Keteka. After discovering their St. Mark’s and Harvard connection, Kyle traveled with Ryan and
SPENCER HEIM ’11 graduated in May 2015 with a degree in
his group to the Mapuche Cultural Center in Santiago.
linguistics and cognitive science from Pomona College. Spencer was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship to teach English in South Korea. After he completes the Fulbright, Spencer plans to continue teaching English in Asia. ALEX MILES ’11 and his debate partner led the Northwestern Debate Team to win the National Debate Tournament in April 2015. They were also awarded the Rex Copeland Award, given to the best team in the nation during the regular season, and were the first team in 10 years to win the Copeland Award and the National Debate Tournament in the same year. Alex graduated
Alex Miles ’11 and his debate partner Ryan O’Meara ’14 and Kyle Wiggins ’04
from Northwestern University in May, and is now working in Washington, D.C. for IBM Global Business Services as a consultant.
2012 ISAIAH HUERTA ’12 was named a Cleveland Golf/Srixon All-America Scholar by the Golf Coaches Association of America in July 2015. Isaiah qualified for every tournament and finished with a 74.77 stroke average across 30 rounds, recording six par and two under-par rounds. Isaiah is a senior at Houston Baptist University and is studying finance. 72
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St. Mark’s School of Texas
Class Notes
FACULTY NOTES Former faculty member DEAN BAIRD is pleased to announce the arrival of his granddaughter, Jase Marie Young, born on April 24, 2015 to his daughter, Catherine, and her husband, Tyler. Jase weighed 8 lbs., 2 oz. Dean was the former Chairman of the Computer Science Department and retired in May 2015 after 39 years at St. Mark’s. DUANE BARNHART married Gina Ottwell on May 23, 2015. Duane was also blessed with a new granddaughter, Hannah Grace Evans, born on July 22, 2015. Hannah weighed 6 lbs., 1 oz. and measured 19.5 inches in length. Duane serves as the Assistant Director of the Physical Plant. Eugene McDermott Master Teaching Chair in Science JOHN MEAD was featured in an exhibition at the Texas Discovery Gardens in Fair Park. The exhibit featured John’s wildlife, landscape, and macro photography, as well as his digital paintings and selections of his Microsafari videos on the large screen in the gallery. Lower School teacher LAURA OWENS was married to Dale Pigg on June 6, 2015, at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas. CHERAY WILLIAMS played the part of Doo-Wop Girl Chiffon in the Vagabond Players production of the musical Little Shop of Horrors. The Vagabond Players is a small theater company based in Terrell, Texas, and their productions are held at the black box theater Books and Crannies. Cheray enjoyed her first performance in live theater. Cheray works in the Business Office
Duane Barnhart married Gina Ottwell Laura Owens married Dale Pigg Cheray Williams in the musical Little Shop of Horrors
at St. Mark’s as the Accounts Payable Specialist.
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Faculty Notes
in memoriam FELIPE CASTILLO, February 3, 2015, father of staff member Martha E. Castillo. OWENS CASTELMAN ’63, September 1, 2015. L.C. CHANDLER, JR. ’10, April 27, 2015. FLORENCE R. COHEN, August 4, 2015, mother of Harlan P. Cohen ’66, grandmother of David K. Cohen ’97, and Alan M. Cohen ’01. CARR P. COLLINS III ’62, April 20, 2015, brother of Richard H. Collins ’65. PATRICIA INDA CORREA, April 13, 2015, wife of faculty member Jorge C. Correa. MARGARET ANNE CULLUM, September 1, 2015, sister of Allen E. Cullum ’64 and William B. Cullum ’67, aunt of Belton A. Cullum ’99 and Charles A. Cullum ’04, daughter of A. Earl Cullum, Jr. ELYSABETH KELLY DENENBERG, June 6, 2015, grandmother of Gary H. Morchower ’97. PAULA RUPE DENNARD, February 6, 2015, Trustee Emeritus, sister of Dallas Gordon Rupe III ’53 (deceased), wife of Robert Edwin Dennard (deceased), and mother of David B. Dennard ’68. MELISSA A. ENGLEMAN, May 1, 2015, mother of David H. Engleman ’18. JUNE FELTMAN, mother of Allen M. Feltman ’71. ROSE M. FULLER, February 21, 2015, grandmother of Wyatt H. Awtrey ’20. BETTYE JANE KING ADIN, July 2015, mother of Richard L. Adin ’70. ROBERT WESSELMAN ARNOLD ’74, May 14, 2015, brother of Stephen S. Arnold ’71 and brother-in-law of Stephen R. Young ’70. PEPPER ARONOFF, August 2015, wife of Stephen Aronoff ’68, mother of Jonathan Aronoff ’02. JOSEPH L. BARTA, March 25, 2015, father of Jon Patrick Barta ’90. RICHARD D. BASS ’46, July 26, 2015, Trustee Emeritus, father of James E. Bass ’77 and Richard D. Bass, Jr. ’74, grandfather of Kevin E. Bass ’13, and Mason P. Smith ’15. LOUIS P. BICKEL, April 21, 2015, stepfather of James R. Wilson ’87. THOMAS L. BOYLE ’51, August 3, 2015, father of Thomas L. Boyle, Jr. ’89. DAVID S. BRACKER ’72, February 19, 2015, brother of William J. Bracker ’73.
PORTER WILLIAM GIFFORD III ’64, May 9, 2015, brother of Geoffrey B. Gifford ’71. MARY LEE GRAY, July 7, 2014, grandmother of William Kelan Nesbitt ’12. IDA MAE GRESHEN, November 5, 2014, grandmother of Wirt Jackson IV ’23. HARRIET FLORENCE BERNSTEIN GROSS, May 4, 2015, mother of Jonathan S. Gross ’77. IRVING S. HACKER, August 21, 2015, father of Howard B. Hacker ’89. ELISABETH SLAUGHTER HAMMACK, March 11, 2015, sister of John A. Hammack, Jr. ’73. LUCILLE BROWN HARRELL, February 8, 2015, grandmother of Mack H. Hicks ’99, John A. Hicks ’02, Robert B. Hicks ’04, and Will Hicks ’10.
BILL CALY, April 17, 2015, brother of staff member Julious Connor.
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Class Notes | THE PRIDE
St. Mark’s School of Texas
Remarks
MAURICE EARL HERRING MD., February 25, 2015, father of Michael T. Herring ’82.
MITZI PERRY-MILLER, June 27, 2015, grandmother of Baxter B. Perry-Miller ’24.
JO ANN HICKS, July 17, 2015, mother of faculty member Timothy S. Hicks and grandmother of Christopher D. Hicks ’13.
PATTIE JEAN POWELL, March 10, 2015, grandmother of Donald J. McNamara III ’10, Thomas P. McNamara ’13, and Daniel W. McNamara ’14.
WILLIAM SHIELDS HUNSUCKER ’42, May 25, 2015. DUDY HURST, July 23, 2015, former staff member.
DUDLEY VINCENT POWELL, JR., April 19, 2015, brother of Tyrone A. Powell ’77
GEORGE MAXIMILAN ILLES, June 8, 2015, father of George M. Illes, Jr. ’67.
REV. CARL D. REIMERS, JR. ’47, June 17, 2015.
LEETE R. JACKSON IV ’90, July 13, 2015, brother of J. Brent Jackson ’93. ALAN L. KAHN, April 4, 2015, father of Richard A. Kahn ’69 and Gary L. Kahn ’72.
ROSS A. REIMER ’55, April 25, 2014. BRIAN L. SAM ’94, July 28, 2015. EMILIE SCHEPPS, June 14, 2015, mother of Lee Schepps ’58.
LESLIE S. KEMP, March 5, 2015, mother of David S. Kemp ’03.
JULES EDOUARD SCHNEIDER III ’48, June 11, 2015.
ROBERT KENNEALY, July 2, 2015, father of staff member Samantha F. Insel.
WILLIAM STEPHEN SNIDER, August 3, 2015, father of John C. Snider ’78 (deceased).
JAMES MICHAEL KLANCNIK, March 24, 2015, father of James M. Klancnik, Jr. ’90, Gordon P. Klancnik ’95, and William D. Klancnik ’97
PHYLLIS HUGO STAGER, April 17, 2015, mother of James J. Stager, Sr. ’80 and David Stager, Jr. ’83, grandmother of James J. Stager, Jr. ’09, Jackson L. Stager ’12, Foster H. Stager ’15, and Hayden W. Stager ’22.
GAIL F. KOPPMAN, July 15, 2015, mother of John S. Koppman ’91.
SYLVIA SUSSMAN, August 2, 2015, grandmother of Joshua S. Yudkin ’08 and Ross H. Yudkin ’11.
WINSTON K. C. LAM, June 25, 2015, father of Cuyler Lam ’12 and Cameron Lam ’16. EARL J. LAWRENCE, February 25, 2015, husband of former faculty member Nancy Lawrence. CHRISTOPHER M. LOAR ’73, MD., November 30, 2014. HARRY B. LUCAS, JR. ’67, May 5, 2015. DR. ALAIN J. MARENGO-ROWE, March 4, 2015, father of Adrian J. Marengo-Rowe ’81, grandfather of Aidan J. Kirksey ’11 and Dylan S. Kirksey ’13. ALFRED SOLFEST MAURSTAD, July 5, 2015, grandfather of Aidan T. Maurstad ’16.
JACK RANDOLPH SWAIN, JR., June 10, 2015, father of Jack R. Swain III ’75. BRYANT TRENARY, March 12, 2015, father of Russell B. Trenary ’66. HAROLD M. VAN SCHAIK, July 24, 2015, former faculty member and father of Harold M. Van Schaik, Jr. ’80 and Thomas L. Van Schaik ’83. ISRAEL M. VERVER, SR., August 4, 2015, father of Israel M. Verver, Jr. ’90. RICHARD CLAY WAGHORNE ’89, May 5, 2015, brother of Michael R. Waghorne ’86. ALEXANDER F. WEISBERG, JR. ’44, June 27, 2015.
LOUISE MITTENTHAL, February 27, 2015, grandmother of Nathan E. Wilhite ’98.
DAN WEISER, June 20, 2015, grandfather of Leo E. Weiser ’17 and Aaron I. Weiser ’20.
JOHNNYE LEWISE NANCE, January 10, 2014, grandmother of Jonathan F. McSween ’23.
LUCILE WEST, April 26, 2015, grandmother of faculty member GayMarie Vaughan.
ELIZABETH GEORGE ORWIG, June 6, 2015, grandmother of Richard R. Orwig III ’92.
ROBERT C. YOUNG ’47, February 22, 2015.
RICHARD R. ORWIG III ’92, May 22, 2015.
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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% of its annual operating budget. You may give online through our secure server at www.smtexas.org/smfund. Every gift makes a difference.
ARCHIVES
THE
PRIDE St. Mark’s School of Texas Alumni Magazine
EDITOR Katy B. Rubarth
From the Terrill School, all the way to St. Mark’s School of Texas, ours is
COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATORS
a school with a long and rich history. If you have something that you
David Carden Alexandra George
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.
SUBMISSIONS 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
EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS Case Brabham ’15 Carrington Kyle ’15 George Lin ’15
PHOTOGRAPHIC CONTRIBUTORS Jason Lange NASA/Bill Ingalls NASA/Joel Kowsky
DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT
with any photos, to the Office of Development & Alumni Relations
Jim Bob Womack ’98
so we can include them in our next issue. Submissions may be made
DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI RELATIONS
in any of three ways:
Alex Eshelbrenner ’04
• 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
FPO
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 received after September 1, 2015, will appear in the next issue of The Pride.
Printed on paper containing 10% POST-CONSUMER WASTE.
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. ©2015 St. Mark’s School of Texas An Office of Development & Alumni Relations Publication
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End Notes | THE PRIDE
St. Mark’s School of Texas
Gene & Alice Oltrogge: Menter B. Terrill Society Gene and Alice Oltrogge became members of the Menter B. Terrill Society when they recently made a planned gift to the School. In deciding to make this gift, Gene and Alice looked to the community they have been involved in for many years. “We have had the pleasure of being associated with St. Mark’s for 50 years now. During that time, we have had the opportunity to observe how special this School is.” Gene joined the St. Mark’s community in 1964 when he began teaching in the Math Department. In 1965, Gene introduced wrestling to young Marksmen and coached wrestling from 1970 to 1976. Alice began teaching art in Lower and Middle School in 1965. After 13 years of teaching, Alice stepped away to raise their newly adopted sons from Vietnam, Holme Oltrogge ’86 and Will Oltrogge, who came to live with them when they were 10 and 6 years old. “We will always be grateful to the faculty for the way they welcomed our boys and helped them adjust to their new country.” After Holme graduated, Alice returned to teaching at St. Mark’s and retired in 2013, after the completion of her 40th year. “I realize how blessed I was to have been able to work at a job that I loved for 40 years and to have taught so many special students who were eager to learn and always enthusiastic,” said Alice reflecting on her time at St. Mark’s. “St. Mark’s has been such a big part of our lives, we had the realization we wanted to give back as generously as we could. Planned giving was the best way for us to do so,” said Alice. Gene and Alice made their gift to the School through life insurance. Gene has been in the insurance business for 40 years where he has witnessed the many advantages of making a gift in this way. “Supporting a charity through life insurance provides an amplified gift and good tax benefits,” he said. As educators and as parents in the St. Mark’s community, Gene and Alice witnessed first-hand the mission of the School. “We have been able to watch boys enter in first grade and grow into fine young men ready to graduate with a wonderful education. They also leave with a strong sense of right and wrong and an awareness that they need to serve and contribute to their community. With that in mind, we wanted to give something back as our way of saying thank you because we believe so strongly in the education St. Mark’s provides.” Through their gift, Gene and Alice Oltrogge will make a lasting impact on the School, the students, and the faculty of St. Mark’s. Life insurance as well as bequests, charitable remainder trusts, retirement plans, and/or gifts of real estate are all options to be considered when making a planned gift. For additional information on including St. Mark’s in your legacy plans, please contact Scott Jolly in the Office of Development at 214.346.8132 or jollys@smtexas.org.
10600 Preston Road Dallas, Texas 75230-4047 214.346.8000 • www.smtexas.org
Pluto, as seen by the New Horizons spacecraft on July 14, 2015, just before its historic flyby overseen by Alan Stern ’75.
St. Mark’s School of Texas
St. Mark’s School of Texas