The Pride | Summer 2026

THE 2026 ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF ST. MARK’S SCHOOL OF TEXAS

Living the Mission Faculty and staff model lessons of character and leadership long after the school day has ended. p. 30

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UP CLOSE

Hacky sack break.

Wednesday, April 15, 2026.

This spring, Señor Correa took time to show students that language skills aren’t the only thing he has mastered.

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Around the Quad

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FROM THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT

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STUDENT ACCOLADES

10 120 YEARS OF ST. MARK’S 12 COMMENCEMENT

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26 Conversations

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Marksmen learn to listen first and lead with respect.

The McClain family gives back to the school they love.

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AROUND THE HARKNESS TABLE

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FIRST PERSON

Dean Clayman on leading Middle School.

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Community

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300 WORDS

Faculty and staff stories in precisely 300 words.

SPOTLIGHT ON PHILANTHROPY

CLASS NOTES

COMMUNITY NOTES

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IN MEMORIAM

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The Pride is a publication of St. Mark’s School of Texas and is produced by the School’s Office of Development & Alumni Relations.

Please direct your inquiries to Brooke Driesse, Director of Communications (driesseb@smtexas.org), 10600 Preston Road, Dallas, TX 75230.

Features

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A LEGACY RENEWED

Inside the new Rogers Family Fieldhouse.

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CREATIVE PATHS

Alumni who found their calling in artsrelated fields, from ceramics to acting.

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BEYOND THE CLASSROOM

Enriching experiences beyond 10600 Preston Road.

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ALUMNI WEEKEND

Alumni reconnect on campus.

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HINDSIGHT 2020

The Class of 2020 reflects on how hardship brought them closer together.

Cover Story

CHARACTER IN ACTION

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How faculty and staff embody character and leadership in their everyday lives.

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From the Alumni Association President deeply our alumni care about IT HAS TRULY been an this institution. From events honor to serve as President on campus to gatherings of the St. Mark’s Alumni across Central Texas, Chicago, Association this year. What and both coasts, Marksmen has stood out to me most has continue to show up for one not simply been the number another and for the School. of events, gatherings, or Those moments reunions, but the matter more than we remarkable strength sometimes realize. of the brotherhood They reconnect that continues to us to friendships bind us together long and memories after graduation. that shaped us, Throughout this year, strengthen the I’ve been reminded bonds within our time and time again LOWELL KU ’89 community, and that the St. Mark’s President, remind us that no experience does not St. Mark’s matter where life end when we leave takes us, St. Mark’s campus. In many ways, Alumni Association will always feel like it only deepens with home. time through lifelong Behind the scenes, our friendships, shared values, Alumni Board continues to and a lasting commitment to build upon that foundation. one another and to the School.

Representing more than My appreciation for what 4,200 alumni, these dedicated St. Mark’s represents has volunteers care deeply about only deepened with time. preserving the traditions Every visit back to campus that make this community so and every conversation with distinctive while also creating faculty, students, and alumni meaningful opportunities reinforce what makes this for engagement for future place so special. St. Mark’s generations of Marksmen. is intentional in its mission.

I have been incredibly It is not simply educating fortunate to serve alongside boys; it is shaping young 43 thoughtful and committed men of character, integrity, men who give generously leadership, and purpose. That of their time, wisdom, and work happens every day in leadership. classrooms, on stages, on I also want to express athletic fields, and in countless my sincere gratitude to the transformative moments entire Office of Development of mentorship that leave a & Alumni Relations. Their lifelong impact. partnership, professionalism, What has also become so and tireless work are major clear to me this year is how

“It is not simply educating boys; it is shaping young men of character, integrity, leadership, and purpose.”

—LOWELL KU ’89

reasons why our alumni community remains so connected and engaged. I am equally thankful for the leadership of the Alumni Board Executive Committee, whose guidance and support have helped make this such a successful year.

St. Mark’s continues to thrive because of the strength of its mission, the quality of its leadership, and the unwavering commitment of its community. We are fortunate to be part of a school that remains deeply grounded in its values while continuing to look boldly toward the future.

But that future depends on all of us. I hope each of us will continue to stay engaged, support the School in meaningful ways, and invest in the next generation of Marksmen just as those before invested in us.

Thank you for your continued commitment to St. Mark’s. It is a privilege to serve this community, and I look forward to seeing you soon.

— Lowell Ku ’89 President, St. Mark’s Alumni Association

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10.23 Homecoming Kick-Off Party

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Making Their Mark

Student accolades and athletic highlights over the past year.

WORDMASTERS CHALLENGE: HIGHEST HONORS, 2ND IN NATION

National Merit Recognizes 66 Seniors

The St. Mark’s fourth-grade team achieved Highest Honors in the WordMasters Challenge, a national vocabulary competition involving nearly 125,000 students annually. The team scored 190 out of a possible 200 points in the final meet of the year and finished 2nd nationally in the overall competition with a cumulative score of 561 out of 600.

Thirty-five members of the Class of 2026 were named National Merit Semifinalists, the largest class of honorees in St. Mark’s history. Selected from more than 1.3 million students across 20,000 high schools nationwide, Semifinalists represent the top 1 percent of students in the country. An additional 31 seniors were recognized as Commended Scholars, placing them among the top 50,000 seniors in the nation, meaning more than half the senior class earned National Merit recognition this year.

NATHAN TAN ’27 WINS EMERGING INNOVATOR AWARD

The 2026 Emerging Innovator Awards named Nathan Tan ’27 as one of the Top 100 high school students worldwide making an extraordinary impact in their communities.

EIGHT MARKSMEN EARN EAGLE SCOUT RANK

Eight Lions recently earned the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest honor in Scouting America, and were recognized at an Eagle Court of Honor on May 3 in the Chapel. Their achievement reflects years of commitment, leadership, and service to others. Congratulations to Nathan Aldis ’26, Avi Aggarwal ’28, Paxton Allen ’28, Dexter Canham ’28, Holden Fritz ’28, Chris Householder ’28, Graham Selzer ’28, and Jack Wilson ’28.

Publications Earn National Acclaim St. Mark’s student publications claimed top honors at both of the nation’s premier scholastic journalism competitions. At the Columbia Scholastic Press Association’s Spring Convention in New York, four publications earned Gold Crowns — the CSPA’s highest distinction — including The ReMarker, SMReMarker.com, Focus magazine, and The MiniMarque, with Silver Crowns going to the Marksmen yearbook and The Marque literary magazine. At the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) Conference in Nashville, both The ReMarker and Focus were named Pacemaker Award winners, placing St. Mark’s among the top student publications in the country and the only school in Texas to receive the honor. The 2024–2025 ReMarker editor-in-chief Hilton Sampson ’25 was named NSPA Designer of the Year.

FOUR MARKSMEN SELECTED FOR NATIONAL CERAMICS EXHIBITION

Four St. Mark’s ceramicists were among just 150 students nationwide chosen for inclusion in the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) Annual K–12 Exhibition, one of the most competitive student ceramic showcases in the country, from more than 1,000 submissions.

Tyson Diep ’27 earned four individual awards including the Richard Notkin Award for Narrative Ceramic Art, while Taiting Zhou ’27 claimed three awards including the Plinth Gallery Award for Ceramic Design. James Dunlap ’27 received an Honorable Mention, and Atlas Diep ‘30 earned two awards including the Blick Art Materials Award.

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2025-2026 Athletic Results CROSS COUNTRY The Lions finished 3rd at the SPC Championships, led by All-SPC honorees Jackson Bailey ’27 and Nicholas Cho ’29.

FENCING Seven Marksmen competed in North American Cup tournaments across the U.S., with Elijah Kim ’28 earning 8th place in the Cadet Men’s Sabre division at the November North American Cup.

FOOTBALL Closing the year with a dramatic 21-14 victory over ESD, the Lions ended the season 5-5. David Dickson ’27 became the program’s first 1,000-yard rusher since 2021, and the defense allowed the fewest points per game in seven seasons.

All-SPC: Brady Wyatt ’26, David Dickson ’27, and Ford Robinson ’27.

VOLLEYBALL The Lions finished 13-6 in the regular season, 8-2 in SPC counter play, and 7th in SPC. All-SPC: Nathan Macktinger ’26 and Ethan Yau ’26. All-Zone: Jack Benavides ’27 and Rohan Kakkar ’26.

BASKETBALL The Lions finished 23-12, going 7-1 in the North Zone, and finished 4th in SPC. All-SPC: Dawson Battie ’27 and Spencer Hopkin ’26. All-North Zone: Asher Collins ’27 and AJ Thomas ’27.

Diego Crew Classic and won the Central Youth Championships to qualify multiple boats for the Youth National Championships in Sarasota, FL.

SOCCER Closing the year with a convincing 4-2 win over 4th-seeded Greenhill, the Lions finished 8-6-5 and 5th at the SPC tournament. All-SPC: Mateen Mostafavipour ’26. AllNorth Zone: Ollie Morgan ’26 and Riggs Bean ’26.

WRESTLING Five wrestlers competed at the National Prep Tournament at Lehigh University; Jackson Barnes ’26 and Oliver Loehr ’27 were SPC Champions, and Ferris Gottlich ’28 claimed the Texas Prep State individual title. The team finished 4th overall at SPC. BASEBALL The Lions closed the season on a strong 5-3 run in April, finishing 5th at the SPC tournament.

All-SPC: Whit Turner ’26. All-North Zone: Jake DeBoever, Jr. ’26 and Jackson Ostella ’26.

CREW The Varsity quad of Ian McGowan ’26, Elijah Kraus ’26, Hewes Lance ’26, and Walker Stevens ’27 finished 3rd at the San

GOLF The Lions golf team finished 3rd at the SPC Championships. All-SPC: Duff McKay ’26 (2nd) and Sam Merryman ’27 (5th).

TENNIS The Lions went 13-1 overall, 11-1 in SPC, and advanced to the SPC Championship final, finishing 2nd.

All-SPC: Bryan Li ’28 and Caden Lim ’29. All-North Zone: Nathaniel Hochman ’26, Aryaman Lahoti ’26, and Lucas Gong ’29.

TRACK & FIELD The Lions finished 3rd at the SPC Championships, earning 17 All-SPC medals and more than doubling their team score from 68 to 168 points. Tripp Schoellkopf ’27 earned three individual medals, and Omar Jenkins ’27 swept the throwing events with All-SPC finishes in discus and shot put.

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Making Their Mark MIDDLE SCHOOL QUIZ BOWL WINS FIRST NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

Nathan Aurora ’30, Kamran Nawaz ’30, Ritam Setu ’30, and Roger Wang ’30 traveled to Chicago for the 2026 National Championship Tournament and returned as national champions. Competing against 192 teams from across the country, the Marksmen went a perfect 8-0 in preliminary rounds to earn the tournament’s top seed, then battled through a double-elimination bracket to claim the first National Championship in St. Mark’s Middle School Quiz Bowl history.

Lacrosse wins SPC Championship The Lions went 14-5 and captured the program’s first SPC Championship since 2013. Rocco Renda ’26 earned THSLL All-American and All-State honors. All-SPC: Charlie Aisner ’28, Michael Jimenez ’26, Rocco Renda ’26, Mac Saye ’27, and Matthew Wier ’27.

REAGAN GRAEME ’26 NAMED COCA-COLA SCHOLAR

Reagan Graeme ’26 was named a 2026 Coca-Cola Scholar, one of only 150 students nationwide recognized for outstanding leadership, service, and community impact.

UPPER SCHOOL ROBOTICS WINS AT COMPETITION

St. Mark’s Named Top Photo Program in Texas

At the FIRST Tech Challenge Robotics competition, the Upper School team placed 1st out of 36 teams, earning Winning Alliance Captain and the 3rd Place Inspire Award.

St. Mark’s was named the Top Photo Program in Texas for the 16th time since 2007. Adding to that distinction, Asher Ridzinski ’27, Leo Hughes ’27, and Terrence Cao ’28 were among just 10 high school photographers statewide named Texas Imagemakers by the Association of Texas Photography Instructors.

ERIC LIU ’28 CLAIMS NATIONAL CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP

Chess player Eric Liu ’28 continued his remarkable run at the national level, winning the Spring National Chess Championship for the fourth consecutive year. The streak began with the National Middle School Championship in 2023.

AYDEN YANG ’30 STARS IN DALLAS OPERA PRODUCTION

Ayden Yang ’30 performed the starring role in the Dallas Opera’s recent production of The Little Prince, drawing cheers from classmates and faculty who came out to support him.

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MIDDLE SCHOOL MATH TEAM WINS STATE TITLE

The Middle School Math Team claimed the state title at the 5A State competition in San Antonio, with Dhilan Saluja ’30, Roger Wang ’30, Max Cao ’31, and Cyrus Kuang ’32 leading the way. Marksmen also secured Top-5 finishes in all three team events and earned 22 individual placements, including three individual champions and eight Top-10 finishes.

Swimming Retains SPC Title The Lions claimed their 4th consecutive SPC Championship, capped by a recordbreaking 400 Freestyle Relay (Miller Martin ’26, Armaan Newaskar ’27, Ilan Gunawardena ’27, Ethan Wang ’26) that set new SPC, pool, and school records; Newaskar ’27 was a double event champion.

YOUNGARTS NAMES TWO MARKSMEN AMONG TOP PHOTOGRAPHERS NATIONWIDE

Sebastian Gonzalez ’26 and Drew Wallace ’26 were named YoungArts Winners, placing them among just 49 high school photographers recognized nationally out of thousands of submissions. Sebastian’s portfolio explored artificial intelligence through mixed media, while Drew’s centered on the long-term effects of a traumatic brain injury he sustained in 7th grade.

Since 2004, St. Mark’s students have included 26 Winners with Distinction and 37 Winners across disciplines, with five ultimately named U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts.

Water Polo Wins TISCA State Championship The Lions went 23-3 and undefeated in Texas, claiming their 6th consecutive TISCA State Championship, and finished 2nd at the Steve Pal Memorial in California, the program’s best-ever finish.

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Then and Now

Campus milestones that shape the Marksman experience.

For alumni, memories are sparked by the traditions that make up the Marksman experience.

Community Service Community Service is part of every Marksman’s experience. Beginning in the 1960s, students recall going door-to-door to collect canned goods for what was called THE CAN-PAIGN. This activity was so successful that it took a large 18-wheeler to haul the canned goods to the Dallas missions that would distribute the food to people in need. By the 1988-1989 school year, St. Mark’s had expanded the community service program under the leadership of Jeanie Laube. The opportunities

had grown and Upper School Marksmen were required each year to participate in 15 hours of service with a variety of organizations.

The majority of students clocked in more than the required minimum.

Strong relationships were built with agencies like THE SALVATION ARMY, AUSTIN STREET CENTER, GENESIS

WOMEN’S SHELTER, and HABITAT FOR HUMANITY. This year, students took

part in building the 20th HABITAT FOR HUMANITY home sponsored by the St. Mark’s community.

THROUGH THE YEARS. Marksmen load vans with boxes of donated items.

Holiday Events

GENERATIONS. The All-School Christmas Party is a time-honored experience between seniors and their Lower School Buddies.

Other traditions dovetail with the Community Service efforts.

The annual MCDONALD’S WEEK, led by the Junior Class, provides meals that students distribute at Austin Street Center several times during the year and raises funds to aid the Center’s work.

December’s GIFT DRIVE yields more than 2,000 gifts that are presented to a representative of The Salvation Army during the Annual ALL-SCHOOL CHRISTMAS PARTY. One of the best-remembered traditions is the Annual Christmas Party where the Senior Class members carry their Lower School Buddies on their shoulders into the party to decorate the tree. The PATH TO MANHOOD statue in the Perot Quadrangle is symbolic of this tradition and is a daily reminder that the older students have a responsibility to guide their younger Marksmen brothers through their journey at St. Mark’s.

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Pecos Wilderness Trip

BEATEN PATH. Today, Marksmen explore many of the same rocks and hills that previous generations did.

The annual PECOS WILDERNESS TRIP dates back to 1972. This multi-day hiking trip is a requirement for rising ninth-graders before classes begin in August. The trip strengthens the bonds of the new class in the Upper School while developing self-reliance and an appreciation for nature. Each student has a “solo” day during the trip, which allows time for reflection. Faculty and staff members serve as guides for the trip, and upperclassmen serve as sherpas. Students in grades 6-8 attend annual local camping trips to build the skills they will need on the Pecos.

Homecoming HOMECOMING takes place during the football

season and has evolved over time. Back in the day, alumni and former St. Mark’s families were invited to attend the Friday night football game, and the Saturday activities included the HOMECOMING DANCE for the Upper School students and parties for alumni celebrating five-year reunions. In the early 2000s, a pregame party was added for alumni, parents, faculty, and staff on Friday night, while class reunions were moved to become part of ALUMNI WEEKEND in April 2008.

GRIT. The Lions football team has played hard for decades.

Alumni Weekend ALUMNI WEEKEND combines several

HONOR. Spring Alumni Dinner recognizes community members’ contributions to the School.

traditions into a three-day celebration that continues today. The annual alumni golf tournament is held on Thursday. On Friday, alumni are invited to attend classes on campus, a cookout on the Quad, and a Golden Lions luncheon for alumni who have celebrated their 50th reunion. Then, SPRING ALUMNI DINNER, which began in 1997, includes the presentation of major alumni awards. Saturday brings community members to campus for a family cookout, planetarium shows, campus

tours, and other fun activities for children. CLASS REUNIONS take place on Saturday evening for classes experiencing their five-year reunions.

The weekend brings more than 1,000 alumni and guests back to campus each year.

There are hundreds of stories in the memories of alumni and other community members connected to these and other traditions at St. Mark’s. They are the events that bring Marksmen back to celebrate the school that binds them.

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Commencement

2026

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t. Mark’s celebrated Commencement for the Class of 2026 as 110 Marksmen received their diplomas and officially joined the School’s alumni community.

Distinguished Alumnus and Hall of Fame musician Steve Miller ’61 delivered the Address, reflecting on creativity, curiosity, and perseverance. He also performed a few of his iconic songs for graduates, families, and faculty.

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“The Path to Manhood mission provides not only preparation for adulthood but the ability to enter AROUND T HE Q UAD 15 Around the Quad adulthood while preserving the child in us that still believes that impossible things can be achieved.”

— Everett Jin ’26

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One by one, members of the Class of 2023 stood before families, faculty and friends and took that long walk across the Commencement stage.

RECOGNIZED. Valedictorian Everett Jin, senior class award recipients Weston Chance (Citizenship Cup), Adam Dalrymple (School Flag), and Andrew Zhang (Headmaster’s Cup).

“In life’s definitive moments, your greatest asset is going to be consciousness…being in the moment right now.”

— Steve Miller ’61

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“We’ve watched each other grow into accomplished athletes and first-rate scholars, but more importantly, great friends, great classmates, and great people.”

— Andrew Zhang ’26

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“Stay connected to your classmates and stay connected to this school, because your imprint is a lot larger than you think it is right now.”

— Steve Miller ’61

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Conversations

Around the Harkness Table From Lower School classrooms to The ReMarker newsroom, St. Mark’s is teaching young men to listen first — and lead with respect.

Every few weeks, the students who produce the School’s nearly 100 year old newspaper gather around a Harkness table and do something that sounds simple but is anything but: They listen to each other.

It’s called pitch day. Each boy on The ReMarker staff brings story ideas rooted in the events, trends, and conversations happening across campus, and together they debate

information, informed opinions, and plenty of perspectives so that everyone reading can engage in productive, engaging, and civil conversations.”

which stories matter most, which perspectives are missing, and how to cover the topics fairly. It is, literally, civil discourse in action.

“The story ideas come directly from our students,” said Jenny Creech, Journalism Program Director and advisor of The ReMarker. “Then we develop those ideas into articles that push those conversations forward in a productive way. Whether it’s informing our readers about new laws going into effect, discussing social media trends, or looking closely at the effects of AI in the classroom, we aim to provide solid DISCUSSION. Marshall Sudbury ’27 collaborates during pitch day.

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or Creech, the journalism classroom is a living laboratory for the kind of dialogue St. Mark’s hopes every boy will carry into adulthood. “The reason The ReMarker is a quality publication,” she said, “is because we make a point to include different perspectives from everyone at the table. And we seek out perspectives we don’t have ourselves.

Learning this now helps these young men as they move into college classrooms and eventual careers.”

“We listen to understand, not to immediately respond and argue.”

—JENNY CREECH Journalism Program Director

A SCHOOL-WIDE FOUNDATION

An emphasis on seeking out voices rather than simply amplifying the loudest ones reflects a value that runs deep throughout the School’s history.

St. Mark’s has long held that character and leadership are inseparable from academic excellence. The Character and Leadership program gives that conviction a living structure, treating civil discourse not as an elective skill but as essential preparation for scholarship, citizenship, and life.

David Brown, Director of Character and Leadership Education, connects the practice directly to the School’s larger purpose. “Our effort with the Character and Leadership program is to teach

that private character and public virtue are connected,” Brown said. “We focus on the virtues and skills of servant leadership: openness, respect, deference, encouragement, listening well, and thinking before speaking.”

STARTING EARLY

The groundwork begins early. In the Lower School, third grade teacher and Founders’ Master Teaching Chair Tracey McKenzie introduces civil discourse in tangible, daily practice.

“I keep it simple: eyes on the speaker, ears open, voice on hold,” she said. “We practice saying back what we heard before we add our own idea. Our class rule is, ‘If you can say it kindly, you can say it here.’ That one sentence sets the tone.” Her students use sentence starters like “I noticed...,” “I wonder...,” and “Can I add on?” — turning respect into something practiced, not just preached.

By the time boys reach the Middle School, those habits evolve into deeper academic and civic conversations.

“We talk about disagreement as an opportunity for understanding rather than a battle to be won,” said Dean Clayman, Head of Middle School.

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“The most thoughtful people hold firm values while remaining genuinely curious about perspectives different from their own.” Clayman sees civil discourse as inseparable from the School’s character formation work. “It asks students to practice the virtues we hope to cultivate — empathy, humility, courage, respect, and integrity.”

In the Upper School, Dr. GayMarie Vaughan, Victor F. White Master Teacher, weaves civil discourse explicitly into her English courses.

“We intentionally incorporate the practice into our courses, especially in English 10, when we talk about respect, openness, courtesy, and humility,” she said. “In my Literature of Human Rights class, we address topics that people naturally have passionate opinions about, so civil discourse becomes essential.” She added that the example set by faculty matters as much as any formal lesson. “Our Upper School boys regularly see teachers engage positively with each other, modeling respect for others’ opinions and expertise. Even though many of us have different political views, we like each other a lot as people — so we treat each other kindly.”

MODELING. IDLC members foster thoughtful discussions with Lower Schoolers on the value of diverse perspectives.

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“A boy who practices servant leadership in school settings is ready to carry these habits into professional and civic life.”

—DAVID BROWN Director of Character and Leadership Education THE NEWSROOM AS HARKNESS TABLE

In the journalism classroom, Creech has developed specific practices to make a culture of respect concrete.

One of the clearest examples: Once a student moves from the introductory journalism course to The ReMarker or Marksmen yearbook staff, he earns the right to call her “Jenny,” rather than the customary, “Mrs. Creech.”

“While I am the authority figure in the room, we treat each other as equals,” she said. “This simple act goes a long way in them seeing that I EQUAL FOOTING. Jenny Creech and The ReMarker staff discuss the upcoming issue.

respect them as journalists on the staff, and we become teammates. Mutual respect is needed for any kind of tough discussion.”

Holden Purvis ’27, Issues Editor for The ReMarker, felt the shift immediately.

“Those kinds of small gestures make her more approachable and very easy to connect with on a more personal level, and that changes the dynamic of the room from a typical classroom setting to something entirely different — almost like an actual newsroom,” he said. “I know she tries to bring her experiences to create the most authentic newspaper experience possible for a student setting, and her going by “Jenny” helps create this incredibly collaborative environment where I’ve felt a deep sense of belonging.”

That collaborative spirit shows up every pitch day. “We of course aim to hear everyone’s unique ideas,” said Christopher Huang ’27, Managing Editor. “But I would say we go a step beyond just listening. We also try to understand the perspective of the person speaking instead of trying to find points to argue about. This focus on truly constructive conversation has helped us significantly throughout the year as a staff.”

Creech also emphasizes patience,

particularly when students arrive carrying dubious information from social media and online echo chambers. “It would be easy to scold them for repeating things they saw on Instagram Reels,” she said, “but being patient and teaching them how to be more literate when it comes to all these different information sources is the better option. It takes time, repetition, and patience, but ultimately it gives them the skills they need to be ready to fact-find and speak with assurance and solid information in the future.”

WHEN THE STORY IS THE HARD ONE

Eventually, a challenging topic comes along that truly puts the practice of civil discourse to the test. “Stories about controversial topics, especially ones involving politics, can be difficult for journalists to cover civilly,” said Huang. “We approach these stories without editorializing by letting any opinionated part of the piece come out

“Despite their very different views, they still found several key points of common ground.”

—WILL BEHNKE ’28

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in the words or quotes of the people we interview. In this way, we serve as reporters and investigators relaying information from interviewees and experts instead of injecting our own possible biases and opinions into pieces covering sensitive issues.”

For Purvis, the process of researching a tough story does something unexpected — it can change you. “When you spend many hours researching and writing to properly inform the reader, you also inform yourself on the topic,” he said.

He experienced this firsthand when writing a piece about the limits of free speech. “That story gave me a deeper and more nuanced view of how we should approach free speech and how difficult it is to define its limits. When we have the privilege to be in a school that promotes diversity of thought in open environments, it becomes an even greater responsibility to defend our ideas and understand the potential consequences of our words.”

That approach was on display during a faculty session titled “Engineering Civility,” where Creech joined Inclusion Diversity Leadership Council (IDLC) sponsor Lorre Allen and Chaplain Stephen Arbogast to share how their respective programs — The ReMarker, IDLC, and the Chapel Council — help students navigate complex conversations. “The purpose was to talk about how we, as educators, can help lead students through civil discussions when the world around us isn’t always tackling these topics with kindness, compassion, or general respect for people with different views,” Creech said. That spirit of honest exchange finds one of its most personal expressions in Senior Chapel Talks, a tradition in which upperclassmen step up to the lectern and share their own stories and wisdom with the school community. It is a different

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VARYING PERSPECTIVES. The ReMarker staff exchange thoughts and input about an article in development.

kind of civil discourse, not debate but personal reflection, and it asks the same thing of everyone in the room: the courage to speak honestly, and the grace to listen well.

SKILLS FOR LIFE

Students across the School say the lessons take hold beyond the classroom.

“About a year ago I attended a Political Forum Club meeting and witnessed a discussion on tariffs between a student and a teacher,” said Will Behnke ’28.

“Despite their very different views, they still found several key points of common ground. That gave me hope for future discussions like this on campus and throughout the real world.”

“Every teacher places an emphasis on looking past grades to truly appreciate the subjects we’re in,” said Aamir Tinwala ’26, “and I feel that this same principle carries over to how we discourse at St. Mark’s. We focus on first understanding what a peer is saying, internalizing it, and then giving a civil response rather than just staying fixated on whether or not we agree.”

For Benjamin Standefer ’26, the spaces that make those conversations possible are some of his most lasting memories of St. Mark’s. “We’re lucky to have student organizations like IDLC. These are the groups that facilitate real, uninhibited conversations on campus. They’re some of my best high

school memories.”

Through journalism and beyond, Marksmen are learning that civil discourse is not about winning arguments, but about understanding others and, in doing so, strengthening the community around them.

As Brown reflected, “The civic aspect of character education is a prime concern as society grapples with leadership, truth-telling, and ethical priorities. A boy who practices servant leadership in school settings is ready to carry these habits into professional and civic life.”

For St. Mark’s, civil discourse is more than a skill. It is a cornerstone of character formation — shaping young men who have the courage to listen, the humility to learn, and the integrity to lead with empathy.

“When I talk to people who have differing opinions from mine, I look at the situation through a reporter’s perspective and try to understand the reasons for the difference.”

—CHRISTOPHER HUANG ’26 Managing Editor, The ReMarker

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First Person

Head of Middle School Dean Clayman

Dean Clayman emphasizes character, leadership, and the importance of process in shaping middle school boys into men of purpose.

Every winter, teachers, mentors, and friends of St. Mark’s Middle School boys receive a handwritten letter in the mail. The message is simple: “Thank you.”

For Dean Clayman, Head of Middle School, those letters are more than a seasonal tradition.

They are the first step in what he calls “balancing the care equation”: the gradual shift from boys receiving care to giving it. In a school known for its rigor and results, Clayman is focused on something deeper: forming boys into men who take notice, serve, and lead.

The gratitude exercise puts a core conviction into practice — the belief that care is reciprocal.

Clayman said, “When boys are

young, they receive far more care than they give, which is natural and expected. The path to manhood is learning to balance that care equation, to give as much care as you receive. The first step in making that reciprocity real is naming the care you receive — through expressions of gratitude.”

Each year, Clayman receives responses from recipients describing the impact those letters have had, serving as a reminder that the exercise extends far beyond campus.

Long before he was guiding Middle School boys through gratitude exercises, Clayman was working with Teach for America in Compton, California, during the California riots, where

moments of turmoil revealed what it takes to build and sustain a community.

“It provided me with a unique opportunity to see both the beauty and the resilience of the human spirit,” Clayman reflected. “Children, families, and communities navigating through challenging and tumultuous times to create a sense of safety, security, and vision for a better future. That was a galvanizing moment for me, seeing how people reacted to extraordinary hardship.”

When Clayman later arrived at St. Mark’s, he carried that belief with him — that leadership is not reserved for moments of crisis but should be practiced in the everyday communities boys are part of in classrooms, on teams, and at home.

Before arriving on campus, he had imagined St. Mark’s as a place where achievement was everything, where rigor set the tone, and where results told the story. What he found was something more: a school that pursues who a student becomes just as fiercely as what they achieve.

“We emphasize that all boys are leaders. Leadership is not a position, it is not a title, it is not a role, it is a choice,” he said.

“Boys can choose to be leaders in one of three fundamental ways. Initially, they can engage with the groups they are part of, giving their full effort to whatever that community is doing. That’s something everyone can do, even without considerable experience or expertise.

“The next level is service, where you begin to think

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beyond yourself and analyze what you are doing to move the community forward, and how you can amplify that impact of others in the community to help them be their best selves and contribute more fully. The third, and deepest, level is coordination, where you begin to envision creatively, to plan strategically, to empower others by thoughtful delegation.

We can shift back and forth between engaging, serving, and coordinating at any time,” Clayman explained. “It’s not a linear process. We don’t have to start with one and end with another. But all three are critically important.”

“We emphasize that all boys are leaders.

Leadership is not a position, it is not a title, it is not a role, it is a choice.”

Clayman believes leadership is not something boys are born with, but something they develop over time. Like any skill, it requires consistent practice.

“The relationship between athletic training and leadership development is fitting. No matter what talents and

abilities you may possess, there is always room for growth and development, and you do that through structured practice,” he said.

That character and leadership practice is built through intentional curriculum. From classroom discussions to traditions like the gratitude letters, boys are given repeated opportunities to engage, to serve, and to lead. Over time, those small moments begin to build something larger: a deeper understanding of responsibility, community, and self.

Through building these “muscles of character and leadership,” he hopes that every boy who passes through Middle School leaves with a fuller sense of who he is: “Our vision is for every boy, upon finishing his eighth grade year, to have a deeper knowledge of his strengths, a clearer sense of his aspirations, and a stronger understanding of his responsibilities as a young man of character.”

That philosophy was not only something Clayman taught — it was something he hoped for his own sons as they moved through St. Mark’s.

As both an educator and a parent, he wanted them to find fulfillment not just in what they achieved, but in how they pursued it. Rather than tying success to outcomes, Clayman emphasized the importance of the investment in the process, giving their full effort in academics, athletics, and the communities they were part of.

In doing so, he believed they would develop a stronger sense of purpose and confidence, regardless of the result.

For Clayman, that same belief applies to every boy.

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“The effort, the care, and the choices you make along the way will shape who you become and how your communities grow.”

Outside of school, Clayman finds another way to bring people together — in the kitchen. He is an avid baker and regularly shares homemade food with faculty, a habit rooted in childhood memories of baking with his mother and grandmother. Whether in the halls of school or over a tray of fresh scones, the goal is to create a sense of connection with community.

In many ways, those small acts mirror the philosophy he teaches.

In the end, Clayman’s message to boys is this: Be faithful to yourself and to your communities. The effort, the care, and the choices you make along the way will shape who you become and how your communities grow. Sometimes, it begins with something as simple as a letter that says, “Thank you.”

2 8 T H E P R I D E M AG AZI N E | 2026

300 Words

Get to know some folks around campus — in exactly 300 words.

Fitness, Physics, and Fine Arts.

KEVIN DILWORTH Year Appointed: 2015

STEPHEN HOUPT Year Appointed: 2001

KINETA MASSEY Year Appointed: 2023

Purpose and discipline shape the life of Kevin Dilworth, both in and out of the weight room.

Several years into his tenure at St. Mark’s, strength and conditioning coach Kevin Dilworth still speaks about his work with a sense of purpose. “It’s bigger than sets and reps,” Dilworth said. “I’m not just developing stronger bodies; I’m shaping stronger men.”

Dilworth’s journey started with movement. As a child, track & field was his language. “I was passionate about competing, about seeing how far I could push myself. But underneath, I was also searching for identity and belonging,” he said.

That passion carried him to the Olympic Trials as a long jumper, where he learned the demands of elite commitment. But despite his success, Dilworth said it was life’s challenges, not its victories, that shaped him most. “Character is forged in difficulty, not comfort,” he said.

Today, Dilworth uses tough moments in the weight room to help boys grow both physically and mentally.

For Dilworth, strength training is less about numbers and more about growth.

“Progress isn’t linear.

Showing up consistently matters more than showing up perfectly,” he said.

That perspective has reshaped his definition of toughness. Once about hiding pain, it now centers on honesty, integrity, and growth, especially when no one is watching. These lessons are unique to the weight room, where effort and accountability are unavoidable.

Beyond campus, Dilworth is a writer and storyteller, having authored a memoir, The Gift to Exist. At home, he values slower moments, like time with his son, music, and creativity.

“Don’t wait to become who you’re supposed to be,” he said. “The version of you that’s disciplined, intentional, and fully alive doesn’t show up out of nowhere. You build him. Choice by choice, and day by day.”

Ask him what matters most, and the answer is simple. “If a student looks back and says, ‘Coach Dilworth never let me settle,’ then I’ve done my job.”

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For faculty member Stephen Houpt, music is a natural extension of his love of physics.

Physics teacher Stephen Houpt has never quite fit into a single mold, and that’s part of what makes him memorable.

Introverted and academically driven as a student, Houpt graduated as his high school’s salutatorian, spending his early years focused on math and soccer. But even then, his path was anything but conventional.

The son of an Air Force Lieutenant Colonel, Houpt grew up moving across the world, from Chicago to England to Germany, where he attended high school.

Before arriving at St. Mark’s, he taught at several schools and held a surprising range of jobs, including cabinet work, drapery installation, yoga instruction, and even migrant farm labor. “I spent two years picking peaches, pears, and apples,” he said. It is an experience many students might not know about.

Houpt’s academic direction came into focus in college.

Initially a chemical engineering major, he quickly found himself drawn to physics. “It clicked right from the beginning,” he said. That clarity eventually led him to St. Mark’s, because, he said simply: “I wanted to teach at the best school in Texas.”

Outside the classroom, Houpt is a gifted musician. A harmonica player with a love for blues, he has performed in bands like the Texas Topcats and helped found the St. Mark’s Blues Club. Today, he frequently performs with members of the St. Mark’s community. For Houpt, the connection between music and physics is natural. “It’s all physics. Waves, vibration, frequency,” he said.

Despite his varied pursuits, Houpt remains grounded in relationships with students. He strives to be “fair, firm, and friendly,” and hopes students remember him as someone who cared and helped them think more deeply.

In his office, two items stand out: a photo of Houpt’s wife Sherry and his Murrell Excellence in Teaching Award. Both are reminders of personal and professional purpose.

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The thrill of making something out of nothing drives Kineta Massey, Lower School drama teacher.

Lower School drama teacher Kineta Massey has been performing for as long as she can remember. As a child, she staged backyard plays and sold tickets to neighbors, already showing a seriousness about storytelling. “I used to get frustrated when the other kids wouldn’t take rehearsal seriously,” she said.

Her path into theater continued throughout childhood.

At 11, she began working with Dallas Children’s Theater through a creative arrangement. She assisted with classes for children in exchange for acting lessons. She stayed through her teenage years before heading to Los Angeles for an intensive acting and directing program. From there, she joined Missoula Children’s Theatre, traveling the country and producing weekly shows with casts of up to 70 children. “Every week was a new town, a new group, a new challenge,” she said. “I have always enjoyed making something out of nothing.”

That love of building something still drives her work today. After years as an art specialist at various schools, she arrived at St. Mark’s as a long-term substitute and found herself unexpectedly drawn in. “I always said I didn’t want to work at a school full-time,” she said.

“But St. Mark’s got me hooked.”

In the Lower School, she sees theater as a rare space for collaboration. Much like athletics, it teaches boys how to work together, trust one another, and commit to a shared goal. Through improv, she emphasizes two rules: “yes, and” and “fail brilliantly.” They are lessons that extend beyond the stage.

Working with younger students, she is continually inspired by their enthusiasm and openness. “If you give them space and guidance, creativity flourishes,” she said.

More than anything, she hopes her students leave with confidence and the feeling of being seen. “Sometimes they’re scared,” she said, “but performing shows them they can do it.”

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CHARACTER in ACTION: Faculty and Staff Living the Mission THE FORMATION OF CHARACTER is work that extends beyond the classrooms at St. Mark’s. Rooted in a program that develops responsibility over time — from engaging a community to serving it and ultimately leading it — this formation is both intentional and deeply lived. Every day, faculty and staff model lessons of character and leadership through their words and actions. It is a practice that goes beyond the classroom, beyond campus, and long after the school day has ended.

What follows are the stories of five people who carry that mission with them wherever they go: a Lower School teacher who has woven the language of gratitude into her sons’ earliest years; a Middle School math teacher who quietly transformed the way she greets a colleague in the hallway; an Upper School humanities teacher whose young daughters have deepened his understanding of eudaimonia; a facilities engineer who pulled a stranger from a burning truck and then showed up for work; and the Director of Character and Leadership Education, who, as both architect of the curriculum and grandfather to two young Marksmen, has watched decades of abstract hope become something he can see in the eyes of the boys who still call him “Pappaw” on campus.

Together, their stories show that character formation at St. Mark’s is not a lesson delivered to boys. It is a life lived alongside them.

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3 2 T H E P R I D E M AG AZI N E | 2026 FAMILY. Lauren Fischer with her husband Jack and sons Beau and Rory.

The LANGUAGE of HOME FOR LOWER SCHOOL TEACHER LAUREN FISCHER, the connection between the classroom and the kitchen table is more than a metaphor. It’s daily life.

“Becoming a parent has amplified my work in Character and Leadership education tenfold,” she said. “We can’t expect kids to live up to their ideals and exhibit citizenship if we’re not striving for and modeling it ourselves.”

In her fourth-grade classroom, Fischer teaches Life Skills, where she leads students through units on everything from conflict resolution to gratitude. That last concept has traveled home with particular force.

“In my Life Skills class, we do a whole unit just on the concept of gratitude and how it’s really borne out in actions, not just in saying ‘thanks,’” she said. “While I certainly have been working with my sons

“We can’t expect kids to live up to their ideals and exhibit citizenship if we’re not striving for and modeling it ourselves.”

—LAUREN FISCHER

about manners, I really think having talked so much at school about an ‘attitude of gratitude’ has pushed me to ensure my own kids understand how acknowledging others, and making others feel seen, is so vital to creating a more fulfilling life.”

THE SPECIFICITY MATTERS to her. It is not enough to remind her sons to say thank you at the end of a school day. Fischer wants them to understand what is behind the gesture — the effort, the care, the teacher who misses her own children during the day but shows up with a smile anyway.

“An attitude of gratitude is the key to a happy life, as I tell my students,” she said.

“So I definitely bring that sentiment home as best I can.”

Another word has become its own kind of household practice. In her classroom, Fischer regularly asks Marksmen to notice; to observe how they leave a space, to pay attention to how their words land on someone else. At home, the same prompt emerges naturally.

“Oh wow, I’m noticing the dog’s water bowl is empty! I bet she’s thirsty. We should refill it!” she recalled saying to her sons. “Or, ‘Do you notice how when you yelled at your brother he got really sad? How could we try to speak more kindly to him?’”

“I want both my students and my sons to be active observers, to find ways they can contribute more positively to their communities,” she said. “It’s a sentiment of care, responsibility, and empathy that I’ve seen help my boys mature.”

BECOMING A MOTHER has also changed the way Fischer communicates with the parents of her students. She now approaches those conversations with new urgency, knowing firsthand how much the language of character, when shared consistently between school and home, can shape a child’s formation.

“Whether through conferencing or weekly email updates, I’ve really strived to ensure that the language I use at school is known to parents so they can actively support the work we’re doing here,” she said. “By communicating about a boy’s character and leadership formation, just as much as we do their academic growth, it models how important that tandem work is to the St. Mark’s experience.”

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WALKING the WALK MIDDLE SCHOOL MATH TEACHER LAUREN LOGAN did not expect a unit on small talk to change the way she moves through her own day. But that is what happened.

This school year, St. Mark’s introduced a new Leadership Loop called “Engaging Conversations,” designed to help boys be more intentional in brief social interactions like practicing body language, situational awareness, and the art of making a passing moment matter.

“I realized I often relied on the overused greeting of ‘Hi, how are you?’ out of habit rather than genuine curiosity,” Logan said. “Since implementing these techniques, I’ve become more intentional in my passing moments with students and colleagues, prioritizing active listening and asking follow-up questions to

“We’re in this for the long haul with these boys. One might even say we walk alongside each boy on his path to manhood.”

—LAUREN LOGAN

INTENTIONALITY. Lauren Logan (back row, second from left) connects with community members outside the classroom.

foster deeper relationships.”

It is a small adjustment. But it reflects something Logan believes deeply: You have to practice what you teach.

“I believe we cannot teach character effectively without practicing it ourselves,” she said. “If I’m asking a Marksman to lead with empathy or stay composed under pressure, I feel a personal responsibility to do the same in my own relationships and community. Teaching the principles of character and leadership has made me much more mindful of the small choices I make, whether it be how I speak to my family or how I handle a disagreement with a friend. If I’m going to talk the talk, I have to walk the walk.”

THAT SENSE OF SHARED RESPONSIBILITY extends across the faculty as well. For Logan, one

of the most meaningful dimensions of her work is the collective nature of mentoring boys through middle school.

“Mentoring Middle School boys at St. Mark’s is a shared responsibility,” she said. “The faculty and staff all strive to model healthy leadership through strong character. I believe our personal growth directly affects the development of our students. Our teachers support one another across all disciplines — from the classroom to the playing field. We hold one another to the same standards of excellence we expect from our Marksmen.”

She offered one phrase that seems to capture it best: “We’re in this for the long haul with these boys. One might even say we walk alongside each boy on his path to manhood.”

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PATIENCE and EUDAIMONIA DR. MARTIN STEGEMOELLER, Malcolm K. and Minda Brachman Master Teaching Chair, has spent decades teaching humanities to young men. He has thought carefully and systematically about what it means to form character, to live with integrity, to pursue what the ancient Greeks called eudaimonia — a life of flourishing and deep purpose.

Fatherhood has a way of humbling even the most seasoned teacher. He and his wife Kezia are raising twin daughters, and at five years old, they are already offering lessons he never anticipated.

“Raising our own kids has been an education in how impulsive kids are. How that is simply the starting point for their behavior,” he said. “So I have become more patient with the students I teach.”

He saw it in competition, too.

“Ninety-five percent of the girls’ sadness in life is self-caused by feeling hurt at losing some made-up competition,” he said. “Seeing that has been an education in how much misery we bring upon ourselves, and how important it is to see that in order to change it.”

THE THREAD RUNNING THROUGH his parenting is the same one running through his classroom: Character is the most important thing.

“At the most basic level, we teach our girls that their characters are the most important aspects of themselves, and always will be,” Stegemoeller said. “We talk to them every day about being positive at school, being inclusive to kids on the margins, expressing gratitude and affection for their teachers and friends. When we get positive feedback about how they are at school, in terms of being

FLOURISHING. Dr. Martin Stegemoeller with his wife Kezia and daughters Isabel and Sophia.

“At the most basic level, we teach our girls that their characters are the most important aspects of themselves, and always will be.”

—DR. MARTIN STEGEMOELLER

positive and generous and in selfcontrol, we tell them about it and let them know it means the most to us.”

But it is the reciprocal education, what fatherhood has taught the teacher, that Stegemoeller returns to most.

THAT CLARITY HAS CHANGED how he talks about eudaimonia with his students. “I know better now how to articulate what eudaimonia is to the boys at school,” he said. “On the other hand, having taught boys ethics for decades helps me know what to say to my girls and how to treat them when they misbehave. From each group, what kids really need is to learn to give and receive love. And my fundamental job is to help that happen.”

He added one more thing. “We have developed an overwhelming respect and fondness for our girls’ teachers. When teachers love their students and help develop their love of learning and their love for being at school, there is nothing more worthy of admiration.”

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FOR 14 YEARS, STEFEN GLENN has dedicated himself to caring for the St. Mark’s campus. As the School’s electrical maintenance engineer, he literally keeps the lights on and is a constant presence in classrooms, in hallways, and across every acre of 10600 Preston Road. He arrived at St. Mark’s through a circuitous path, turning down a job out-of-state after high school because it would mean leaving his grandparents behind. He eventually worked his way through electrician’s school, ultimately landing at a place that became, as he put it, “his place to grow.”

On the morning of February 24, 2026, Glenn was driving to St. Mark’s for another day of work when he came upon an accident.

“I saw all of this debris and started to weave through it,” Glenn said. “I noticed this truck turned upside down and that there was a fire under where the motor would be. With no doors open I felt something wasn’t right.”

Something compelled him, not logic, not calculation, but a deep and quiet conviction he couldn’t ignore. He pulled over, got out, and ran toward the wreck.

Two bystanders were already there, standing at a distance. Glenn asked

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When CHARACTER Meets CRISIS if anyone was inside and got no clear answer. He grabbed the back door handle and forced it open with his full body weight. The man inside was alive and crying out for help.

“I hope this encourages them to help in any way they can when others are in need.”

—STEFEN GLENN

“He was laying on what would be the roof, and I told him, ‘We have to get you out of here,’” Glenn recalled.

“I started pulling him, but then he screamed about his leg.”

WHAT GLENN DIDN’T YET KNOW was the full extent of what that man had survived: both legs and one ankle broken, his left arm broken in two places, his L4 vertebra fractured, both hips fractured, and broken ribs.

Getting him clear required pulling him through a vehicle already on fire, smoke thickening, the blaze spreading from the engine toward the roof.

Glenn worked to free the man’s shattered legs from the wreckage, then turned and called out to one of the bystanders, pulling them into action alongside him. Together they dragged the man across three lanes of traffic and onto

IN ACTION. Stefen Glenn is awarded a certificate of recognition from the Plano Police Department for his actions on February 24, 2026.

the shoulder of the road.

No more than 90 seconds later, the truck exploded.

GLENN RECEIVED THE CITIZEN’S HERO AWARD from the Plano Police Department for his actions that morning. But the recognition he keeps returning to is closer to home — what he hopes the Marksmen who hear his story will take with them.

“I hope this encourages them to help in any way they can when others are in need,” he said. “That guy’s in there screaming for help. Luckily, I stopped.

Because if not, who knows what the outcome would have been. So hopefully it will weigh on them: If they ever see something like that, just do what they can. Don’t just stand there and watch.”

The story did not end with the explosion or the award. In the weeks that followed, Glenn tracked down the man he pulled from that truck, visiting him and checking in as he faced a long and difficult recovery. The road back has been slow. Only recently has the man begun walking with a walker.

Glenn brought over a pair of crutches for when he is ready. The crutches are waiting, and so is Glenn.

WHAT BEGAN AS AN ACT OF INSTINCT on a smoke-covered highway, a conviction he could not drive past, has become, in his words, the beginning of a lifelong friendship.

A truism at St. Mark’s is that everyone is a teacher: the faculty, the coaches, the business professionals, and the maintenance and security staff. Much like seniors are reminded of the Lower Schoolers who look up to them, every adult on campus leads by example. While non-teaching staff are less immersed in the pedagogy of St. Mark’s Character and Leadership education, they nevertheless serve as role models for what it means to be a good person — or, in Glenn’s case, a Citizen’s Hero.

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FROM the BEGINNING EMBODIMENT. David Brown and his wife Elisa with their grandsons Nolan and Pierce.

DAVID BROWN has dedicated much of his St. Mark’s career to Character and Leadership education. He has watched it grow into a structured framework that moves, grade by grade, division by division, year by year, through the lives of every boy at St. Mark’s. He has also, more recently, watched it work on two Marksmen in particular: his grandsons, Pierce Wisniewski ’34 and Nolan Brown ’32.

Brown now serves as Director of Character and Leadership Education, and this year he deepened his work with both the Lower and Middle Schools after spending decades primarily in the Upper School. The shift offered him something unexpected: confirmation.

“Working more closely this year with both Lower and Middle Schools, after so many years as an Upper School teacher, has been somewhat surprising and truly gratifying,” he said. “My visits and conversations have tangibly confirmed what I had only abstractly hoped to be true: All three divisions, from the opening classes in first grade through the Leadership Loops starting in fifth grade to Senior Exhibitions, bear witness to the mission of character and leadership in its programs and culture.”

“It also provided me more consistency as a man of character in my roles as husband, parent, grandparent, friend, teacher, and citizen of the world.”

—DAVID BROWN

WATCHING PIERCE AND NOLAN move through that same continuum has added a texture to his understanding built by decades of teaching.

“It’s not that I have observed any cosmic shifts in their behavior, which I already considered exemplary, of course,” he said with a smile. “Rather, I see them forming meaningful relationships and belonging to communities that work toward common goals for the good of all.

They are not just learning the language of character and leadership but also loving the inner rewards of applying it in lived experience.”

That phrase, “the inner rewards,” speaks to something Brown has come to understand more fully through his own philosophical journey with the program.

His belief in character and leadership is not simply professional. It is personal, and it was not always so settled.

“When I was a younger man, my efforts to establish and sustain moral guidelines that would direct my decisions and future actions were incomplete and too often ineffective,” he said. “I believe my failures stemmed not from a lack of effort but from a lack of knowledge, from philosophical misunderstandings. I was missing a firm foundation upon which to build my efforts.”

THE CHARACTER AND LEADERSHIP PROGRAM provided that foundation, and the payoff has been practical and deeply personal.

“It also provided me more consistency as a man of character in my roles as husband, parent, grandparent, friend, teacher, and citizen of the world,” Brown said.

“Another payoff? I am a happier man.”

That happiness is visible in the particulars, in two grandsons who are not just learning the language of character and leadership, as Brown put it, but loving the inner rewards of applying it in lived experience. In a grandfather who gets to watch, from close range, the thing he has devoted his professional life to become something real in boys he loves. “They still call me ‘Pappaw,’ even on campus,” Brown said.

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The WORK ENDURES Across divisions and roles, across the distance between school and home, the faculty and staff of St. Mark’s return again and again to the same conviction: Character cannot be taught by those who do not practice it.

That is not a burden they carry reluctantly. For Lauren Fischer, it is a daily conversation about a dog’s water bowl and a brother’s feelings.

For Lauren Logan, it is a more intentional hello in the hallway. For Martin Stegemoeller, it is the patience he found in the exhausted, clarifying love of early fatherhood. For Stefen Glenn, it was 90 seconds beside a burning truck, and a profound new friendship.

“I’ve always said that we get to watch them grow up,” Glenn said of

the Marksmen he has come to know over 14 years. “It’s cool getting to know them when they’re little and then seeing them on the stage at graduation as seniors. That’s what’s fun about being part of the St. Mark’s community.”

And for David Brown, it is the look on Pierce’s and Nolan’s faces when they figure out, not because they were told but because they lived it, that doing something good for someone else feels better than winning.

At St. Mark’s, the mission of forming boys into good men endures because the people who teach it apply it in their daily lives. They live it. And in that living, they show the boys exactly what it looks like.

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3 8 T H E P R I D E M AG A ZI N E | 2026

A Legacy

FEAT URES

renewed THE SPLASHES OF SWIMMERS and water polo players have been replaced by the flurry of cleats and the whizz of a fastball. The familiar Rogers name still hangs on the wall, but inside the space has been completely reimagined.

The former Ralph B. Rogers Natatorium has been transformed into the Ralph B. Rogers Family Fieldhouse, a dynamic, multi-sport facility designed to serve today’s Marksmen and the future of St. Mark’s athletics and physical education programs.

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4 0 T H E P R I D E M AG A ZI N E | 2026

“Having an indoor turf space enhances our ability to adapt to weather and avoid conflicts with other St. Mark’s sports competing for field space.”

—HARRY FLAHERTY Varsity Football Head Coach

FEAT URES

“The expanded space allows us to train multiple teams simultaneously without compromising the quality or focus of each session.”

—KEVIN DILWORTH Strength and Conditioning Coach

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4 2 T H E P R I D E M AG A ZI N E | 2026

“Our connection to St. Mark’s goes back nearly 75 years and three generations. We are thrilled to help support the creation of the Rogers Family Fieldhouse, which will positively impact the lives of many Marksmen for years to come.”

—JAMIE ROGERS ’85 Trustee

FEAT URES

“Inside the wrestling center, new underlayment beneath the mats cushions falls and allows athletes to train longer, while improved climate control, storage, and a dedicated locker room create a safer and more efficient training environment.”

—REYNO ARREDONDO ’87 Head Wrestling Coach

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CREATIVE

FEAT URES

PATHS

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The 11 fine arts programs at St. Mark’s enable Marksmen to not only express their creativity, but also to advance their growth in initiative, selfconfidence, self-discipline, decisionmaking, and teamwork. The arts are woven into the School’s curriculum and taught by expert faculty, giving students opportunities to explore across a wide range of disciplines.

SOME MARKSMEN CONTINUE to build on their fine arts experiences after leaving the School. We spoke with four about their journeys into careers in the arts and the various ways that being part of the St. Mark’s community has contributed to their success.

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PAUL SCHNEIDER ’02 was first exposed to ceramics during his sophomore year in the popular ceramics class of Bill Kysor, who taught at St. Mark’s for 47 years.

Kysor entered his students’ work into nationally juried shows, which led to some of Schneider’s art being featured in magazines.

“That is a huge boost of confidence to a 16 or 17-year-old,” Schneider said. “Not only do I like this, but maybe I’m on to something to get a little bit of recognition?”

For his senior project, he worked on a ceramic lamp, a piece he never completed but a concept he would further explore years down the road.

Schneider received some surprising news one day during his freshman year at Rhodes College, where he was playing baseball and majoring in international studies.

Minda Moor, mother of Will Moor ’13, was interested in purchasing a vase she saw in the Lower School library that Schneider had made.

“SHE PUT IT ALL IN MOTION,”

Schneider said, referring to commercializing his art. Shortly after that first sale he began selling his vases and bowls on consignment in a local boutique co-owned by the late Shelly Musselman, the mother of Marksman Matt Musselman ‘99.

ENCOURAGEMENT. Paul Schneider ’02 with longtime ceramics teacher Bill Kysor during Schneider’s Upper School years.

During his summer breaks in college, the young artist would often divide his time between playing baseball and creating pieces.

IN 2009, Schneider decided to try to make a real business out of selling his ceramics. A big break came in 2013 when he received a large order to create lamps and vases for a 747 of the Emir of Kuwait. The next year, Schneider’s work was profiled in Architectural Digest after he met its editor-in-chief at a trade show. “That kind of validated the brand enough to get into more doors,” Schneider said.

Paul Schneider Ceramics currently sells high-end, hand-crafted lamps and other ceramic pieces to customers around the world. Most of his clients are interior designers, but he also works directly with consumers and has products in about 30 stores nationally. Some of his lamps now sit in the lobby of the Old Course Hotel in St Andrews, Scotland.

Schneider, who played three sports at St. Mark’s, recalled that the School helped him develop a good work ethic and ability to wear many hats. His connection with ceramics has come full circle in a way: Marksmen in the School’s ceramics class have taken a few field trips to his 5,000-square-foot warehouse just north of the Design District in Dallas.

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WHEN MARC DOMINUS ’71 was at St. Mark’s, his creative outlet was playing trumpet and baritone in the bands led by Band Director Mario Foster. “He had a lot of energy, and I remember I never felt like we were a student amateur band.

He treated us like we were his colleagues,” Dominus said. “I would give him credit for making it okay to be creative and try new things, explore.”

He credits St. Mark’s more broadly with helping him develop a sense of confidence and a sense that he was “fit” for wherever he found himself.

“No question that St. Mark’s is embedded in who I am,” said the Dallas resident.

Dominus received a bachelor’s degree from SMU and a master’s degree from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin. His resume includes a stint in the Dallas City Manager’s Office and numerous enterprise risk management roles that took him all over the globe.

HE PICKED UP PAINTING in the early ’90s while in Austin. He took art classes there and elsewhere along the way. At one point, while working in Chicago, he sold paintings out of his condominium’s hallway, bringing buyers in with a sidewalk sign outside.

But in 2018, at age 65, he took the bold step of becoming a full-time artist. “I wanted to see if I could wake up every day and paint, and then also if anyone else liked [the paintings] or were willing to buy them,” said Dominus, whose studio is in Little Forest Hills. “I have told people that I was basically an abstract artist trapped in the body of a management consultant.”

He had his first show that same year. It was at the Kettle Art Gallery in Deep Ellum, where his work has been displayed for several years.

He could not have imagined how

the night would go. The K-pop group BTS came to the gallery and Kim Taehyung, a member of the band known as V, bought two of Dominus’s paintings.

WORD SPREAD and Dominus quickly became a known entity among the BTS Army, the band’s fanbase. “I was barraged by fans,” he said. He sold hundreds of T-shirts and prints of the two sold paintings over the next six months and even got invited to Korea, though he didn’t go. “I had people wanting to buy, for a while, anything I did,” he said.

All these years after leaving 10600 Preston Road, Dominus can connect the dots between his brushstrokes and his experience as a Marksman.

“I think that St. Mark’s was about creativity. It was about curiosity.

It was about investigation,” he said. “And, you know, every time I put a blank canvas on the easel, that’s where I’m at. What’s going to happen here?”

“No question that St. Mark’s is embedded in who I am.”

—MARC DOMINUS ’71

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4 8 T H E P R I D E M AG A ZI N E | 2026 CONNER YOUNGBLOOD ’08 is a musician, but that label doesn’t fully encapsulate the Marksman and Yale grad. “‘Musician’ is by far the easiest one-word description of what it is I am and do for a living, but there’s so much more I still want to do and incorporate into my work, life, free time, and hobbies,” he said. “I’m trying to figure out a way to combine a bunch of different things into one.”

It’s also difficult to peg his music with a single word. “I have heard blanket terms used such as ‘indie,’ ‘chill,’ ‘cinematic,’ but I am constantly trying to find ways of creating something different than the last release,” Youngblood said.

Atwood Magazine described his second album, “Cascades, Cascading, Cascadingly,” as “a breathtakingly bold, beautifully meditative triumph — a vibrant marriage of ambient electronica, experimental soundscaping, and bedroom pop that puts the human experience front and center.”

“So much of my creative spark comes from how much I love to learn new things and continue to find new ways of challenging myself.”

—CONNER YOUNGBLOOD ’08

THAT 2024 ALBUM puts Youngblood’s linguistic abilities on display. He sings not only in English, but also in Spanish and Japanese — languages he studied at St. Mark’s — as well as in Danish.

Apple Music depicts the album as “an impressive, multilingual outing from the genre-defying artist.”

Learning Danish started as a joke with a friend that “turned into

a passion,” Youngblood said. He mastered the language so well that he can teach it. Youngblood has spent at least five summers at the Concordia Language Villages in Minnesota teaching kids how to speak Danish.

He’s also taught a class in Russian, which he started learning on his own about five years ago.

Youngblood hasn’t only developed expertise in languages. The artist, who moved to Buenos Aires in 2024 after living in Nashville for 12 years, is also a multi-instrumentalist. He played at least 30 instruments on his first album, “Cheyenne,” which came out in 2018. The Marksman learned to play the clarinet at St. Mark’s when he arrived in fifth grade. He was also in band the next year, but the fine arts classes he subsequently took were film and directing.

MUSIC REMAINED AN INTEREST,

however. He took lessons outside of school on the banjo, for instance, taught himself guitar, and played in a band for fun with Houston Golden ’08 and

Austin Hamm ’09. During his senior year, Youngblood performed at four Coffee House events for St. Mark’s and Hockaday students; two of his songs were ones he had written.

That same year, his parents thought he should record some songs in a studio. Once he did, he said, “I got the bug and got addicted to it. All throughout senior year I kept writing and in college and so forth.”

Youngblood began to think he could become a professional musician when, while at Yale, an agency found one of his songs on the internet and wanted to use it in an ad for an Australian department store. “They paid me for my music for the first time,” he said, “and that blew my mind.” These days his work can be found on multiple music streaming services including Apple Music, Spotify, and SoundCloud.

GOING TO ST. MARK’S has had a big impact on his career, he said. “Not only was it the first place I performed and shared my music with others, but the School makes such an effort in terms of encouraging creativity and making learning fun and applicable outside of the classroom,” Youngblood said. “So much of my creative spark comes from how much I love to learn new things and continue to find new ways of challenging myself.

St. Mark’s, both in the classroom and through the wrestling team, taught me how to enjoy learning and the benefits of challenging myself.”

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TAUBERT NADALINI ’13 said the fine arts department at St. Mark’s was what drew him most to the School when he applied after sixth grade. By then he had already been in many productions around town — he started performing when he was only six years old — and knew he wanted to have an acting career.

“I felt that the programs that existed [at St. Mark’s] would really not only complement but enhance my existing love for theater and music, and that turned out to be very true,” he said.

The School also met many of the requirements of his supportive parents. “They wanted me to have as well-rounded an education as possible, and St. Mark’s was the perfect marriage of high-quality education and high-quality, nonacademic arts programming,” Nadalini said. (Brothers Travis ’15, Austin ’19, and Alex ’22 would follow him to St. Mark’s.) The young actor took theater and choir classes at St. Mark’s and participated in all the high school musicals and plays co-produced by the School and Hockaday.

NADALINI WENT ON A SOUTH AFRICA CHOIR TRIP during the

summer after his freshman year that he described as “a formative experience.” He developed a core friend group and got to know the teachers leading the trip, Tinsley Silcox and Marion Glorioso-Kirby.

Silcox serves as both director of Library and Information Services and Upper School choir director.

Glorioso-Kirby, now Head of Lower

School, was formerly the Upper School drama teacher.

Nadalini said those faculty members, in addition to Rod Blaydes, the former director of the St. Mark’s/Hockaday Drama Program, became key mentors in his life. “Their vocal, unprompted support for me definitely gave me the confidence to pursue acting professionally after St. Mark’s,” he said.

AFTER GRADUATION, Nadalini attended the USC School of Dramatic Arts and spent a semester at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.

Today he lives in Los Angeles and often performs in the world premieres of shows such as Fostered and Cranes. “It’s thrilling to create a role,” he said. Nadalini also had a leading role in a regional tour of Jersey Boys and played the character of Leo in an episode of the TV series This is Us. In March, he was preparing for his role in Melancholy Play, which is set to open in LA in June 2026.

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LOOKING BACK on his time at St. Mark’s, he said it wasn’t just his experience on stage that was so valuable. “Working in theatre and film in any capacity, but especially as an actor, requires excellent communication skills, wellroundedness, and entrepreneurial spirit,” Nadalini said. “St. Mark’s instilled all three, and I’m grateful for that every day.”

“Their vocal, unprompted support for me definitely gave me the confidence to pursue acting professionally after St. Mark’s.”

—TAUBERT NADALINI ’13

Nadalini attended the ISAS Arts Festival all four years in high school and remembers it as “a joyful, artistic oasis.” He said he enjoyed spending time with “artsy kids” from regional schools. “It just felt like I was among my people,” Nadalini said.

HE ALSO LOVED participating in the School’s choir performances at ISAS and in previews of that year’s musical as well as seeing the work of students from other schools.

Nadalini was able to showcase his own work as a director during the festival his senior year, an opportunity that emerged through the independent elective in directing that he had taken with GloriosoKirby. Nadalini co-directed a series of one-act plays with William Sydney ’15 and performed them with Sydney and a friend from Hockaday. He said, “It was one of my favorite memories of St. Mark’s for sure.”

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This spring, St. Mark’s hosted the Independent Schools Association of the Southwest (ISAS) Fine Arts Festival, the nation’s premier regional arts festival for independent schools, built around a student-created theme of “remix.” With 39 schools, more than 3,000 students, and 487 hours of programming across three days, the event marked St. Mark’s first time hosting the Festival since 2010.

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In an empty cathedral in York, England, late one evening in July 1994, a group of Marksmen stood beneath high vaulted stone arches that had pointed toward heaven for six centuries. It was past closing time; the tourists were gone. The cathedral was calm and nearly silent.

Then an adult member of the Schola released a soaring falsetto.

The note climbed the towering vault, hovered in the air, and reverberated back down for what felt like 12 full seconds. For Matthew Fuller ’96, something settled into place in that moment.

“I realized,” he recalled, “this is an experience I can’t get anywhere else.

I’m 17 years old and in the choir — and I don’t care what anyone says.

This matters.”

‘‘I realized, this is an experience I can’t get anywhere else. I’m 17 years old and in the choir — and I don’t care what anyone says. This matters.”

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not louder, but fuller and more controlled. “You feel like you’re carrying the baton of other St. Mark’s choirs,” he said. Every cathedral demands something slightly different, and that demand fosters growth. “It made me a better singer,” Constantine says. “It allowed me to adjust.”

With potential future choir trips ahead, he feels steadier and more confident. That confidence did not emerge from comfort; it emerged from exposure. The experience required adaptation, humility, and precision, qualities that endure after the final note.

—MATTHEW FULLER ’96

NEARLY THREE DECADES LATER,

now a reverend, Fuller still traces part of his formation to those residencies in England as part of the St. Mark’s Choir. He carried home not only musical growth but a sharpened sense of discipline, responsibility, identity, and calling, shaped as much by the setting as by the mentors beside him. That is the power of learning beyond the classroom. It does not replace the classroom; it completes it.

For Nicolas Constantine ’32, the magic of England came in the echo. Singing inside centuries-old cathedrals required adjustment,

For Fuller, the choir trips are inseparable from longtime former faculty members Mary Ann and Jim Livengood. “They refined my manhood,” he said. “Their contagious compassion and devoted discipleship defined my Christian walk.”

RESONATE. The St. Mark’s Choir at Norwich Cathedral in England.

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TRAVELING WITH TEACHERS altered the dynamic of mentorship. “They were my surrogate parents across the sea,” Fuller recalled. On campus, discipline can feel institutional. On tour, it feels relational. At school, a broken rule might result in detention.

On tour, a broken rule means disappointing fellow choristers and the mentors who entrusted you with representing the School abroad.

“We followed the rules because we didn’t want to let down the team,” Fuller said.

That shift from compliance to commitment marks maturity. Seeing teachers navigate airports, share meals, and experience awe alongside students further humanized them.

The authority remained, but the relationship deepened. Shared experience built shared trust.

FOR DILLON KENNEDY ’28, the defining moment came on the hallowed ground of the Luxembourg American Cemetery. He stood before the grave of his great-great-uncle, Captain Ira T. Miller, killed in the final days of the Battle of the Bulge.

He knelt and rubbed sand brought in from Omaha Beach into the engraved letters of Ira’s name while his mother and grandfather watched through a phone screen from home.

“It was the moment in between,” Dillon said. “Just standing there. It

PERSPECTIVE. Dillon Kennedy ’28 rubs sand from Omaha Beach on his great-great-uncle’s headstone.

“When you’re about. It may seem distant to us, but our relatives were there.” actually there, Dillon’s understanding of World War II lived in textbooks and you don’t fully films. Dillon had memorized the dates and understood the strategies, but get the sense physically standing on Omaha Beach the scale. The beach is beautiful of it until you’re shifted now; tourists stroll along the coast and children play near the waterline where standing where only a few generations ago there was a soldiers stood. scene of chaos and loss. That collision of ordinary present and extraordinary past You realize this reshaped his understanding of sacrifice. you’re actually there,” he isn’t just a story. said,“When “you don’t fully get the sense of until you’re standing where soldiers People died here.” itstood.

You realize this isn’t just a reflected what the whole trip was

UNTIL THEN,

—DILLON KENNEDY ’28

story. People died here.”

FOR HIS MOTHER, Morgan, watching that moment unfold from across the

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CONNECTION. A collection of portraits

by David Henry ’09 during his school trip to Bhutan.

suddenly paused amid the ruins and said, “Oooh, I get it.” Being there, Hunt explained, made the connections.

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING adds what he called “living color.” History is no longer confined to pages or screens; it takes on dimension, texture, and weight. The same realization unfolds in Normandy, Bhutan, Verdun, and Machu Picchu. Students who can recite facts suddenly grasp scale. Distance collapses, and abstraction becomes concrete.

“You’re not going to get that from a documentary,” Hunt said. “If you’re there, you experience it.”

And often, what remains years later is not the lecture but the lived application. “They don’t remember the f-stop numbers,” he said of photography students. “They remember when that knowledge was applied during the trip.” What changes is not merely knowledge, but perspective.

NEARLY 20 YEARS AGO in a small Himalayan village in Bhutan, David Henry ’09 learned that lesson firsthand.

Carrying his camera during a student photography trip, he approached a man and asked permission to take his photograph. Instead of turning away, the man invited him inside for tea and to meet his family. That simple invitation transformed the assignment.

Atlantic was profoundly moving. “It was very emotional,” she said. “It was amazing to see him rub sand into Ira’s tombstone.” What began as an extension of a history course became a deeply personal encounter with legacy.

Scott Hunt, Tony Vintcent Fine Arts Department Chair and longtime photography instructor who also oversees student travel, has witnessed that shift countless times. He recalled standing in Sicily during a Middle School fine arts trip when a boy who had studied the ancients for months

“You’re not going to get that from a documentary. If you’re there, you experience it.”

—SCOTT HUNT Tony Vintcent Fine Arts Department Chair

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“I realized,” Henry said, “all you need to truly engage with people is a medium.”

The camera became a bridge rather than a barrier. By asking to take a photograph, he communicated curiosity and respect, an unspoken acknowledgment that the person before him was worth knowing.

“You’re saying, ‘I think you’re interesting. Can I learn more about you?’” David reflected.

waking them up or reminding them to represent St. Mark’s well.

Instead, students learn to do that for one another and adapt to what the moment dictates. The shared experience strengthens bonds that extend well beyond the final score.

Friesen noted that regardless of

“You don’t have to be an absurd athlete to get to the top — you just have to put more work in, and work smarter than others.”

—OLIVER LOEHR ’27

The technical skills he learned in seventh grade mattered, but immersion mattered more. “You can’t parachute into a place for two days and expect depth,” he said. “It takes time. It takes living there.” Today, he recognizes the rarity of that opportunity with greater clarity. “Not a lot of kids get that chance,” he said. “Looking back, I feel more fortunate than ever.”

ATHLETICS OFFER another form of education beyond campus, one less visible but no less formative.

When teams travel, the lesson extends beyond competition to accountability and independence. “They have to be self-sufficient,” said Josh Friesen, Associate Athletic Director.

“Remember what to bring. Be on time.

Handle themselves well.”

On the road, discipline shifts from external enforcement to internal ownership. There are no parents

financial ability, athletes arrive equally prepared and supported. “We treat all students here as equals,” he said.

That equality ensures that the memory belongs to everyone: the bus ride conversations, the hotel camaraderie,

the moment the team truly gels.

TRAVEL ALSO SHAPES leadership and perspective in ways that practice on campus cannot. For Oliver Loehr ’27, the wrestling team’s early-season trip to the Prep Slam tournament in Atlanta provided that opportunity.

With many teammates traveling, including younger wrestlers competing in their first major event, Oliver found himself stepping into a leadership role. “It was the first travel tournament of the year with big numbers,” he said. “I had to take on more leadership and guide some of the younger teammates.”

Trips like these push athletes to grow not only as competitors but also as teammates. Long bus rides, shared training sessions, and watching one another compete naturally strengthen the bonds within a program. “When traveling with the team, you’re often forced to bond since you’re rarely apart,” added Jackson Barnes ’26.

“Being in a foreign place forces us to stick to our familiars,” creating relationships that extend beyond the mat and into the classroom.

Travel also exposes athletes to new levels of competition and perspective.

Jackson experienced that firsthand during trips to Prep Nationals in Pennsylvania and the Montgomery Bell Academy Duals in Nashville, where he encountered wrestlers who pushed him beyond what he typically faced in SPC competition. “Through this experience, I got to compete against wrestlers who challenged me much more than the average SPC competition,” he said.

OBSERVING DIVISION I WRESTLERS

at the Journeymen Collegiate Duals in Nashville added another layer of inspiration. “Seeing Div. I wrestling in person is an eye-opening experience,” Jackson said. “You GROWTH. Jackson Barnes ’26 and Oliver Loehr ’27 attend the Prep Slam in Atlanta.

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realize they’re only a few feet away from you, but the disparity in size, strength, and technique becomes clear.” For Oliver, the trip reinforced the same lesson. “Their work ethic was great,” he said of the college wrestlers, “but one of the biggest things I took away was that they’re regular people. You don’t have to be an absurd athlete to get to the top — you just have to put more work in, and work smarter than others.”

NONE OF THESE STORIES unfold without access. As Camila Bourdeau, Director of Financial Aid, explained, financial aid is not solely about tuition; it is about the full St. Mark’s experience, from camping gear and athletic equipment to choir tours and travel expenses, because “cost should never be the reason a boy stays home.” Without intentional support, travel experiences can divide as easily as they unite.

Ensuring every student can participate is, as Bourdeau noted, transformative, protecting the unity that allows shared memory to remain truly shared.

A two-tiered system can quietly emerge when access is uneven. At St. Mark’s, the aim is clear: Cost should never be the reason a boy cannot attend. When every student participates, the result is more than fairness; it is unity. “It’s a game changer,” Hunt said. Morgan

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IMMERSION. Middle Schoolers purchase produce from a local vendor at a Sicilian market.

”When traveling with the team, you’re often forced to bond since you’re rarely apart.”

—JACKSON BARNES ’26

Kennedy echoed that sentiment. “It’s absolutely critical,” she said. “We would even jump at the opportunity to sponsor someone else to go.”

THE CLASSROOM TEACHES CONTENT; experience adds context.

Students return from travel with sharpened awareness. Teachers return inspired. “These experiences add layers,” Hunt said — layers of knowledge, empathy, and resilience.

For some, it is the echo of a cathedral note still resonating decades later. For others, it is sand pressed into marble in Luxembourg. For others still, it is tea in a Bhutanese home or the relationships built at an athletic tournament across the country. Learning beyond campus does more than inform; it forms. It builds confidence without arrogance, strengthens bonds without forcing them, and reveals perspective without preaching it.

As generations of Marksmen continue to walk beaches, sing beneath vaulted ceilings, compete on distant courts, and connect across cultures, the pattern repeats. The classroom gives knowledge. The world gives meaning. And when every boy can go, the experience belongs to all.

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APRIL 23–

25, 2026

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C K ON BA

Preston Road Alumni Weekend 2026 brought nearly 1,400 members of the St. Mark’s community back to 10600 Preston Road from April 23 to 25 for three days of golf, classes, cookouts, and the kinds of conversations that happen only when Marksmen come home.

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Honored to Serve. At the 28th Annual Spring Alumni

Dinner, St. Mark’s recognized the Marksmen and educators who have given so much to the School, pausing to honor retiring faculty for their years of dedicated service. Among the evening’s most celebrated moments were the presentation of the Ralph B. Rogers Alumni Award finalists and the Alumni Association’s annual service awards.

RALPH B. ROGERS ALUMNI AWARD

Nancy Marmion J.J. Connolly Master Teaching Chair and Spanish Teacher

Nancy Marmion Ralph B. Rogers Alumni Award

Jordan Dyslin ’11 Young Alumni Service Citation

David Ackerman ’89 Alumni Service Medal

Established by the St. Mark’s Alumni Association in 1998, the Ralph B. Rogers Alumni Award honors faculty and staff for their pioneering contributions to the School community in academic, athletic, and extracurricular areas that go above and beyond the confines of their job descriptions, extending the boundaries of the learning experience for St. Mark’s students.

Now in its 29th year, the award recognizes one educator annually whose commitment exceeds every expectation — giving more, doing more, and making an indelible impact on students in every corner of campus.

This year’s three finalists, surprised at the Alumni Dinner and celebrated by the entire St. Mark’s community, were Nancy Marmion, J.J. Connolly Master Teaching Chair and Spanish Teacher; Stewart Mayer, Makerspace Director; and Cindee McMahon, Sixth-Grade Humanities Teacher.

At Upper School Final Assembly on May 28, Nancy Marmion was announced as the 2026 recipient.

YOUNG ALUMNI SERVICE CITATION

Jordan Dyslin ’11 — From reunion chair to regional club leader, a Marksman who never stopped showing up.

The Young Alumni Service Citation honors an alumnus who has graduated within the previous 15 years and whose dedication and service to the School stand out in meaningful ways. Since graduating in 2011, Jordan Dyslin has remained deeply connected to St. Mark’s, serving across multiple Alumni Board committees, chairing his 5th, 10th, and 15th reunions, and leading the regional club in Boston to bring alumni together, especially the youngest graduates.

ALUMNI SERVICE MEDAL

David Ackerman ’89 — The first alumnus in school history to receive both alumni service awards, three decades in the making.

The Alumni Service Medal is St. Mark’s highest volunteer service award, presented to an alumnus who has distinguished himself through sustained and outstanding service to the School. David Ackerman has spent more than 35 years engaging wholeheartedly within the life of St. Mark’s: serving on the Alumni Board, nearly two decades as a Trustee, and helping spearhead the effort to achieve 50 percent alumni participation in the St. Mark’s Fund, a milestone the School has maintained for 17 consecutive years.

In 2003, David was the inaugural recipient of the Young Alumni Service Citation. This year, he became the first alumnus in the history of St. Mark’s to receive both awards.

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A Class That Keeps Giving. Fifty years after

graduation, the Class of 1976 returned to campus with historic commitments of more than $3.5 million toward the St. Mark’s Fund and endowment, including the Spirit of ’76 Memorial Scholarship Fund.

THE CLASS OF 1976 returned to campus in full force for its 50th reunion, and 20 classmates have already made gifts to the Spirit of ’76 Memorial Scholarship Fund, established in honor of the classmates they have lost, including most recently Chuck Helms ’76. Their goal is a scholarship endowment that will cover the full annual cost for one Marksman in perpetuity.

The Fund was born from a shared conviction. Andy Michael ’76, whose matching grant doubled all new gifts to the fund made before June 30, 2026 up to $200,000, reflected: “I feel a deep sense of connection with St. Mark’s School and with my classmates who navigated the challenges of youth and adolescence with me. During my years as a student, I knew that

“It is a very good feeling knowing we will help give a deserving student an opportunity that I was fortunate to have.”

— CLIFF FRIEDMAN ’76

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St. Mark’s was a special place, yet it took many more years, and the wisdom of retrospect, to clearly perceive the importance of the alchemy of immersing a young man with potential into the St. Mark’s environment.” When classmates matched his first challenge grant, Michael was moved to offer a second, which has since been matched as well. “My feelings of connection to St. Mark’s and to my Class of ’76 classmates is deepened by our shared commitment to St. Mark’s and to our Class Fund,” he said.

That spirit of generosity reflects something essential about what St. Mark’s instills in its students, something that becomes only clearer with time. As Jeffrey Hillier ’76, former President of the Board of Trustees, shared: “It has been a joy and a privilege to be part of this rich tapestry for over half a century.”

The Class of 1976 understands, as its actions make clear, that a St. Mark’s education is not just something you receive — it is something you carry forward, and ultimately, something you give back. Leadership gifts from classmates across the country are part of the effort, alongside planned gifts through the Terrill Society.

To learn more or join the Terrill Society, please visit smtexas.org/plannedgiving, or contact Tim Crouch in the Office of Development & Alumni Relations at 214.346.8809 or croucht@smtexas.org.

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H I N D S I G H T

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THE

CLASS OF 2 0 2 0 R E M A I N S S T R O N G D E S P I T E A

D

V

E

R

S

I

T

Y

—— C H R I STO P H E R G U F F E Y ’ 2 6 HEAD WRITER, THE REMARKER

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THEY CAME INTO THEIR

L

S E N I O R Y E A R R E A D Y T O O W N I T.

ast day in their blue shirts. Marksman Ball. Zoo day with Little Buddies. Four years of watching senior classes set the tone, and finally, it was their turn. The Class of 2020 arrived in September with what class president Colin Campbell ‘20 described as a palpable buzz, the kind that fills a room before something big happens.

SOMETHING BIG HAPPENED. TWICE.

First came a tornado, and then a global pandemic. And somewhere between the wreckage on Preston Hollow and a drivethrough Blue Shirt Parade in a school parking lot, the Class of 2020 became something it hadn’t expected to be: a class defined not by the traditions it kept, but by the ones it had to reinvent.

“It was a different senior experience that could have gone one of two ways,” said Campbell, senior class president. “It could have had a negative impact, but it wasn’t.

And so in a way, it feels more rewarding, more proud, because it was through adversity.”

The tornado touched down on the night of October 20, 2019. Campbell was at AT&T Stadium watching the Cowboys host the Eagles when his phone died. By the time he got home and found a charger, the group chats had already filled up, not with highlights from the game, but with one question: Is everyone okay?

“That was kind of my first taste of how serious the situation was,” Campbell said.

“And what better testament to our class’s solidarity than the first reaction being, ‘Is everybody okay?’”

Sam Ahmed ’20, 2019-2020 editor-in-chief of The ReMarker, saw the aftermath up close.

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EVERY B O D Y IN THE C L A S S WA N T E D

TO

S U R R O U N D E A C H

T

O T H E R.

he day after disaster struck, he rode his bike through Preston Hollow, taking in the scale of the damage to both the campus and the surrounding neighborhood.

“I remember it was difficult the first couple of days, just because nobody was really allowed on campus,” Ahmed said.

The tornado disrupted nearly every part of school life. Athletic teams relocated practices and games. Drama rehearsals moved. The journalism suite became inaccessible. College application season continued anyway, and Hockaday hosted St. Mark’s seniors in the days leading up to the November 1 deadline, so no one would fall behind.

“Everybody in the class wanted to surround each other,” Ahmed said. “And I think Hockaday being such a supportive environment allowed that to happen.”

Other schools stepped in as well.

Greenhill treated St. Mark’s as the home team for a football game, dressing its field in St. Mark’s colors. At a volleyball match, Hockaday decorated its gym with senior posters that would have normally hung on campus. For many students, those moments reinforced a sense of community that extended beyond their own school.

“It’s just an incredible sight to see that everybody was supporting us at such a weird time,” Ahmed said.

In the months that followed, students adjusted. Practices, performances, and classes continued in borrowed spaces.

The routine was different, but it held. By early March, that sense of normalcy was beginning to return.

THEN IT DISAPPEARED AGAIN.

Spring break trips were canceled. The senior trip was canceled. On Friday, March 13, school shut down early for spring break, and then indefinitely.

“We joked that this is just going to be two weeks,” Ahmed said. “And then everything from March 13 on was just canceled.”

CLOSER. Marksmen came together at the first pep rally after the tornado.

SPIRIT. Below left, Knobel Hunt ’20 shows his Lion Pride at the 2019 St. Mark’s Homecoming game hosted at Greenhill.

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W E

JOKED T H A T T

H

I

I S

J U S T

G O I N G BE

TWO

S T O

NEW TRADITIONS. Blue Shirt Parade in May 2020.

WEEKS.

While the tornado had a clear beginning and end, COVID-19 brought uncertainty that stretched indefinitely. For many seniors, it became clear that the final months of high school would not return.

“Unlike the tornado in October, this was now in March,” Campbell said. “That’s when that feeling hits that we graduate in two months. It’s happening. It’s real.”

Despite that, the class adapted quickly.

Students organized small gatherings when possible, stayed connected through calls and online meetings, and continued finding ways to mark the end of their senior year together.

PRIDE. Ahmed and Campbell sport Lions gear while learning from home in 2020.

“I love my 2020 guys to death,” Campbell said. “I honestly did not have to go far out of my way to keep the class together, which was amazing.”

Ahmed faced a different challenge as editor-in-chief.

At one point during spring break, Ahmed drove to the school parking lot just to connect to the campus servers from his laptop, close enough to access the files he needed, but not allowed inside to get them.

Without access to campus or production software, he coordinated the final issue of The ReMarker remotely. He held virtual meetings, worked around technical limitations, and eventually organized delivery routes to get copies of the paper to classmates’ homes so every senior could have one.

“If that was the one thing I could do, make sure everybody in the senior class could have their newspaper, I think that was how we wanted to keep everybody engaged as much as possible,” Ahmed said.

Instead of the traditions and gatherings that were canceled, the class filled the void in ways that were harder to plan.

“We got a bunch more impromptu, informal things that we set up ourselves,” Campbell said. “These weren’t events that the school put on that we just showed up to. When I look back, I see it was a true testament to how close we were.”

FEAT URES

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raduation was eventually held in July 2020 with limited attendance.

It was not the ceremony many had envisioned, but it marked the end of a year defined by disruption. During the ceremony, every member of the class of 2020 was awarded the school flag, an honor given only a handful of times in school history.

For a class that never got a traditional ending, it was the acknowledgment that their year, albeit unconventional, was especially meaningful.

“It was a moment we all really felt the culmination of all we had persevered through together,” Campbell said.

Five years later, that shared experience continues to shape the class. At a recent reunion, nearly 50 members returned, a turnout that reflects the connections formed during that year.

Some members were still finishing college, having taken gap years before enrolling. Others had moved across the country. Nearly half showed up anyway.

“There’s a little bit of an underlying extra attachment I feel to all of those guys because

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of all the moments we had during that senior year,” Campbell said. “In moments where you’re dealt something unfortunate, the power of what you can do together is much greater than anything anyone can do individually.”

Campbell said he doesn’t look back with regret. The tornado was unprecedented.

The pandemic was unprecedented. Their response, he said, didn’t need to be perfect.

It just needed to be collective.

“As class president, there was nothing extra on my shoulders besides just showing up and being with my classmates, like they all did with me,” Campbell said. “And by doing that, we were able to get through both of those unfortunate events in the best way we could.”

For the class of 2020, a year that began with disruption and ended in uncertainty ultimately created something more lasting.

What could have been a fractured, forgotten senior year became a shared experience that continues to define the class long after graduation.

WHEN I LOOK BACK, IT WAS A TES TAMENT TO HOW CLOSE WE WERE.

RECONNECTED. The Class of 2020 gathers at their five-year reunion.

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Spotlight on Philanthropy A Family’s Commitment to St. Mark’s — and the Next Generation Carrying It Forward

For Cindy and Chris McClain, supporting St. Mark’s has evolved into a family commitment now carried forward by their sons, Andrew ’15, Christian ’17, and John David ’20.

Philanthropy at St. Mark’s is a story that unfolds over years — rooted in gratitude, shaped by relationships, and ultimately carried forward by the next generation.

For Cindy and Chris McClain, that story began when their three sons first walked onto campus and has evolved into something even more meaningful: a shared family commitment that now includes Andrew ’15, Christian ’17, and John David ’20 as active partners in giving back.

For Cindy, an Emeritus Trustee, and Chris, St. Mark’s was a formative environment for their boys that instilled values they recognized immediately and wanted to support intentionally.

“We were drawn to the balance the School offered: strong academics, arts, music, athletics, and opportunities for our boys to discover their own interests,” Cindy said.

The McClains saw firsthand the impact of exceptional teaching,

“St. Mark’s taught me that success is never accomplished alone. I truly believe it takes a village, and as an alum, I feel a responsibility to now be part of that village for the next generation of Marksmen.”

— ANDREW MCCLAIN ’15

meaningful traditions, and a community that holds boys to a high standard, both academically and personally. This mindset of generosity is at the heart of the St. Mark’s community. For the McClains, giving became an extension of their values.

“Supporting the School became an easy decision because we were so grateful for what it had given us,” Cindy reflected.

What makes their story particularly meaningful is how Cindy and Chris’s commitment has been passed on to their sons.

Andrew, Christian, and John David each experienced St. Mark’s in their own way, yet were united by the traditions and shared sense of what it means to be a Marksman. Through those experiences, they developed not only a strong connection to the School, but also an understanding of the responsibility to contribute to its continued strength.

“My experience at St. Mark’s was truly life-changing,” Andrew said.

“The School constantly challenged me to become the best version of myself, and while it was difficult at times, it gave me a perspective on the world, community, and education that I would not have gotten anywhere else.”

Andrew recently joined the Alumni Board, marking a transition that speaks to both his personal connection to the School and his desire to help shape its future. “I wanted a meaningful way to give back to a place that poured so much into me and my family,” he said. “What excites me most is the opportunity to invest in others the same way people invested in me.

I had incredible mentors, teachers, and classmates who pushed me, supported me, and helped shape who

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I became. The Alumni Board gives me the chance to flex new muscles in how I can contribute and positively impact the community on a larger scale.”

For Cindy and Chris, that transition has been special to witness.

“For us, it is about more than giving. It is about understanding and appreciating the full St. Mark’s experience — the teachers, coaches, administrators, staff, volunteers, and community members who all help make the School what it is,” Cindy noted. “We wanted our boys to understand that leadership is not just about success in a career. It is also about gratitude, service, humility, and showing up for others.”

The McClain Family Scholarship Fund is a clear expression of this shared commitment, reflecting a family approach to philanthropy that includes all three sons in both vision and engagement.

“The idea for the McClain Family Scholarship Fund actually came from our boys, who brought the idea to Chris and me, and we talked as a family about how we could give back in a meaningful and lasting way.

What mattered most to them was helping another young man have the same opportunity and experience

they had at St. Mark’s,” Cindy said.

Each of the brothers brings his own perspective to that involvement, shaped by his individual experience at St. Mark’s. Yet all three share a common foundation: a belief in the School’s mission and a desire to ensure that future students have access to the same opportunities they did.

“It is a gift for us to be able to give back to the School in a way that supports a student’s education,” John David said. “Our hope is that St. Mark’s continues to espouse the education, values, and principles along with offering the same experience that we cherish, so that many students to come may walk away with their own fond memories and skills ready to succeed in the world.”

For Christian, his commitment reflects both the impact St. Mark’s had on his own experience and the lasting influence it continues to have on his family today.

“It is amazing to be able to do this with my family,” Christian reflected.

“To see the impact St. Mark’s had not just on me, not just on both my brothers, but also on my parents has been really special. And now, seeing each family member want to equally contribute to helping others get that experience is awesome.”

“St. Mark’s has done, and continues to do, so much for my family,” he added. “Apart from one of the best educations I could have received, it also gave me a community that I still lean on today, and it taught me morals and principles that built my foundation as a man.”

Generational continuity is a powerful force within the St. Mark’s community. It reflects the School’s broader mission of preparing young

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men not only for personal success, but also for lives of leadership and service. For the McClains, supporting St. Mark’s is ultimately about preserving and strengthening the community that has had such a lasting impact on their family.

“My St. Mark’s experience taught me that success is never accomplished alone,” Andrew said.

“It showed me the importance of mentorship, community, and people investing in one another. Sometimes it is as simple as taking a phone call from a younger alum asking for career advice, organizing dinners with classmates, or just staying engaged in the community. Those relationships and that sense of camaraderie are what make St. Mark’s so special. I truly believe it takes a village, and as an alum, I feel a responsibility to now be part of that village for the next generation of Marksmen.”

The McClains’ story is defined by a sustained and evolving commitment — one that now spans multiple generations and perspectives and embodies a central truth about philanthropy at St. Mark’s: It is not simply about giving back. It is about carrying it forward.

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Class Notes 1961

1966

ANDREW MICHAEL ’76 and MARK LENNOX ’76 reconnected in Yosemite National Park.

STEVE MILLER ’61 received the 2025 Les Paul Spirit Award. He is the fifth recepient of the award following Bob Weir (founding member of Grateful Dead), Nile Rodgers, U2’s The Edge, and Peter Frampton. Steve also delivered the 2026 Commencement Address at St. Mark’s.

SEAN MITCHELL ’66 wrote a memoir, Irresistible Calling, about growing up in Dallas, attending St. Mark’s and Brown, teaching English in Cincinnati, and finally becoming a journalist.

1963

MARC STANLEY ’75 has been named one of the top 50 most influential Jewish people by the Jerusalem Post. Marc is a former ambassador of the United States to Argentina.

1975

JOHN DORIE ’63 is a Major in the Texas Wing of the Civil Air Patrol, the Auxiliary of the US Air Force. In 2025, Dorie was promoted to be the Commander of Group V in Texas Wing.

Dorie takes command of 8 CAP Squadrons from Temple, Texas, SID BALMAN ’76 released his fourth novel, The Mural, in to San Antonio, plus Kerrville February of 2026. and Del Rio, and is responsible for over 850 Senior and Cadet members, seven aircraft, and six passenger vans.

1979 Staci and JEFF MANKOFF ’79 were honored by the American Jewish Community with the 2025 Dallas Milton I. Tobian Community Relations Award.

1981

1976

Nonprofit and business leader KEN HERSH ’81 was recently honored with the 2025 Legacy Award, in recognition of his longstanding service as the president and CEO of the George W. Bush Presidential Center.

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ERIC LOMBARDI ’81 was named an honorary alumnus of St. John’s School in Houston in recognition of his many years of leadership. Lombardi is currently the Head of School at Fort Worth Country Day.

1982

KEEP IN TOUCH. Class Notes are the best way to share major life milestones with friends, faculty, and the St. Mark’s community. Keep the School and your classmates updated with major life events, like marriages, births, graduations, and career advancements.

Submit your note at smtexas.org/ClassNotes.

MARC KATZ ’87 has departed DLA Piper, where he was the chair of the national employment practice and managing partner of its Dallas office, for Vartabedian Katz Hester & Haynes.

EDDIE ANDERSON ’84, JEFF BOYD ’84, DREW CLANCY ’84, BEN LOEB ’84, ROBBY ROBINSON ’84, DAVID SCOTT ’84, ARNOLD SPENCER ’84, VICTOR VESCOVO ’84, and TIM ZEE ’84 gathered to bond over their experience at St. Mark’s.

1987 The CLASS OF 1982 gathered for lunch in April of 2026 to begin making plans for their 45th reunion next year.

1984

EDDIE ANDERSON ’84 married Beth Jones on February 21, 2026 at the Grove Church in Dallas. Marksmen in attendance included CLARK HUNT ’83, BEN LOEB ’84, MATT LIPTON ’84, and JIM GULLEY ’84.

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REYNO ARREDONDO ’87 recently completed his Doctorate of Strategic Leadership from Liberty University.

TOPHER BROOM ’87 was appointed by Governor Greg Abbott to the Aerospace and Aviation Advisory Committee. The Committee assists in the state’s economic development efforts to recruit and retain aerospace and aviation jobs and investments in Texas. Topher is the vice president of Commercial Training Solutions for Boeing.

SCOTT MATTOON ’87, Head of School at The Sage School, and BRIAN HARGROVE ’88, Head of School at Northfield Mount Hermon, reconnected at a conference for heads of school.

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Class Notes 1990

MARC RUBINSTEIN ’87 and his partner Ka Hin Yau welcomed their second child, a daughter named Samara, to join older brother Solomon.

Marc and his family live in Hong Kong, where Marc is the General Counsel and a Managing Director of the APL Group.

RYAN BOWLES ’90 joined SONAK DAULAT ’90 at a recent Walk with a Doc, a program led by Sonak and fellow doctors at the YMCA to expand greater access to medical professionals and best wellness practices.

1991 CRAIG UNTERBERG ’91 was elected to a three-year term on the American Jewish Committee Executive Council, where he has taken on the role of chair of leadership development. Craig is currently the New York Office Managing Partner of Haynes Boone, LLP, where he just helped open their new office.

1989 BRYAN KING ’89 married Elizabeth Hansen on June 28, 2025.

RHETT MILLER ’89 and The Old 97’s won a Lifetime Achievement award at the 24th Annual Americana Honors & Awards in Nashville, TN. The band is currently filming a documentary surrounding their history and longevity of success together.

The CLASS OF 1990 reconnected last fall for their annual Thanksgiving lunch, with classmates attending from London, New York, Los Angeles, St. Louis, as well as Dallas.

JOSHUA EINSOHN ’90 was nominated for a 2025 Emmy Award for Casting in the category “Outstanding Casting for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie” for Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story on Netflix. Josh was also the Casting Director for the TV series Paradise. Both shows were nominated as Outstanding in their respective categories, as were many of their leading and supporting actors and actresses.

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1994

VICTOR BOUTROS ’94, CEO of Human Trafficking Institute (HTI), was honored to receive the 2025 Leadership Excellence Award for Large Organizations at D CEO’s Nonprofit & Corporate Citizenship Awards. Since co-founding HTI, Victor has led the charge in transforming justice systems to stop perpetrators of human trafficking and drive a wave of deterrence that protects the vulnerable at scale.

CRAIG MEYERS ’94 hosted a Cowboys game watch party with classmates in the Connecticut/Westchester area.

1995

1997

CHRISTIAN CHARNAUX ’95 is now the Chief Development Officer at Hilton.

BRAD HIRSCH ’97 joined the executive committee at the Clinical Trials Transformation Initiative.

ED MCPHERSON ’95 published a new book, Look Out, which blends history, reporting, personal experience, and accounts of activists, programmers, spies, astronauts, artists, inventors, and dreamers.

1998

1996 WILL FORTEITH ’96, M.Ed., has been selected to join the Scholastic Leadership Group to collaborate with USRowing to provide better experiences for coaches, student-athletes, and administrators involved in this category of rowing.

Will recently joined the Dallas United Crew Middle School program.

KEVIN MEYERS ’98 and his wife Catey welcomed their son, Elliot Mark Meyers, on June 18, 2025, at 8 lbs 3 oz. Elliot joins sisters Clara and Margaret. The Meyers family lives in New York, where Kevin is the Managing Partner at First Haven Capital.

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Class Notes 1999

2001

2002 ROBBIE BATY ’02 has launched a new Dallas Tenant Advisory Group at HPI Real Estate Services & Investments after 19 years at Cushman & Wakefield.

MATT WALLACH ’99 married Stephanie Cooper on November 25, 2025. The small family ceremony took place at Stephanie’s family ranch in the Texas Hill Country. Matt and Stephanie live in Dallas with their blended family of six children. Matt works at Walker & Dunlop and Stephanie is an artist.

CLAYTON MOORE ’01 and his wife Blair welcomed their son, John Franklin “Frank” Moore III on July 13, 2025.

Lara and BRIAN PRYOR ’02 welcomed Preston Charles Pryor on April 16, 2026, joining siblings Jackson and Scarlett.

2000 LYLE CHAPMAN ’00 and his wife Lyndsey welcomed Lyla Star Chapman on January 10, 2026.

2003 HITEN PARMAR ’01 and Emily Glauser married on April 12, 2025, in Las Vegas, NV. The wedding was attended by Marksmen classmates BRIAN BENEKE, ANDY BETTE, NICHOLAS ORENSTEIN, and TONY ROBERTS. NED PRICE ’01 returned home to Dallas to speak at the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth, where he was a summer intern 20 years ago. Ned currently resides in Cambridge, MA, where he is a Fellow at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.

FRANCIS DONALD ’03 assumed the role of Director of Enrollment Management at Ravenscroft School effective July 1, 2025.

The Cooper Clinic announced the addition of DR. RYAN HARRIS ’03 to its Platinum Concierge Medicine Practice in Dallas. Ryan provides primary and acute care to Platinum members, offering an integrative look at their health from 360 degrees.

He joined Cooper Clinic as a preventative medicine physician in 2022.

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TAYLOR JENKINS ’03 was named the Head Coach for the Milwaukee Bucks. Taylor previously served as an Assistant Coach for the Bucks in 2018-2019 before becoming the winningest Head Coach in Memphis Grizzlies history.

2004

2006

KEVIN CHOW ’04 and his wife Tracy welcomed their first child, Caleb Seo Jin Chow, on December 16, 2024.

SHAKA CUMMINGS ’06 and his wife Helen welcomed their first child, William Zayan, on June 25, 2025, in Northern Ireland.

ARIF MAHMOOD ’03 and his wife Sarah Berriche welcomed their son Adam on January 31, 2025.

TREY FREEMAN ’04 and his wife Katie welcomed their first child, Ford Freeman, on July 31, 2025.

COLLEN MEYER ’03 and his wife Whitney welcomed baby Shepherd Collen Meyer on May 19, 2025. Shepherd joins older sister, Mollie. The Meyer family lives in Dallas, where Collen is an attorney.

CHASE PARK ’03 was approved by the Carroll ISD Board of Trustees on February 24, 2025, to serve as the Deputy Superintendent of Business and Finance.

NICK MONIER ’04 has been accepted into the Dallas Regional Chamber’s 51st class of Leadership Dallas. The program fosters leadership skills and addresses challenges the Dallas community faces.

Nick is a a partner at the law firm Haynes and Boone LLP.

GEORGE JORDAN ’06 and his wife Nicole welcomed their daughter, Lorraine, in March 2025. She joins older brother, Topher.

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Class Notes KAPPS KILLINGSTAD ’06 and wife Mallory recently welcomed their second daughter, Naomi “Noey” Jean Killingstad.

2008

JOEL FLETCHER ’07 and his wife Kristin welcomed their son, Forrest Brian, on November 11, 2024.

Forrest joins big sisters Charlotte and Madison.

ELLIOTT WALLACE ’06 and his wife Veronica welcomed their first child, Helen Marie, on August 12, 2025. The Wallace family lives in Dallas, where Elliott is in law school at SMU Dedman School of Law.

2007 NATHAN BARNETT ’07 graduated from Portland State University in June 2025 with a Master’s Degree in Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling.

He spent his last year at PSU as an intern with the Oregon Commission for the Blind, a state rehabilitation agency that helps to empower blind Oregonians to fully engage in their personal and professional lives.

SEBASTIAN WHITE ’07 started a local nonprofit, The Evolved Network, which provides complimentary mental health support, practical life skills, and career development programming to underserved Chicago children through wellness, farming, financial literacy, and culinary training.

EMMANUEL ACHO ’08 received the Ally Award from the Anti-Defamation League in recognition for his work building bridges across communities.

ALEX KATZ ’08, CEO and Founder of Two Chairs, was included on this year’s Slice of Healthcare 50 under 50 list. The leaders on this list are pushing for better care models, smarter technology, and real accountability across healthcare.

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2010 Pia and WILL DICKSON ’10 welcomed Eleanor Frances Dickson on March 21, 2026.

CHARLIE NEIL ’08 and his wife Natalie welcomed their daughter, Carolina Louise, on March 5, 2025. The Neil family lives in Dallas, where Charlie is the President of Dallas Trinity FC, Dallas’ first women’s professional soccer team. Charlie also received the 2025 Executive of the Year honor from the USL Super League.

ADAM GENECOV ’09 and his wife Breanna welcomed Wesley Rosen Stein Genecov on March 8, 2026.

DOUG JONES ’10 and Julie Anne Entwistle were married on November 2, 2025, at the Boston Public Library.

2009 JUSTIN UTAY ’09 and his wife Barbara welcomed their first child, Bennett Coleman Utay, on February 3, 2025.

DYLAN BIRCH ’09 married Morgan Jones in San Miguel, Mexico, on March 14, 2026.

SAM MALLICK ’10 married Sarah Margaret Pittman in Dallas on November 22, 2025.

Sam’s brothers JOE ’11, JACK ’14, and WILL ’20 were groomsmen.

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Class Notes Paige and JOE LOFTUS ’11 welcomed their first child, Steven Richard Loftus, on December 9, 2024.

LYLE MCDONALD ’10 and his wife Alexandria welcomed their sixth daughter, Gwendolyn Joy, in March 2026.

DANIEL RAFKIN ’10 and his wife Kelly welcomed their daughter, Rowan Mia Rafkin, on September 15, 2025. Rowan’s big brother, Pierce, is loving the addition of his sister.

2011

Katie and JOHN MICHEL ’10 welcomed Margo Faye Michel into their family on May 26, 2024, in Austin, where they are both partners with Boston Consulting Group.

REECE CANNADY ’11 and his wife Katy Wyatt welcomed a daughter, Zella Parker Cannady, on June 24, 2025.

The Cannady family lives in New Delhi, India, where Reece is the Regional Director in South Asia of the U.S. Grains & BioProducts Council.

MAX GENECOV ’11 appeared on Jeopardy! His former math teacher and Quiz Bowl coach, PAUL MLAKAR, attended the taping to cheer him on.

JOE MALLICK ’11 married Maggie Thomas on March 14, 2026. SAM MALLICK ’10, JORDAN DYSLIN ’11, WILL MCNAMARA ’11, P.J. TAYLOR ’11, JACK MALLICK ’14, FRANK THOMAS ’17, HYER THOMAS ’17, and WILL MALLICK ’20 were groomsmen.

PATRICK MCGEE ’11 and his wife Mattie welcomed their fourth boy, Patrick Kelly McGee II, on January 22, 2026.

Prior to the Packers – Bears game on December 7, 2025, TY MONTGOMERY ’11 was welcomed back to Lambeau Field as one of the Green Bay Packers featured alumni. The Packers selected Montgomery in the third round of the 2015 NFL Draft.

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JOE BUSH ’12 and his wife Caroline welcomed their first child, Chloe, in September 2025.

TULLY CAMPBELL ’12 and wife KK welcomed Kelly Davis Campbell on August 26, 2025.

Grace and HAYDEN WOLF ’11 welcomed their first child, Theodore “Teddy” Clifton Wolf, on July 24, 2024.

WILLIAM MCGEE ’12 and his wife Eliza welcomed George Kelly McGee on January 16, 2025.

Tiffany and TOWER COOK ’12 welcomed their son, Theo, in January 2026.

JORDAN YOUNG ’11 married Sarah Rock in Montecito, CA, on October 9, 2025. Fellow Marksman and brother MICHAEL YOUNG ’09 was the best man and GIL CASSAGNE ’11 officiated the ceremony. They live in Pasadena, CA, where Jordan works as a Director of Healthcare at the Huron Consulting Group.

2012 CONNOR ANDERSON ’12 and his wife Hayley welcomed Shepherd Scott Anderson on February 11, 2026.

Eliza and RYAN PETTY ’12 welcomed Henry James Petty on January 16, 2026.

ROSS CRAWFORD ’12 and his wife welcomed Lucille “Lucy” Wallace Crawford on December 18, 2025.

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Class Notes 2013

ALEX FRANKENFELD ’13 and his wife Allie welcomed their son, Fritz Shepherd “Shep” Frankenfeld, on April 9, 2025.

Shep joins older brothers Red and Francis.

2014

LENDON HALL ’13 married Julia Janecki on March 15, 2025, in Houston. St. Mark’s alumni groomsmen included classmates HENRY WORAM, OTTO CLARK-MARTINEK, OLIVER DE LA CROIXVAUBOIS, KEVIN BASS, STEPHEN RAMBIN, and JACK O’NEILL ’15. Lendon is completing his residency in urology and Julia her fellowship in gastroenterology in Detroit, MI. They plan to return to practice in Texas after completing their training.

SAM KHOSHBIN ’14 and Megan Chung were married on September 27, 2025, in Newport Beach, CA. MAC LABHART ’14 started a new position as Director of Private Equity Business Development at Stout.

GEORGE LAW ’13 and his wife Victoria welcomed their first son, William Henry Law, on December 20, 2025.

ANDREW GRAFFY ’13 and his wife Evie welcomed their son, Max Graffy, on February 18, 2026.

Cate and JACK MALLICK ’14 welcomed their first child, David Justin Mallick, on July 16, 2025. Jack is the Ahlberg & Ribman Family Director of Alumni Relations at St. Mark’s.

Chandler and GIO LINCON ’13 welcomed their first daughter, Lyla Elizabeth Lincon, on May 1, 2025.

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CHARLIE MARSHALL ’14 earned his Ph.D. in Climate Studies from Rice University.

He now resides in Connecticut, where he works as a postdoctoral research associate at University of Connecticut.

JOHN WEBB ’14 made the Nashville Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 list.

TRAVIS NADALINI ’15 married Emily Smid on April 18, 2026, in Florence, Italy.

BEN WILSON ’14 and Catherine Zogg were married on March 7, 2026, in Dallas.

Charlotte and CLAYTON ROBERTS ’14 welcomed Taylor Elizabeth Roberts on March 4, 2026.

TAYLOR WILSON, SR. ’81 was the best man and TAYLOR WILSON, JR. ’12, RICHARD EISEMAN ’14, and JACK MALLICK ’14 were groomsmen.

2015

FORD ROBINSON ’14 and Deery Brooks were married in Nashville, TN, on August 30, 2025. They reside in Dallas, where Ford is a Vice President at Comerica Bank focusing on Middle Market Commercial Lending.

Sara and GEORGE LIN ’15 welcomed their son, Henry, on April 15, 2025. The Lin family live in Ann Arbor, MI, where both Sara and George are completing their respective residences in Emergency Medicine and Ophthalmology at the University of Michigan.

JACK O’NEILL ‘15 and his wife LINDSEY welcomed their first child, Grace Isabel, on June 20, 2025. Lindsey is the St. Mark’s Fund and Communications Coordinator.

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Class Notes 2019 LANDON WOOD ’19 married Elizabeth Burns on September 13, 2025.

2021 Megan and BLAKE SPANGLER ’15 married on June 20, 2025, and live in Fairfax, VA, where Blake is a Senior Consultant at West Monroe. Classmate BRODY LADD attended the wedding.

In February 2026, CORVIN OPREA ’22 was named the UAA Athlete of the Week.

He scored 40 points in the game, only the seventh player in Rochester’s basketball history to have done so.

2023 BETO BEVERIDGE ’23 was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship and began his Fulbright Fellowship in Austria in September 2025.

2016 Recently KIT COLSON ’21 and CRISTIAN PEREIRA ’21 met the 43rd President of the United States, George W. Bush, while at the Cooper Clinic.

PHILIP SMART ’16 married Kennedy McGuinness on February 15, 2026, in Newport Beach, CA.

2017 WHIT PAYNE ’17 is now on the Board of Trustees at Lamplighter, where he graduated in 2009. He works as the Manager of Strategy and Operations at Commit Partnership.

JORDAN GAINES ’21, along with other Purdue physicists, developed a new tool to study exotic quantum behavior tied to future technologies.

2022 COOPER COLE ’22 will join the inaugural cohort of the Master of Public Policy program at the University of St Andrew’s in fall of 2026.

LARS OCHS ’22 will join Bain & Company as an associate consultant in the Dallas office upon his graduation from Vanderbilt University.

SAL HUSSAIN ’23 (right) and SAM LIGHT ’25 met on the field together prior to the Texas vs. UTEP game on September 13, 2025.

2024 NOAH CATHEY ’24 was voted in as the 2025-2026 Senator At-Large for the 94th Student Government Administration at Morehouse College.

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2025

JORDAN FELDMAN ’24 interned through UVA’s Global Internships program as a Strategic Partnerships and Fundraising Intern with CADENA Argentina, a humanitarian NGO providing disaster relief, crisis intervention, and community resilience programming.

HENRY RODEN ’25 completed an internship with the Monuments Men and Women Foundation focused on digital cataloging, making the extensive image gallery accessible online.

ROBERT EDSEL ’75 is the Founder and Chairman of the organization.

Community Notes

PATRICK FLANAGAN ’24, Manager of the Stanford University men’s tennis team, met Roger Federer, professional tennis legend.

LORRE ALLEN, Director of Inclusion, Diversity, and Human Resources, earned her Doctorate of Business Administration from Baker College in May 2026. She also received the Top 50 Culture & Inclusion Professional Awards

by OnCon Icon Awards.

ALEX SOLIZ ’24 has been named the University of Alabama Student Government Association’s Vice President for Financial Affairs.

Sarah Kate Ashton, daughter of Associate Headmaster JOHN ASHTON and Dr. Karen Halsell, graduated in May 2025 from Duke University with a BSE in Mechanical Engineering.

Former faculty member VIRGINIA BENTLEY married Matthew Anthony on March 8, 2025, in Dallas. Her brother, DAVID BENTLEY ’14, was a groomsman.

JENNY DIAL CREECH, Journalism Program Director, was recognized as a Columbia Scholastic Press Association 2026 Distinguished Advisor and received the 2026 Ann Miller Service Award from the Association for Women in Sports Media.

Eugene McDermott Headmaster DAVID DINI and his wife Nancy welcomed their third grandson, Theodore “Teddy” Samuel Fish, on May 1, 2026. Teddy joins older brothers James and August, mother, Megan Dini Fish, and father, Elliott.

Jack and LAUREN FISCHER welcomed their second son, Rory Michael Fischer, on March 24, 2025. Lauren is a Fourth Grade Humanities Teacher.

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Community Notes JOSH SHANDERA, Associate Director of College Counseling, earned an M.S.Ed. in School Leadership from the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education.

BARBARA KINKEAD, former Lower School Librarian, welcomed her first grandchild, James Spencer Burwinkel, in August 2025. Barbara and her husband live in Cornwall, VT.

KATELYN MUÑOZ, Director of the St. Mark’s Fund, and her husband Alex welcomed a baby girl, Aubrey Joy, on December 27, 2025.

SHANNON NADALINI earned her Doctorate of Educational Leadership from SMU in May 2025. A former Fourth Grade Teacher at St. Mark’s, she is now Head of Primary and Lower School at St. John’s Episcopal School. Shannon is the mother of Marksmen TAUBERT ’13, TRAVIS ’15, AUSTIN ’19, and ALEX ’22.

Former faculty member JOE MILLIET met with CONNOR GAFFNEY ’21 and ALEX ZUCH ’21 for lunch.

ANNIE MOIR, Assistant Director of Stewardship, and her husband Dan Spreitzer welcomed Peter Kai Spreitzer, on January 28, 2026.

ANALISA RODRIGUEZ, Band Director, married Alex Bergeron on November 23, 2025. Faculty member JOSH SHANDERA officiated the wedding.

TINSLEY SILCOX, Upper School Choir Director and Director of Libraries, celebrated 30 years of choral conducting at NorthPark Presbyterian Church.

GLENN STROH, his wife Lauren, and son Benjamin welcomed Cecilia Alice Stroh on December 28, 2025. Glenn serves as Organist and Choirmaster.

REILLY WALKER and husband, Brandt, welcomed son Edward “Ward” James Walker on September 19, 2025.

Ward joins sister Rooney. Reilly is a seventh-grade humanities teacher and sponsor.

C OMMUNIT Y

In Memoriam Alumni ARJUN AGARWAL ’22 July 20, 2025 WILLIAM J. BRACKER ’73 March 19, 2026, brother of the late David S. Bracker ’72 KEITH BUDNER ’73 March 26, 2026, brother of Craig W. Budner ’83 and Bruce A. Budner ’70, and father of Keith H. Budner, Jr. ’03 and Lawrence L. Budner ’06 C. VANCE CAMPBELL ’59 January 15, 2026, Emeritus Trustee, brother of Thomas Campbell ’65, son-in-law of M. Lucian Touchstone 1922 JAMES P. CHAMPION ’61 June 22, 2025 JACOB K. CHERNICK ’15 June 24, 2025 WILLIAM R. DOCKING ’69 March 13, 2025 FRED R. GAMBLE ’59 July 20, 2025 CHARLES R. HELMS ’76 November 2, 2025

ADAM B. WHEAT ’98 September 18, 2025

Community MIMI G. ARONOFF January 5, 2025, mother of Stephen P. Aronoff ’68 F. CARROLL BAIRD July 3, 2025, father of Kirk A. Baird ’86 DR. LAWRENCE S. BARZUNE June 30, 2025, father of Benjamin Barzune ’86 ALICE WORSHAM BASS September 22, 2025, wife of the late Emeritus Trustee Richard D. Bass ’46, sister of Joseph A.I. Worsham ’59, stepmother of Richard D. Bass, Jr. ’74 and Emeritus Trustee James E. Bass ’77, grandmother of Kevin Bass ’13, Mason Smith ’15, and Grayson Aston ’28 ALEX S. BENEKE October 15, 2025, brother of Brian C. Beneke ’01 and Mark M. Beneke ’05 GEORGIA SUE BLACK December 29, 2025, Emeritus Trustee, mother of David H. Black ’87, grandmother of Benjamin D. Meyer ’21

GEORGE M. ILLES, JR. ’67 March 26, 2026

NAOMI BLOOM August 2025, mother of Jason S. Bloom ’91, grandmother of Hudson I. Bloom ’23

CHARLES ROBERT MATHES, JR. ’65 July 6, 2025

ELIZABETH MAYER BOECKMAN March 3, 2026, mother of Dan Boeckman ’78

H. LESLIE MOORE ’56 September 3, 2025, son of the late Dr. Robert L. Moore 1923, father of Hugh S. Moore ’98, brother of the late Robert T. Moore ’56 and the late William F. Moore ’59, grandfather of Roome C. Becker ’23

ELAINE S. BOCK May 17, 2025, mother of Steven M. Bock ’74 and Lawrence R. Bock ’77, grandmother of Aaron J. Bock ’05 and Lance A. Bock ’14 LISA L. BRANDENBURG April 29, 2025, former faculty member

STUART A. MORSE ’61 November 5, 2025, father of David J. Morse ’90, grandfather of William M. Clifford ’25 and Samuel K. Morse ’27

CHARLES D. BRINER June 13, 2025, husband of former staff member Diana S. Briner, father of Briggs A. Briner ’93 and Bradford B. Briner ’95

ALLEN S. NESBITT ’62 November 1, 2025, brother of R. Dawson Nesbitt ’66

CLAIRE MARIE HOLLAND MUNSON BROOKHART January 14, 2026, mother-in-law of Adam E. McGill ’91, grandmother of Henry E. McGill ’27

WILLIAM DAVIS NORTHCUTT IV ’76 March 26, 2025, brother of Walter R. Northcutt ’79 J.H. PERRY ’60 January 31, 2026 CHARLES D. RYDER ’90 November 26, 2025 LEONARD VOLK III ’45 February 21, 2026, son of Harold F. Volk 1912

JANELLE CALDWELL July 10, 2025, grandmother of John R. Caldwell ’14 and William H. Caldwell ’16 DAVID L. CHANCE March 25, 2026, father of William N. Chance ’21 and Weston H. Chance ’26

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JULIUS COLEMAN February 13, 2026, grandfather of Justin C. Utay ’09 and Brendan I. Goldaber ’20 CHRISTINA CORBETT September 24, 2025, grandmother of James J. Petrikas, Jr. ’21, Lucas W. Petrikas ’25, and Nicholas D. Petrikas ’28 SALLY CULLUM August 2, 2025, mother of M. Christian Cullum ’95 LINDA P. CUSTARD January 22, 2026, Emeritus Trustee, mother of W. Allen Custard II ’80 WILLIAM A. CUSTARD March 4, 2025, husband of Emeritus Trustee Linda Custard, father of W. Allen Custard II ’80 WILLIAM DORSANEO March 15, 2026, father of Charles A. Dorsaneo ’06, Andrew J. Dorsaneo ’11, and Peter A. Dorsaneo ’17 GRACE T. DREYER March 28, 2025, grandmother of faculty member Glenn Stroh SHARON M. ELLIS December 29, 2025, mother of past Parents’ Association President Cindy Hanson, mother-in-law of Brian A. Hanson ’95, grandmother of Owen A. Hanson ’26 and Wyatt E. Hanson ’27 RICHARD F. ENTHOVEN September 4, 2025, father of Alex Enthoven ’15 CURTIS NEIL FLOYD February 3, 2025, father-in-law of David H. Estes ’89, grandfather of Henry Estes ’15 JOE FOOR January 17, 2026, grandfather of Paul M. Voorheis ’16 and Luke J. Voorheis ’21 EDWARD W. FORDYCE, JR. January 28, 2026, father of Edward W. Fordyce III ’85 and Douglas A. Fordyce ’88 LYNN E. GOLDSTEIN May 5, 2026, father of William H. Goldstein ’83 GORDAN GRAHAM October 28, 2025, father-in-law of faculty member Lee-Ann Graham, grandfather of Cal H. Graham ’22 and Bryan L. Graham ’24 PAULINE P. GRAIVIER July 24, 2025, mother of Miles H. Graivier ’77, grandmother of Lee G. Becker ’05

SHEILA S. GRIFFITH April 22, 2025, wife of Gregory A. Griffith ’72 ROSALIND REDFERN GROVER November 21, 2025, grandmother of Arden Kapps Killingstad ’06 SAM T. HAMRA October 1, 2025, father of Taylor A. Hamra ’95 IRENE E. HEAPE February 10, 2026, grandmother of Jarrod F. Sparks ’09 DAVID HENDRICKS March 22, 2026, husband of Angela Hendricks, Piano Studies teacher ANN CANDACE FARRAR JOHNSEY April 10, 2026, mother of R. Grant Johnsey, Jr. ’95 VICTORIA JONES January 1, 2026, daughter of Tommy Lee Jones ’65 MICHELE M. KERBER July 6, 2025, wife of Michael D. Kerber ’77 G. HOLMAN KING September 12, 2025, grandfather of Trustee William E. Wolcott ’02 MARY PULS KRETZINGER January 1, 2026, mother of Larry E. Puls ’76 RUTH LINDSLEY March 21, 2026, mother of Peter Rosenfeld ’77 and grandmother of Bruce Rosenfeld ’28

RUTH ANN MONTGOMERY April 7, 2025, wife of Dr. Philip O’B. Montgomery, Jr. ’38, mother of Carter R. Montgomery ’74, Will S. Montgomery ’76, Harold H. Montgomery ’78, and Philip O. Montgomery III ’72, mother-in-law of faculty member Kaysie G. Montgomery, grandmother of Blake O. Montgomery ’10, John C. Montgomery ’10, Peter S. Montgomery ’12, Stuart J. Montgomery ’15, and Philip G. Montgomery ’16, great-aunt of John Nicholas Monier ’04 JEROME MELVIN NAFTALIS March 25, 2026, father of Dr. Richard C. Naftalis ’75, grandfather of Harrison J. Naftalis ’12 and Benjamin R. Naftalis ’15 PATRICK J. NELIGAN, JR. March 28, 2026, father of Patrick J. Neligan III ’09 JANVRIN MARTINDALE NEWSOME November 30, 2025, daughter of J. Bruce Martindale, Jr. ’33 and Emeritus Trustee Barbara Martindale, sister of the late James B. Martindale III ’63, mother of William B. Newsome ’86 THOMAS J. NORMAN, JR. March 22, 2025, grandfather of Michael C. Norman ’02 and former student Joseph T. Norman CHARLIE ODOM April 30, 2026, husband of former faculty member Mitsuyo Odom

PETER MAYER LOEB February 28, 2026, grandfather of Samuel Keon ’28

JAMES BYRON PARKS, JR. April 25, 2026, father of James B. Parks III ’93

WILLIAM H. MARMION, JR. March 29, 2025, former faculty member, husband of faculty member Nancy G. Marmion

KONNIE HELEN PEDEN April 8, 2025, mother of staff member Raeann Robertson

JANET MCCORMACK March 21, 2026, mother of Byron L. Sachs ’69

DIANE B. PURNELL July 3, 2025, grandmother of M. Corson Purnell ’15, grandmother-in-law of Daniel E. Koudelka ’13

LINNIE A. MCCOWN July 4, 2025, niece of Patrick M. McCown ’99 and Andrew M. McCown ’01 JANET H. MCDOWELL August 4, 2025, mother of Robert W. McDowell, Jr. ’87 SAMUEL R. MILLER March 1, 2025, father of Mark D. Miller ’91 and the late Scott D. Miller ’96

DR. KAMAL RATHOD September 6, 2025, father of Veeral K. Rathod ’97 DOUGLAS H. ROGERS March 4, 2025, father of Mark D. Rogers ’94, grandfather of Luke C. Rogers ’27 and Hunt D. Rogers ’29 RICHARD R. ROGERS March 31, 2026, father of Ryan T. Rogers ’95

C OMMUNIT Y

MARJORIE ROSENFELD March 23, 2025, mother of Peter M. Rosenfeld ’77, grandmother of Bruce N. Rosenfeld ’28 FRED P. RUDENSKE March 16, 2026, father of Clayton W. Rudsenske ’91 and Wesley K. Rudsenske ’95 NANCY M. SCHAEFFER March 7, 2025, mother of Karl P. Schaeffer ’03 and Anthony L. Schaeffer ’07 KEITH ROBERT SCHWARTZ January 28, 2026, husband of faculty member Lynne Schwartz LEWIS W. SHAW II March 5, 2025, brother-in-law of Nelson H. Spencer ’57

JAMES S. TART, SR. April 12, 2026, Emeritus Trustee, father of James S. Tart, Jr. ’96 CELESTA GOLDEN VAUGHAN February 20, 2026, mother-in-law of faculty member Dr. GayMarie W. Vaughan SARAH WARNECKE November 2025, mother of A. Michael Warnecke ’87, grandmother of Grant M. Warnecke ’23 DOUGLAS D. WHEAT July 9, 2025, Emeritus Trustee, father of the late Adam B. Wheat ’98 MOHUA YAJNIK 2025, mother of Shiv Yajnik ’21

Thomas O. Hicks December 6, 2025, Emeritus Trustee, father of Mack H. Hicks ’99, John A. Hicks ’02, R. Bradley Hicks ’04, and William C. Hicks ’10

TIMOTHY B. SHUTT November 9, 2025, former faculty member JITENDRA SINGH December 22, 2025, father of Arjun Singh ’18, Kabeer Singh ’18, and Vikram Singh ’25 JANE A. SMITH June 21, 2025, mother of Gentry B. Smith ’96 LENOX R. STARKEY March 12, 2025, great-grandfather of Joshua B. Nunez ’28 and Isaac L. Nunez ’32 DR. CHARLES M. STARKS September 29, 2025, grandfather of Williams S. Dannenmaier ’16 ALEXANDER STEPHANOPOULOS July 26, 2025, father of Raphael Stephanopoulos ’32 DAVID M. SUDBURY September 30, 2025, father of Gregory M. Sudbury ’94, grandfather of Marshall L. Sudbury ’27 NATE SUMETHASORN December 14, 2025, father of Paul P. Sumethasorn ’27 CRAIG A. SUTTON November 29, 2025, husband of Emeritus Trustee Deborah E. Sutton, father of Montgomery A. Sutton ’05

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Submissions not included in this edition will appear in the next issue of The Pride.

St. Mark’s mourns the passing of TOM HICKS, Emeritus Trustee and longtime supporter, who died on December 6, 2025. Mr. Hicks and members of his family were on campus earlier in the year for the opening of the new Zierk Athletic Center and the rededication of the Hicks Gymnasium that had been destroyed by a tornado in 2019. His passion for athletics and love for St. Mark’s will continue to make a meaningful difference in the lives of Marksmen for generations to come.

8 8 TH E P R I D E M AG AZI N E | 2026

Endnotes Online giving

The St. Mark’s Fund is the School’s most important, ongoing fundraising

THE Provided to the alumni and greater School community of St. Mark’s School of Texas

priority, providing more than 11 percent of the annual operating budget.

You may give online at: smtexas.org/smfund. Every gift makes a difference.

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

Brooke Driesse

Archives

From the Terrill School all the way to St. Mark’s School of Texas, ours is a school with a long and rich history. If you have school memorabilia that you are interested in sharing with St. Mark’s to be preserved in our school archives, contact the Office of Development & Alumni Relations, at 214-346-8800.

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

Scott Moore

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

Alex Hughes

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 with any photos, to the Office of Development & Alumni Relations so we can include them in our next issue. Submissions not included in this edition will appear in the next issue of The Pride. Submissions may be made in any of three ways:

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Dave Carden

ST. MARK’S FUND AND COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR

Lindsey O’Neill

ASSISTANT HEADMASTER FOR EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

Scott Jolly

• Send digitally using our online form at smtexas.org/classnotes.

All information, including high-resolution photos, is welcome.

• Email your submission to mallickj@smtexas.org • Mail to St. Mark’s School of Texas, Attn: Jack Mallick, 10600 Preston Rd., Dallas, TX 75230

DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT

Tim Crouch

SENIOR DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT

Alex Eshelbrenner ’04

AHLBERG & RIBMAN FAMILY DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI RELATIONS

The Pride is published annually by the Office of Development & Alumni Relations and is distributed to alumni, parents, and friends of the School. In producing this magazine, every effort has been made to ensure accuracy.

Please report any errors or receipt of multiple copies to the Office of Development & Alumni Relations. 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 ethnic origin.

St. Mark’s School of Texas

10600 Preston Rd., Dallas, TX 75230-4047 • 214-346-8800

Jack Mallick ’14

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St. Mark’s School of Texas

10600 Preston Rd. Dallas, TX 75230-4047 214-346-8800 • www.smtexas.org

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Marksmen gather in the Lower School Library after school for a game of chess.