Spartan Magazine | Summer 2026

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Summer 2026

Celebrating the Class of 2026 sstx.org

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SNAPSHOT Eighth graders paddle the Rio Grande in Big Bend National Park.

Find more SSTX Life on page 28.

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Summer 2026 Spartan Magazine

CONTENTS SUMMER 2026

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Celebrating the Class of 2026

14 Middle School Closing Ceremony 16 Happy 75th, St. Stephen’s!

20 Lasting Impact: A Legacy Beyond Their Lifetimes

22 In Community 28 SSTX Life 28

36 Alumni News

head of school Christopher L. Gunnin

chief marketing and communications officer Catenya McHenry

managing editor Erin Rydquist

alumni news editor Michelle Geo Olmstead

senior graphic designer Joanna King

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contributors David Allen ’19, Alison Chang, Nooshin Wilson, Vicki Woodruff

photographer Chris Caselli ’82 Spartan Magazine is published twice a year for the constituents of St. Stephen’s Episcopal School.

Copyright © 2026 St. Stephen’s Episcopal School

subscription information and address changes Sharon Sparlin, ssparlin@sstx.org or 512.327.1213 x 158

P H OTOS COVER: Julia Garcia ’26 holds her diploma at the graduation ceremony.

TOP TO BOTTOM: Class of 2026 graduates cheer on a student speaker at graduation; Ziri Udezue ’26 performs at the ISAS Arts Festival; Alumni reunite at Reunion Weekend 2026

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FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

Hello from The Hill! As I write this letter,

I am enjoying the culmination of the school’s 75th year.

Our end of the academic year includes, as our Spartans might say, “all the feels.” From the excitement of seniors ringing the bell on the last day of class to the poignancy of saying goodbye to teachers and classmates, St. Stephen’s students embraced the fullness of this season. Whether in the classrooms, in the art studios or on the athletic fields, they have shown commitment, engagement and energy.

Watching our students grow, learn, rehearse, practice, compete, perform and create has been a blessing.

Beyond what they’ve achieved, we celebrate who our students are becoming — Spartans with sharp minds, fierce spirits and compassionate hearts.

This growth doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Most of us are only willing to take risks and try new things when we feel safe, supported and encouraged. I’m continually inspired by the ways our dedicated faculty and staff engage, support and inspire our students.

For 75 years, St. Stephen’s has been a community that has aspired to provide life-enhancing, foundational experiences to Spartans. St. Stephen’s prepares our students to live lives of meaning and impact beyond The Hill. Spartans are caring, committed and compassionate citizens of the world, unafraid of hard work, undeterred by obstacles and faithful to the call to make a difference in the world.

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As we celebrated this anniversary milestone year, we visited with alumni and friends around the world, dedicated a new aquatic center, built and opened the Spartan Loop, launched the $85 million Lasting Impact campaign, hosted a joyful Reunion Weekend, and elevated many of the traditions that our community holds dear, such as the Festival of Lessons and Carols and our annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrations. To date, donors have committed nearly $71 million in gifts and pledges to Lasting Impact, all of which will strengthen St. Stephen’s and help position us to serve Spartans better than ever for the next 75 years.

We celebrate St. Stephen’s with proud and full hearts.

We give thanks for our visionary founders who dared boldly to imagine a one-of-a-kind school; we give thanks for the countless students, parents, faculty, staff and friends who have been a part of our first 75 years; and we look with excitement to the future that we are building together. Thank you for being part of the St. Stephen’s community.

All my best,

Chris Gunnin Head of School

UPPER SCHOOL G R A D UAT I O N

Celebrating the Class of 2026

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St. Stephen’s Episcopal School celebrated its 76th commencement Saturday, May 23.

Parents, grandparents, friends and special guests convened on The Hill and virtually to celebrate a myriad of accomplishments. This year’s class of 127 graduates is a diverse representation of cultures from the Austin area, across the United States and 14 countries, including Canada, the Cayman Islands, China, Hong Kong, India, Jamaica, Mexico, the Netherlands, Oman, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

From The Hill to the world, the entire St. Stephen’s community is excited to see what these graduates will accomplish in the next chapter of their lives.

Learn what’s next for the Class of 2026 on pages 12 and 13.

PH OTO S TOP TO BOTTOM Izzy Stiebel ’26 and Duc Le ’26 proceed into their graduation ceremony; Avery Robinette ’26 during the graduation ceremony 4

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UPPER SCHOOL G R A D UAT I O N Sehra Chada ’26

Annie Ehrlich ’26

Jane Miao ’26

The Bishop John E. Hines Medal

Charlotte Tuttle ’26

Alex Vokes ’26

John Wells ’26

Eli Yorio ’26

The William Brewster Medal was established in the 1960s to honor the school’s founding headmaster and presented by Head of School Chris Gunnin. Brewster wanted a school where students learned by studying and by living in a community grounded in a Christian tradition of respect and concern for others. Each year a faculty committee chooses a recipient who, in the eyes of the committee, has made the greatest total contribution to the life of the school.

Brandon Rodriguez ’26

is presented by the Rt. Rev. Kai Ryan and named in honor of the Rt. Rev. Hines, cofounder of St. Stephen’s Episcopal School, who was a man of extraordinary vision and bold action. He started the school with the idea that a St. Stephen’s education would be used as “an enduring basis for moral decisions and would equip the student with content and satisfaction in both his or her academic and devotional life.” For the first time in the school’s history, there was a six-way tie for the award.

The Velberta Asher Towner Award in the Performing Arts is presented by Liz Moon, fine arts chair, and given in memory of Velberta Towner, a St. Stephen’s faculty member from 1958 to 1984. Known to the campus community as Bert, she was a longtime Fine Arts Department chair who built a program in which students could explore and excel in the arts.

Lily Kling ’26

The Dobbie Leverton Fenton Medal was established in 2001 and is historically presented by Fenton’s daughter, Claire Fenton ’93, director of College Counseling. Fenton describes her mother, who had a 33-year career at St. Stephen’s, as a “tireless activist, advocate, scholar and force of nature, combining boundless enthusiasm with a deep commitment to making the world a better place.”

Lizzie Holland ’26

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Honors Diplomas With High Honors Addie Burchfiel Sehra Chadha Annie Ehrlich Cathy Gong Ethan Hoenig Fan Yu Hung Edison Leigh Mariana Losada Sánchez Jane Miao Charlotte Tuttle Alex Vokes Eli Yorio Diplomas With Honors Yoseph Achamyleh Isha Ailnani Malak Al Waili Ali Alajmi Heidi Bahlmann Basil Baldwin Truman Bares Gaines Bartram Clare Burkhart

Juanjo Castillo de los Monteros Caroline Cloyd Sebi Creixell Gabi Curtis Liam Eggleston Addie English Eleanor Evarts Lee Fardahl Emelia Fink Isabelle Fore Valeria González Reed Keyen Gupta Wylie Halloran Logan Horvath Grace Jiang Felicite Jubelin Evie Kadyan Katie Krauss Sia Lee Maddy Marks Andrew Matzen Julia McElveen Qasim Minhas Cali MontemayorAguirre

Kate Moriarty Amiya Nakra Charlie Navarre Harper Nelson Ben Oehler Katherine Oehler Darby Osborne Suo Park Maya Patel Tijl Peeters Tahj Potter Walter Ralls Dalia Rangel Avery Robinette Brandon Rodriguez Ayla Romm Austin Ross Levi Skaistis Jenny Sun Aurora Tames Ziri Udezue John Wells Emma Wicker Neil Wu Cindy Yang Bryan Yoo Stacia Yu

Academic Leadership and Service Awards The Catherine Elliott Montgomery Prize is awarded by a committee of teachers to the 12th grade student whose creativity, character and scholarship give promise of a contribution in history or the social sciences. The 2026 Montgomery Prize was awarded to Grace Jiang.

The Jan Hines Leadership Award is presented to students who have made positive contributions to our school and worked tirelessly to make our community a better place. This year, the award was presented to Sebastian Creixell, Annie Ehrlich, Valeria González Reed and Chukwuziri Udezue.

The Spiritual Leadership Award is presented to the student of any faith tradition who has embodied the Gospel message “The way to greatness is through service.” This person embodies the philosophy of servant leadership, focusing on serving the needs of their community and their team members and fostering the growth and well-being of those they serve. The award was presented to Raleigh Munyon.

Health Leadership Award Paulina Clark Lee Fardal Sehva Faulkner Keyen Gupta Ziri Udezue Linki Zhao

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International Student of the Year Fan Yu Hung Model UN Malak Al Waili Edison Leigh

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National Chinese Honor Society Lila Dugan Valeria González Reed Mariana Losada Sánchez National Latin Exam Alex Vokes (cum laude)

Yvonne Adams Equity and Inclusion Leadership and Service Award Lee Fardal Grace Jiang Ziri Udezue

P H OTOS TOP TO BOTTOM Malak Al Waili ’26, Emma Wicker ’26 and Heidi Bahlmann ’26 waiting for the ceremony to begin; Student Graduation speaker Annie Ehrlich ’26; Clare Burkhart ’26, Faculty Graduation speaker Ben Hines ’91 and Harper Nelson ’26

UPPER SCHOOL G R A D UAT I O N

Book Prizes Advanced Art History Darby Osborne Advanced Calculus AB Sehra Chadha Advanced Chinese VI Lila Dugan Advanced Chinese VII Mariana Losada Sánchez Advanced European History Charlie Navarre

Advanced Latin V/VI Katherine Oehler

Engineering Ethan Hoenig

Advanced Spanish VI Gaines Bartram

English 12 Levi Skaistis

Advanced Spanish VII/VIII Ayla Romm

Environmental Science Cathy Gong

Advanced Statistics Addie Burchfiel

French IV Annie Ehrlich

Advanced Visual Studies Alex Vokes

Independent Projects — Computer Science Walter Ralls

Electronics and Robotics Annie Ehrlich

Projects in Science and Tech Liam Eggleston Luke Mabley

Machine Learning/ Artificial Intelligence Keyen Gupta Multivariable Analysis Cathy Gong Social Science Seminars Levi Skaistis Statistics and Selected Topics Ella Stewart Theology Cindy Yang Web Development Tahj Potter

Fine Arts Awards The Rev. Charles Abram and Virginia Sumners Music Award is presented annually to a member of the senior class who made the greatest overall contribution to music at the school. The 2026 Sumners Music Award recipient was Brandon Rodriguez.

The Anne Dewey Guerin Award is awarded each year to the graduate who made the greatest contribution to the theatre program. This year’s Anne Dewey Guerin Award was presented to Annie Ehrlich.

The Rudolph H. Green Art Award is presented to a senior art student who has shown consistent personal growth and who looks for ways to improve their craft while also pushing the intellectual boundaries of visual expression. The recipient of the Rudolph H. Green Art Award was Cindy Yang.

AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE Dance Director’s Award Emma Wicker Excellence in Applied Arts — Studio Art Eishita Yadav Outstanding Cello Student Austin Chiu Outstanding Ceramicist Deb Boote

Outstanding Choral Student Levi Skaistis Outstanding Featured Soloists Liam Eggleston Annie Ehrlich Outstanding Filmmaker Award Gabi Curtis Ella Lucchese Stewart Outstanding Orchestra Director’s Award Jenny Sun

Outstanding Orchestral Percussionist Brandon Rodriguez Outstanding Percussion Leader John Wells Outstanding Percussion Performer Brandon Rodriguez Outstanding Piano Student Jenny Sun

Outstanding Principal Orchestral Player Thomas Guan Outstanding Violin Student Alex Vokes Technical Theatre Award Raleigh Munyon Yearbook Editor’s Award Darby Osborne

P H OTO S TOP TO BOTTOM: JP Kim ’26; Ella Stewart ’26, Aurora Tames ’26 and Evie Kadyan ’26; Senior Class President Keyen Gupta ’26

Scholastic Art and Writing Awards Scholastic Art Portfolio Award: Cindy Yang (Gold Key) Scholastic Art Writing Award: Luis Gudino, Logan Horvath, Fan Yu Hung, Suo Park, Chiamaka Ufudo, Alex Vokes and Cindy Yang sstx.org

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Athletics Awards The Don Cunningham Memorial Award is presented to two Spartans who lettered in three sports in their senior year and demonstrated outstanding talent, leadership, dedication and sportsmanship. This year’s Don Cunningham Memorial Award was presented to Eleanor Evarts and Basil Baldwin.

The David Paschall Award was created to recognize and honor the outstanding accomplishments of students in both academics and athletics. To be eligible for the award, a student must earn a varsity letter during each term and maintain honor roll status during the fall and winter terms. The 2026 award recipients were Eleanor Evarts, Emilia Fink, Wylie Halloran and Félicité Jubelin.

The Kristin Svahn Athletic Leadership Award is presented to two student-athletes who demonstrate exceptional leadership qualities throughout Upper School. The 2026 award was presented to Emilia Fink and Sebi Creixell.

The Academy Academic Excellence Award recognizes the outstanding accomplishments of student-athletes both in the classroom and on the soccer field. To be eligible for this award, students must compete at a performance level within the St. Stephen’s athletic academies. These student-athletes must maintain honor roll status during the fall and winter terms. The 2026 award recipients were Yoseph Achamyeleh, Lila Dugan, Sophie Fox, Mohammad Qasim Minhas, Harper Nelson and Tahj Potter.

All-SPC Award Winners Baseball Sebi Creixell Basketball Benson Sparrow Cross-Country Ben Oehler Field Hockey Eleanor Evarts Lacrosse Basil Baldwin Eleanor Evarts Emilia Fink

JP Kim Luke Mabley Will Walters Soccer Yoseph Achamyeleh Alex Lowe Tahj Potter Swimming and Diving Tristan McCain Austin Ross Levi Skaistis

Tennis Juanjo Castillo Jr. Julia Díaz Mirón Pranav Kandhaadai Track and Field Oscar Whiteley Bermeo Volleyball Smithson Sorrick

Faculty and Staff Recognition At the end of the 2025-26 academic year, awards of excellence were presented to the following outstanding teachers and staff: Endowed Teaching Chair for Critical Language Emilie Xu, Upper School Mandarin Chinese instructor Dean H. Towner Master Teaching Chair Troy Lanier, Upper School science, electronics and robotics instructor and PIRL director Dhvani Sethi, Upper School math instructor Upper School Teacher Excellence Award Luis Murillo, Ph.D., history and social science instructor Staff Excellence Award Alecia Chapman, receptionist and Upper School attendance coordinator P H OTOS TOP TO BOTTOM: Jon McCain presents Basil Baldwin ’26 with the Don Cunningham Memorial Award; Alvin Wu ’26, Ali Alajmi ’26 and Neil Wu ’26; Eleanor Barkley ’26, Hannah Krauss ’26, Paulina Clark ’26, Kate Moriarty ’26 and Katie Krauss ’26

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UPPER SCHOOL G R A D UAT I O N Elise Jones P ’27, ’24 and Luis Murillo, Ph.D.

Elise Jones P ’27, ’24 with Alecia, Phoenix and Terry Chapman

Chris Gunnin and Emilie Xu

Chris Gunnin and Dhvani Sethi

Chris Gunnin and Troy Lanier

P H OTOS LEFT TO RIGHT: Alex Vokes ’26 and Sehva Faulkner ’26 exit the Chapel with their diplomas; graduation complete for the Class of 2026!

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Senior

Snapshots

able cameras os p is d s, e on h p rt d Before sma ostalgic and aske n ot g e w so , g in were a th St. Stephen’s st la ir e th re tu p seniors to ca emories on film. m d n a ts n e om m

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Many than

ks to:

Austin Chiu ’26 Annie Ehrlic h ’26 Sehva Faulk ner ’26 Brandon Ro driguez ’26 Ziri Udezue ’26

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CLASS OF 2026

127 Graduates

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NCAA athletes

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Average number of college applications per student

252

Unique colleges to which Spartans applied

NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIPS 9 FINALISTS

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COLLEGE ADMISSIONS AND ENROLLMENT

The St. Stephen’s College Counseling Department is pleased to share the Class of 2026 snapshot of college applications, acceptances and enrollment.

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Colleges in 27 states and four international campuses will enroll Spartan graduates

Students enrolling at service academies

Students attending The University of Texas at Austin

77%

50%

96%

Matriculating out of state

Early decision applicants

Applied early (on or before 12/1/25)

SOME OF THE COLLEGES SPARTANS WILL ATTEND

From The Hill to the World WHERE THE CLASS OF 2026 IS ENROLLING Baylor University Boston College Boston University (2) Brown University Bryn Mawr College California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo Carnegie Mellon University (2) Clemson University Columbia University (2) Cornell University Dartmouth College (2) Edgewood College Emory University (3) Emory University-Oxford College Fisk University Harvard University Harvey Mudd College Indiana University Bloomington Johns Hopkins University (4) Lehigh University Loyola Marymount University (3) Massachusetts Institute of Technology McGill University (2) Middlebury College New York University (3) Northeastern University

Northwestern University Pepperdine University Pomona College Purdue University Queen’s University Rice University (2) Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Southern Methodist University (2) Stanford University (2) Texas A&M University (3) The American University of Paris The Ohio State University The George Washington University The Pennsylvania State University The University of Alabama The University of Texas at Austin (13) The University of Texas at Dallas The University of Texas at San Antonio (2) The University of Texas at Tyler The University of the South (2) Trinity College Dublin Trinity University Tufts University Tulane University (3) United States Air Force Academy United States Naval Academy University of California, Berkeley (3)

University of California, Davis University of California, Irvine University of California, Los Angeles (2) University of California, San Diego (5) University of California, Santa Barbara (2) The University of Chicago University of Colorado Boulder (2) University of Denver University of Georgia University of Houston University of Miami University of Michigan (3) University of North Carolina School of the Arts University of North Texas University of Notre Dame University of Pennsylvania University of Richmond University of Washington University of Wisconsin-Madison Vanderbilt University Vassar College (2) Villanova University Washington University in St. Louis William & Mary Williams College

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MIDDLE SCHOOL C LO S I N G C E R E M O N Y

Middle School Closing Ceremony

ST. STEPHEN’S CELEBRATED ITS MIDDLE SCHOOL CLOSING CEREMONY ON MAY 29. Seventy 8th graders were promoted to the Upper School, numerous awards were given to students across the Middle School division, and the Teacher Excellence Award was presented to theology instructor Christopher Symms.

Head of Middle School Magnus Maccow and other division administrators presented dozens of awards and certificates. Head of School Chris Gunnin also delivered remarks.

“You have developed important foundational skills that will serve you well in your future, you have developed habits of the mind and habits of the heart that we are all proud of, and you have built friendships and made memories that will last a lifetime,” remarked Gunnin.

Several students received the highest Middle School achievement awards.

The Academic Hall of Fame Award, given to students on the High Honor Roll every term of Middle School, was presented to Elizabeth McDaniel-Chang ’30.

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Elizabeth McDaniel-Chang ’30, Isabelle Richter ’31 and Ravi Bhagat ’32 were recognized for their outstanding scholarship and for achieving the Highest Academic Standing in their class.

Sophie Grossman ’30 was the winner of the Priscilla Foster Award, which is named after the first head of the Middle School and honors an inspiring student leader with a can-do spirit.

Yates Cowan ’32 and Pierce Bares ’31 were recognized with the Citizenship Award for reflecting the highest traditions and core values of our school.

The Linda Douglass Spirit of Hope Award, which recognizes a student leader who exemplifies what it means to make a difference in the school community and beyond, was presented to Aleta Kavčić ’30.

The Spiritual Leadership Award was given to Sydney Train ’30.

The Anne Teel Athletics Award was presented to Elizabeth McDaniel-Chang ’30, and James Driscoll ’30 earned the Hunter Paschall Athletics Award.

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4 P H OTOS 1 Middle School graduates holding their diplomas 2 Neil Felger ’30 and Evan English ’30 before the Middle School Closing Ceremony 3 Addie Gunnin ’30 hugging a classmate 4 Middle School graduates holding their diplomas 5 Elise Jones P ’27, ’24 and Christopher Symms, theology instructor 6 James Driscoll ’30 and Alana Dunn ’30 during the Middle School Closing Ceremony

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Happy 75th, St. Stephen’s!

Proudly celebrating decades of heritage, growth and vision

BY VICKI WOODRUFF, RETIRED ENGLISH INSTRUCTOR

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THE FOUNDERS OF ST. STEPHEN’S EPISCOPAL SCHOOL envisioned its creation 75 years ago as a bold yet humble experiment, acknowledging that endeavors sometimes fail. A coeducational Episcopal boarding school where boys and girls could learn together and a school where young people from a wide range of backgrounds and economic classes could meet on common ground was a new and ambitious concept in the South. The Rt. Rev. John E. Hines, later the 22nd presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, founded St. Stephen’s in 1950 despite the risks and potential backlash surrounding the heightened racial tensions of integration. He enlisted the Rev. William Brewster to be the school’s first headmaster in the chancy venture.

The experimental school has proved to be innovative and successful. In 2025, St. Stephen’s was recognized as one of the top 20 schools in North America by the Schools Index of the prestigious Londonbased Carfax Education Group, which evaluates schools globally. The index’s

pithy analysis of St. Stephen’s highlights the school’s core values: “love of learning and spirit of service.” St. Stephen’s now includes 714 students from 26 countries — 182 of them boarding students — a student population that reinforces the founder’s belief in the power of human connection.

During the yearlong anniversary celebration, the school continued to focus its effort to help students create lives of meaning and purpose in a changing world.

“I’m filled with gratitude for all our predecessors and their original vision — plus all those who’ve joined together in the pursuit of the fulfillment of that vision — and a real excitement for the ways the founding vision has endured and been realized,” says Chris Gunnin, head of school.

Yet, Gunnin says, “It’s OK to be proud of who we are for about a second. Then we’ve got to get back to work. And there’s always more work to do.”

Along the way, the school has made deliberate programming choices, each creating a new path forward: 60-plus years of integration; 50-plus years of exchange programs with schools in Osaka

PH OTO S LEFT TO RIGHT: Students enjoy the Block Party; Spartans from the 1950s celebrate with cake; Chris Gunnin with Spartan alumni in Hong Kong, October 2025; a vintage photo of Spartans decorating the Chapel for Lessons and Carols

and Tokyo, Japan; 40 years of a lauded International Program; 35-plus years of a dedicated Middle School serving students in 6th through 8th grades; and 20-plus years of partnership with St. Etienne Episcopal School in Haiti.

The lists of other distinguished program accomplishments fill pages, encompassing academics, service, fine arts and athletics.

“Programs have history, too,” Gunnin says.

“They’re intentional parts of what we do.”

A jubilant year of festivity Gunnin’s eyes twinkle a bit when he talks about the fun (and all-hands-on-deck work) of “elevating,” as he says, important traditions and events for extra polish and deeper meaning to celebrate the school’s 75th. Two key concepts resonate: connection and school pride.

The commemorative year officially kicked off in September 2025 with a massive outdoor community block party that included a pep rally, two ribbon cuttings, food trucks and varsity games.

A cornerstone event was the dedication of the new Spartan Loop road and the state-of-the-art St. Stephen’s Aquatic Center. This transformative addition to the school’s athletic programs, made possible by a $17 million gift from the Still Water Foundation, is already attracting elite

student-athletes to St. Stephen’s.

Addressing the school community at the dedication, the Rt. Rev. Kai Ryan, bishop suffragan of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas and chair of the St. Stephen’s Board of Trustees, invited guests to have “grateful and generous hearts.” Ryan thanked God for the people gathered together, the buildings they’ve made possible and the beautiful land.

The dedications and openings of these two capital projects officially launched Lasting Impact: The Campaign for St. Stephen’s to the Spartan community.

The $85 million, five-year campaign’s goals include enhancing campus facilities, increasing endowment support and bolstering annual giving. In addition to the Aquatic Center and Spartan Loop, Lasting Impact will make possible a forwardlooking Science and Technology Center, a new Student Support Center, and an expansion and renovation of the Chapel.

The campaign, the largest in the school’s history, aims to strengthen the school for the next 75 years and beyond.

Crisscrossing the nation and globe for connection In October, the 75th anniversary events included an epic international gratitude

tour: a 17-day trip to Taipei, Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai 18 months in the making. The trip emphasized and celebrated relationships, connections — guanxi, in Chinese — and continued partnership-building. Gunnin and staff members Sarah Todd, director of the International Program; Hai Zheng Olefsky, associate director of the International Program; and April Speck-Ewer, director of advancement, made the trek to connect with 60 families of current students and 150 alumni in Asia. Gunnin says that it is vital to acknowledge and appreciate the positive role that our international families play in the life of the school today and have played over the past 30 years.

Gunnin and school staff members also traveled extensively throughout the United States to reunite with alumni across Texas and in New York City, Washington, D.C., Boston and Seattle.

Renewing school ties while creating lasting memories The St. Stephen’s community ended its banner 2025 year by celebrating the time-honored service of Lessons and Carols. The school invited faculty, staff and alumni of the Madrigal Singers, who celebrated a belated 50th anniversary

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of the elite chorale, to join the choir for the triumphant “Hallelujah Chorus.” In addition, the Parents’ Association carried out the long tradition of lighting luminaria along the paths to the Chapel for the two evening services, adding joy, beautiful lights and intense school pride.

Another resonant 75th anniversary experience was Martin Luther King Jr. Day in January, a day “on” rather than “off,” with special programming for all students.

Amid a stellar lineup of speakers and activities, the Rt. Rev. Michael Curry, 27th presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, set the tone. The first Black man to be elected to this role, he offered powerful remarks on achieving unity through love.

He met with students in chapel and joined journalist and emcee Evan Smith P ’19, ’15 for a recorded fireside-style conversation.

In addition to hosting Bishop Curry, St. Stephen’s welcomed, on separate occasions, Bishop Ryan and the Rt. Rev. Andy Doyle, the ninth and current bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas, to campus to meet with students and enjoy a day of attending classes.

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During MLK Day sessions, four alumni — Clarke Heidrick ’68, John McFarland ’68, Rudy Green ’71 and Ricky Green ’86 — told their own stories about the early years of desegregation at St. Stephen’s and the creation of the MLK Scholarship. Their efforts helped establish the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Financial Aid Endowment at St. Stephen’s.

Another mountaintop event was Reunion Weekend 2026 in April, which rekindled memories for more than 350 alumni and guests. The weekend included brunches, happy hours, dinners, a hike to the Gulch and participation in informal classes with current and retired teachers.

And the most important part of any reunion? Lots of hangout time with former classmates.

St. Stephen’s singers celebrated the school’s 75th anniversary with a joyful choral piece, “Rejoice in the Lord Always.”

Composed by much-beloved former Choral Director Stewart Wilkinson, the music was dedicated to Fine Arts Chair Elizabeth Moon and current Choral Director Kendra Lipman and premiered during Reunion Weekend 2026.

One of the weekend’s special guests, who gave the homily for the alumni chapel, was Tad Bird, D.Min., ’79, P ’10, head of school emeritus of All Saints’ Episcopal School in Fort Worth and grandson of St. Stephen’s founding headmaster Will Brewster.

Reunion Weekend also allowed time for two of the earliest students at St. Stephen’s, Cliff “Toppy” Castle ’51 and Will Brewster ’51 — son of the school’s founding headmaster — to reconnect and reminisce with fellow Spartan alumni.

For Castle, every step across The Hill sparked recollections of his youth.

“Everything is my favorite memory because it was the first year of the school.

We were creating a whole new culture, a new atmosphere for St. Stephen’s,” he recalled. He contrasted the early site — a stark and rocky former goat farm — with the “spectacular” and still-evolving campus now offering opportunities for students from around the world.

Brewster marveled at the expansion of the campus since the 1950s but was especially encouraged by something else: the modern “spirit of the place. It still has the spirit of giving that I found so important,” he recalled.

PH OTO S LEFT TO RIGHT: Students dance during MLK Day celebrations; Spartans return to campus for Reunion Weekend 2026 in April; 1950s aerial view of the six original campus buildings; 1983 graduates in traditional white dresses; Chris Gunnin and Spartan families stepping into the next 75 years

Graduating with honors The final ceremony of the 75th year, of course, was part of our raison d’être: senior graduation and the Middle School Closing Ceremony. The 1951 graduating class numbered five seniors; the Class of 2026 numbered 127. The beauty and pageantry of graduation (white dresses, red roses, dapper navy blazers) matched the symbolic importance of the day.

After a term of completing senior novel projects, making college choices and sharing senior offerings in the Chapel, 12th graders traditionally end their year by ringing the bell on The Hill on the last day of classes, attending the longawaited senior retreat and taking part in the awards ceremony and baccalaureate service. Graduation day brings a joyous procession into the Chapel to trumpet fanfare and high spirits all around. As in decades past, teachers and staff lined the Chapel walkway to cheer on the soonto-be graduates; when the young people proceeded out, they became Spartan alumni.

The 70 Middle School graduates also celebrated with pageantry, surrounded by

their friends and families.

For both ceremonies, students and families honored their teachers with applause as faculty and staff members entered the Chapel; everyone in turn clapped in pride as their students received their diplomas and certificates.

Empowering new generations of Spartans One critical task of school leaders is imagining the school’s future, forecasting years — even decades — ahead. Gunnin says this involves researching advances in knowledge and technology as well as geopolitical trends. The goal, he says, is to keep the soul and character of St. Stephen’s intact while preparing students for “their future, not our past” in a joyful community of living and learning. He adds, “I can see the throughline from what we were meant to become and what we are still becoming.”

Bishop Doyle conveyed this sense of becoming to students in chapel: “What I love about St. Stephen’s is that in the midst of sports, activities and academics, you have this brilliant thinking that’s going on among the students.” He added

that diocesan schools, in particular St. Stephen’s, offer “attention not just to the full human being — mind, body and spirit — but we are also raising up future philosophers, thinkers and ethicists.”

One inheritor of our founders’ hopes is 13-year-old Elle Griswold ’32, a rising 7th grader. For one so young, she has already thought deeply about relationships and purpose.

She issued an urgent call to action to everyone in the school community.

“It’s really important that the school’s message isn’t to prepare yourself to make a difference in the future,” she said. “It’s to make a difference now. Everybody has an opportunity to push the Earth one step closer to greatness and to heal the Earth and its people. We are empowered to do that now.”

Somehow, from across 75 years of evolution, growth and connection, wouldn’t our founders Bishop Hines and the Rev. Brewster agree? We think they would.

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A Legacy Beyond Their Lifetimes The new Octavia and Theodore Smith Endowment for Financial Aid ensures that the values the couple embodied on campus will continue to strengthen the St. Stephen’s community.

Octavia and Theodore “Ted” Smith were a steady presence for students on The Hill for more than 20 years. During their time as faculty members, administrators, dorm parents, neighbors and friends, the Smiths helped shape the Spartan community during a formative era in the school’s history — and now, through a generous estate gift, their legacy will continue to uplift future generations.

St. Stephen’s recently received an estate gift from Octavia, who passed away in 2025 at age 99. Her wish was for St. Stephen’s to establish the Octavia and Theodore Smith Endowment for Financial Aid. The new endowment reflects the care that the Smiths extended to the entire school community. Ted, the first Black faculty member at St. Stephen’s, served as chair of the Mathematics Department and assistant headmaster before his death in 1992.

Octavia devoted her career to education, first as a teacher and later as a program director at the Texas Education Agency. As dorm parents, they helped foster the close-knit residential life that remains central to St. Stephen’s today.

Alumni from classes in the 1970s, ’80s and early ’90s remember the Smiths as beloved fixtures of student life and the St. Stephen’s experience.

Jonathan Quander ’89, executive chair of the St. Stephen’s Board of Trustees, credits the Smiths with forging his family’s connection to St. Stephen’s at a time when attending the school meant a significant commute across Austin each day, before the construction of the Pennybacker Bridge and the connection of the north and south sections of Loop 360.

“Octavia and Ted Smith were gems on the St. Stephen’s campus for many years,” says Quander. “They brought incredible kindness, joy and generosity of spirit to the community, whether in math classes in dorm life or on the athletic fields. My family’s

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Octavia and Ted Smith, pictured in the 1987 Deacon, were beloved members of the St. Stephen’s residential community from the 1970s to the early ’90s.

connection to St. Stephen’s began with the Smiths, and I remain deeply grateful for the impact they had on our lives.”

In a dedication to Ted in the 1987 edition of “The Deacon” yearbook, another student noted, “Mrs. Smith is also a very caring person. She goes out of her way to make sure you are doing OK.” The newly established endowment ensures that the spirit of welcoming and opportunity that the Smiths embodied will endure through financial aid. Since its founding, St. Stephen’s has sought to open doors for talented students from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences, and financial aid remains essential to advancing that mission today. In the 2025-26 academic year, the school awarded $6.1 million in financial assistance to 154 students, reaching 21.5% of the student body.

Supporting financial aid and scholarships remains one of the school’s highest philanthropic priorities, and it is a commitment reflected in Lasting Impact: The Campaign for St. Stephen’s. As part of the campaign’s $18 million endowment goal, the school seeks to raise $10 million for endowed financial aid to ensure that future Spartans continue to benefit from the transformative opportunities a St. Stephen’s education provides. To date, donors have committed $4 million toward the $10 million goal.

Endowment support plays a critical role in sustaining that commitment over time, creating permanent resources that strengthen the school’s ability to meet student needs in perpetuity.

Currently, 34.5% of the school’s annual endowment distribution is allocated to financial aid, underscoring the lasting impact of endowed philanthropy on students and families.

The gift also highlights the profound importance of planned giving in shaping St. Stephen’s future. Estate gifts designated to an endowment allow donors to make enduring investments in the people and programs they care most about, creating opportunities that extend far beyond their lifetimes.

Though generations of Spartans have come and gone since the Smiths called The Hill home, the spirit of community and opportunity they helped cultivate remains at the heart of St. Stephen’s today. Their legacy lives on not only in the students they directly guided and mentored but also in the students whose paths to St. Stephen’s will be made possible by their philanthropy.

To learn more about Lasting Impact and estate gifts, please visit sstx.org/lasting-impact.

Community Challenge Met! The extraordinary generosity of 131 donors has resulted in a new Lasting Impact fundraising achievement. Last fall, the school announced the McCormick Challenge along with the public launch of Lasting Impact: The Campaign for St. Stephen’s.

Trustee Rosa McCormick ’93, P ’28, ’25; Brian McCormick ’93, P ’28, ’25; and Flora McCormick P ’93, GP ’28, ’25, invited the Spartan community to join them in supporting the campaign; the family pledged to match every gift, regardless of the campaign priority, up to $3 million total. The challenge has been successfully met and an additional $6 million has been raised for Lasting Impact!

“Supporting Lasting Impact felt like a natural choice for our family,” says Rosa. “Our own years on The Hill shaped who we are, and watching Nevita and Devlin grow into themselves in that same community has only deepened our gratitude and our belief in what’s possible at St. Stephen’s. The campaign will ensure that future Spartans can experience the teaching, programs and community that have meant so much to our family.”

Head of School Chris Gunnin expressed deep gratitude for the McCormick family’s leadership and vision.

“We are profoundly grateful to the McCormick family for this remarkable act of generosity and for inviting the broader community to participate through this matching challenge,” he says. “I am especially moved that they chose to direct their gift toward every campaign priority. That decision reflects a deep understanding that each of these projects — whether capital, endowment or Annual Fund — is essential to the future and vitality Rosa ’93 and Brian McCormick ’93, P ’28, ’25 of St. Stephen’s.”

The new Science and Technology Center will feature 10 laboratory classrooms with flexible equipment for both instructor-led teaching and hands-on experimentation.

$14.1M $17.5M SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CENTER

REMAINING OF $85M GOAL RAISED IN 2025-26 $23M GOAL

$17,030,848 CHAPEL EXPANSION AND RENOVATION $5M GOAL

$3,944,186 STUDENT SUPPORT CENTER

$5M GOAL

$3,012,096

71%

$12M ANNUAL FUND GOAL

83%

$18M ENDOWMENT GOAL

As of 6/17/26

Scan to learn more and schedule a meeting or visit

sstx.org/lasting-impact sstx.org

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IN COMMUNITY

Honoring Our

Spartan Retirees

P H OTOS LEFT: The Business Office team honoring Cindy Stadulis during her special retirement chapel.

RIGHT: Brian Gray holding a custom jersey gifted to him by the Spartan baseball team.

The St. Stephen’s community bids farewell to five talented and devoted retiring faculty and staff members who have served the campus for a collective 108 years.

Although their presence on campus will be missed, their inspiring legacy is longlasting. The St. Stephen’s community celebrated each retiree during a special chapel service and wished each of these Spartans good health and great happiness as they embark on their next chapter.

SHERRY BUCHANAN has contributed three decades of service to St. Stephen’s.

She joined the Advancement Office in 1996 and held various roles before being appointed director of the Annual Fund and parent liaison in 2000.

Throughout her career, Buchanan worked closely with parent and alumni volunteers to strengthen community connections. Through her tireless advocacy, poise and gracious leadership, she helped raise millions of dollars for the Annual Fund, enabling countless opportunities for students, faculty and staff. Her unwavering commitment has shaped the community in deep and permanent ways.

Beyond campus, Buchanan’s legacy of service extends to leadership roles with the Junior League of Austin, St. David’s Hospital and the Helping Hand Home for Children. Her early career as a flight attendant for Braniff International 22

Summer 2026 Spartan Magazine

no doubt helped shape her lifelong commitment to service and connection.

MASON COX arrived at St. Stephen’s in 1981 after earning his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from The University of Chicago. Cox has worn many hats and served the community in countless ways, from creating new curriculum inspired by his beloved Chicago and being an early adopter of new technologies to sponsoring student trips, coaching volleyball, supporting international students and welcoming boarders. He has attended countless student games and performances.

A former boarding student at Phillips Exeter Academy, Cox served the residential life program for 42 years as a house leader and dorm parent. In 2020, he transitioned to the International Program, where he helps international students build a foundation of study skills and academic

success strategies, teaches two classes — Transitional History 9 and Transitional History 10, supports the Venture Program, cosponsors FACES multicultural appreciation student club and Model UN, and assists with the Thai Scholar and Japan Exchange programs through mentorship. His unwavering commitment and readiness to support the History Department and the school as a whole in whatever capacity is needed make it nearly impossible to measure the full impact of his contributions.

BRIAN GRAY concludes nearly two decades of service at St. Stephen’s. He joined the school in 2004 as a computer science teacher, technology coordinator and dorm parent. Over the years, he absorbed additional responsibilities, ultimately becoming the school’s database administrator and a key driver of technology initiatives across campus.

IN COMMUNITY

LEFT TO RIGHT: Sherry Buchanan; Mason Cox; Brian Gray; Luis Murillo, Ph.D.; and Cindy Stadulis

Always intrigued by how technology can streamline operations and support teaching, Gray listened to faculty and staff feedback and ideas, translating them into innovative, custom solutions that reflected the culture and needs of St. Stephen’s.

From building software tools from scratch to integrating complex systems, his work helped the school operate with greater digital efficiency each day.

Beyond his technical expertise, Gray has been a trusted mentor and collaborator, known for his calm problem-solving, incisive analysis and wry sense of humor.

His guidance, patience and creativity have touched students, colleagues and the broader school community alike.

LUIS MURILLO, Ph.D., joined St. Stephen’s in 2021 as a history teacher, bringing more than 20 years of teaching and leadership experience at the high school and collegiate levels, along with a deep love of learning and a passion for helping young people grow. He earned a doctorate from the University of California, San Diego, and teaches required history courses as well as popular electives on modern Mexico and social and economic justice.

Murillo was a dedicated and inspiring teacher, known for seizing teaching moments in and out of the classroom.

His humor, kindness and genuine care for students have left an indelible mark.

Beyond the classroom, he has contributed widely to the school community, supporting the Espacios Compartidos affinity group and the Cum Laude Society, serving on the Discipline Committee, acting as a Breakthrough sponsor, and coaching JV soccer.

Many in the community have heard countless commencement addresses over the years, but those who heard Murillo’s address to the Class of 2024 will likely not forget his remarks, which reflected his sense of humor, deep connection with students and academic gifts.

CINDY STADULIS joined St. Stephen’s in August 2018 as chief financial officer, later adding chief operating officer to her title before becoming associate head of school for finance and operations in 2023. She brought more than 30 years of prior independent school leadership from Princeton Day School, Dwight-Englewood School and Kentucky Country Day School.

Stadulis provided exceptional leadership across the Business Office and operational departments, which include custodial, dining, maintenance and security services.

She managed major capital projects, including the construction of the St. Stephen’s Aquatic Center, Spartan Loop roadway, Phipps Field turf field conversion and solar panel installation. She also served the residential community as a duty administrator.

A dedicated professional, Stadilus held leadership roles with the National Business Officers Association and the Association of Business Officers of Independent Schools. Her career-long dedication earned her the prestigious Ken White Distinguished Business Officer Award, presented by the NBOA in honor of exceptionally active and inspiring chief business officers who have dedicated their careers to supporting others in the field and beyond their campuses.

P H OTOS TOP TO BOTTOM: Luis Murillo, Ph.D., at his special retirement chapel; Mason Cox with former student Jin Bu ’23; Sherry Buchanan with Christine Aubrey, former associate head of school for advancement sstx.org

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IN COMMUNITY

Thanking Our Outgoing Trustees Kevin Brown

served on the board of trustees as a member of the Finance Committee. He is the executive vice president of global operations and chief supply chain officer at Dell Technologies, where he leads approximately 7,700 team members in 23 countries and oversees a $76 billion procurement budget. A supply chain executive with three decades of experience, he previously worked on U.S. Department of Defense shipbuilding projects.

Brown serves on several boards, including Kroger, the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation and the Howard University Center for Supply Chain Excellence. He lives in Austin with his wife, Sandra, and daughter, Lauren, who attended St. Stephen’s Episcopal School.

The Rev. Madeline Shelton Hawley

served on the board of trustees as a member of the Advancement Committee and serves as the assistant rector of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in San Marcos. She earned a Master of Divinity from the Seminary of the Southwest. Hawley previously served at St. James’ in Austin and Calvary Episcopal Church in Bastrop, and most recently as rector of St. Christopher’s in South Austin. She worked in parish ministry in New Orleans before entering the seminary. Hawley is married to the Rev. Christian Hawley, and they have two children.

Jordan Jaffe ’02

joined the board of trustees in 2020 as a proud Spartan graduate. He is the cofounder and CEO of Spectre Air Capital, an international aerospace company specializing in cargo aircraft leasing. A 15-year veteran of the aviation industry, Jaffe continues to let a lifelong passion for flying steer his business pursuits. He graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with a bachelor’s degree in government in 2006. Jaffe and his wife, Katie, have three children: Jennifer, Juliet and Jordan Jr.

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Debbie Gonzalez P ’24, ’21, ’20

is the outgoing advancement chair.

Through her leadership on the Advancement Committee, Gonzalez was instrumental in guiding the school’s most ambitious campaign, Lasting Impact.

She is co-owner of the Medors Family Limited Partnership and has committed much of her life to education, teaching in Houston and El Paso. Gonzalez holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a teaching certification from the University of Northern Colorado as well as a master’s degree in early childhood education from The University of Texas at El Paso. She and her husband, Ernest, are the parents of three Spartan graduates: Ava ’24, Mia ’21 and America ’20.

IN COMMUNITY

Elise Jones P ’27, ’24

is the outgoing president of the Parents’ Association and was an important voice and parent advocate on the board of trustees. As PA president, she coordinated the work of PA representatives in consultation with the head of school and the administration to promote the PA’s purposes. She presided over board and membership meetings, appointed representatives and committee chairs, and managed financial responsibilities. Jones is a communications consultant and executive coach. She and her husband, Eric, are the parents of Maddie ’27 and Caroline ’24.

Rosa Lockett McCormick ’93

has made meaningful contributions to St. Stephen’s throughout her board tenure, serving as treasurer and chair of three committees: finance, audit and retirement. McCormick is also the president of the St. Stephen’s Endowment Fund Board. A former boarding student at St. Stephen’s, she grew up in Buda, Texas, and earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and history from The University of Texas at Austin.

McCormick has served on the boards of Live Oak Technologies, Boomerang’s Foods and the Central Texas Angel Network, a nonprofit providing early-stage capital to entrepreneurs, and is a managing partner at Wild Basin Investments. She and her husband, Brian ’93, are the parents of Devlin ’28 and Nevita ’25.

David Middleton P ’25, ’24

has served on the board of trustees as the previous chair of the Campus Committee and on the Finance Committee. An entrepreneur, an investor and a developer, he has founded and operated a variety of businesses in Colorado and Texas, with much of his work focused on real estate and minerals. Middleton is a graduate of St. John’s School in Houston and Middlebury College and earned an MBA from The University of Texas at Austin. He has served on numerous boards, including the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies, Trinity Episcopal School, Explore Austin and the Blanton National Leadership Board. He and his wife, Fredericka, are parents of Lucy ’25, Elle ’24 and Landis.

Shannon Powers ’96, P ’31

is the outgoing president of the Spartan Alumni Association. She has served on the alumni board since 2020, cochairing Reunion Weekend (alongside cochair Alice Nezzer ’87) from 2021 to 2023, and is a dedicated parent volunteer. Powers’ brother, Pike, also is a Spartan, from the Class of 1993. She holds a degree from the University of Melbourne, Australia, and is a devoted mother to her two children, Lorelei and William ’31.

Angela Hall Watkins P ’18

is associate dean for external relations at Stanford University and previously served in senior leadership roles at The University of Texas at Austin, HustonTillotson University and ACT College and Career Readiness. She also served as managing director of the National Center for Educational Achievement. Watkins has served on numerous nonprofit boards, including Hospice Austin, SAFE Alliance, Trinity Episcopal School and Welcome Table. She earned degrees from Stanford University and the University of Michigan. She and her husband, Craig, are the parents of Cameron ’18.

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IN COMMUNITY

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Spartan Parents in Action

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The St. Stephen’s Parents’ Association continues to strengthen the fabric of campus life by fostering connection, community and support across The Hill. From academics and student life to residential experiences and family engagement, parent volunteers play an active role in enriching the student and family experience.

Throughout the year, the PA hosted a wide range of events and initiatives that brought people together and boosted Spartan spirit — from coffees and socials to student surprises between classes, cultural celebrations, the Spartan Block Party and the Spring Soirée.

To the many parents who generously shared their time, talents and enthusiasm, thank you for helping make the St. Stephen’s experience stronger for students, families and the broader school community.

5 PH OTO S 1 Atika Ummat and Prashant Jain P ’32 help out at the 2026 Cultural Festival 2 Parent volunteers being honored at Coffee Under the Trees 3 Spring Soirée cochairs Andrea Perez P ’30 and Stacey Steele P ’32, ’30 4 Annisa Chang P ’31, Elise Jones P ’27, ’24, Liza Ayres ’14 and Munira Bhaidani P ’29, ’28 at the 2026 Cultural Festival 5 Parent volunteers at the Middle School Nation’s Day celebration

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Summer 2026 Spartan Magazine

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE

Annual Fund 2025-26

$2.2M

GIVEN, EXCEEDING $1.9 MILLION GOAL!

$75K+

GRANDPARENT MATCHING GIFT CHALLENGE FROM THE SUSAN VAUGHAN FOUNDATION EXCEEDED

THANK YOU 2025-26 VOLUNTEERS! ANNUAL FUND PARENT CHAIRS Hasmita and Sapan Shahani P ’32, ’30 PARENT CLASS CAPTAINS 2026 Rebecca Krauss and Lou Mabley ’86 2027 Bill Furlong, Greg McCaskill and Kate Thome 2028 Tavia Conkling and Meredith McDaniel ’92 2029 Subu Jayaram and Rushmi Kumar 2030 Faiza Khan and Nicole Welch 2031 Jeni Lowry and Avani Vije 2032 Morgan Driscoll and Allison Grossman

BECAUSE OF YOUR GENEROUS CONTRIBUTIONS this year, St. Stephen’s had the flexibility to say “yes” to unanticipated opportunities, such as sending student finalists to compete in the National History Bowl competition and supporting faculty to attend professional development conferences.

As a key component of Lasting Impact: The Campaign for St. Stephen’s, your gift to the Annual Fund ensures that the school continues to deliver an education that shapes leaders and inspires change both now and for the future.

GRANDPARENT CHAIRS Betty Bachman Osborne ’62 and Duncan Osborne ’62, P ’96, ’86, GP ’26, ’20, ’16 FACULTY AND STAFF CHAIRS Colleen Hynes, Ph.D., P ’30, ’27 and John Keyes BOARD OF TRUSTEES ADVANCEMENT COMMITTEE CHAIR Debbie Gonzalez P ’24, ’21, ’20

Scan to make your 2025-26 gift by July 31 or visit

sstx.org/givenow sstx.org

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SSTX LIFE Eighth graders and science instructor Stacey Wink pose at the Southwest Rim of the Chisos Mountains in Big Bend National Park.

SSTXLIFE SSTX LIFE Big Bend Adventure The Class of 2030 explored the beauty of West Texas on the annual 8th grade trip to Big Bend National Park. Hiking, stargazing and team activities inspired growth, connection and a lasting appreciation for the outdoors.

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SSTX LIFE

1st

Girls Varsity Swimming and Diving Wins First SPC Title For the first time in school history, the team and program secured the title as Southwest Preparatory Conference 4A champions in February 2026.

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Find more athletics highlights on page 34.

Speak Up! Speak Out! In April, three Spartan teams showcased their talent at the “Speak Up! Speak Out!” State Civics Fair, sponsored by the Annette Strauss Institute for Civic Life at The University of Texas at Austin. For the second year in a row, St. Stephen’s hosted the qualifying event — the Austin Regional Civics Fair.

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New Middle School Dance Company Blooms The St. Stephen’s Middle School Dance Company debuted during the annual Spring Dance Concert in the Helm Fine Arts Center.

The young dancers joined students, faculty and staff in a dynamic choreographed and artistic expression performance.

Find more arts highlights on page 32.

P H OTOS 1 Middle School Athletic Director Dustin Armstrong cooking a meal for Spartans 2 Students taking in nature during a hike 3 Getting artsy with angles on a desert hike 4 Illuminating the night with flashlights and Spartan spirit 5 Girls varsity swimming and diving places first at the 2026 SPC 4A conference championship 6 Audrey Sileo ’29 and Athena Toba-Keith ’29 win 3rd place at the State Civics Fair 7 Sophie Grossman ’30, Aleta Kavcic ’30 and Surina Shahani ’30 presenting at the State Civics Fair 8 “Speak Up! Speak Out!” Austin regional coordinator and SSES history instructor Drew Smith welcomes students to the regional event 9 The Middle School Dance Company performs to “Rainbow” by Kacey Musgraves

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SSTX LIFE

Happenings on The Hill

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6 P H OTO S 1 Middle School friends show off henna at the Cultural Festival 2 Director of Orchestras John Moon leads the Upper School Orchestra in a Grand Day performance 3 Mary Elizabeth Stewart ’30 and Mary Ramsey GP ’30, ’29 on Grand Day 4 Friends embrace the “Holi on The Hill” Festival of Colors celebration 5 The Makeshifts band performs at the Cultural Festival 6 Middle Schoolers cheering at the Winter Pep Rally 7 Katie Krauss ’26 and Lauren Patrick ’31 play a real-life version of Hungry Hungry Hippos at the Spring Pep Rally 8 St. Stephen’s regional history bowl competitors (photo courtesy of Jerin Jeong ’27)

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Record number of history bowl competitors!

SSTX LIFE

More than a dozen seniors demonstrated their robotics, engineering and computer science talent during the second annual St. Stephen’s PIRL Demo Day. The event offered a glimpse into their math and innovation ingenuity, showcasing 13 projects they designed and built from scratch in the Project Idea and Realization Lab. Andrew Matzen ’26 demos his R2-D2 project

Spartans Travel the Globe Over Spring Break Immersive learning educational and athletic Spring Break trips took students to New York City, Italy, Costa Rica and China for groundbreaking experiences.

The trips included: • A sea turtle conservation expedition in Costa Rica • Varsity lacrosse training and matches in Costa Rica • Chinese language immersion in Beijing and Shanghai • A Madrigals performance at Carnegie Hall in New York City • An Upper School Orchestra concert tour in Italy

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Josh Mugo ’27, Keenan Hardy ’28 and Josh Goldenberg ’27 at the Great Wall of China; the varsity lacrosse team on a zipline adventure; sea turtle conservationists go white water rafting in Costa Rica; Upper School Orchestra members outside the Tower of Pisa; Madrigals outside Radio City Music Hall

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SSTX LIFE

Sashka Parker ’28 carefully hanging artwork in the gallery

John Wells ’26 performs with Apollo Percussion

Lee Fardal ’26 and Maddie Stacey ’29 perform a duet

Students take a break on the grass

Jazz Ensemble with faculty members John Branch and Dave Sayers

Chrysalis dancers perform

ISAS Arts Festival The 2026 ISAS Arts Festival, sponsored by the Independent Schools Association of the Southwest, at St. Mark’s School of Texas in Dallas attracted more than 140 Spartans who learned from others, attended art critiques, participated in workshops and celebrated the high standards of performance art.

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SSTX LIFE

Standing Ovations for Winter Performances

“The Hello Girls”

“One of my favorite things about theatre is getting to know the characters that I play through the rehearsal process. It’s become even more special with this musical because I play Grace Banker, who was a real person.”

— Lizzie Ahlgren ’26 on “The Hello Girls” The cast of the Middle School winter play

Directed by Middle School Student Body President Krish Nath ’30

2026 Scholastic Art and Writing Awards

28 Spartans Earn Top Honors in the Region

10 Gold Key Winners Advance to Nationals

Lao Lao Sewing Pointe Shoes

by Cindy Yang ’26, Gold Key Winner

“Jane Austen’s Shorts”

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SSTX LIFE

In Spartan Athletics News ...

The girls varsity lacrosse team defeated Keller High School to win the Texas Girls High School Lacrosse League D2 state championship.

St. Stephen’s honors 14 Spartan student-athletes with plans for NCAA collegiate-level competition this fall. The community celebrated their achievements during several National Signing Day ceremonies. Oscar Whiteley Bermeo ’27 clinched the SPC 4A 3,200 meter championship.

The 7/8 boys red basketball team defeated Trinity Episcopal School to win the Austin Inter-Parochial League Championship.

Oscar Whiteley Bermeo ’27

Varsity girls lacrosse

College-bound NCAA student-athletes

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7/8 boys red basketball

SSTX LIFE

Spartan Talent Chosen for Elite National Athletic Programs Eleven outstanding St. Stephen’s student-athletes earned one of the highest honors, securing spots on national teams and invitations to national team camps in soccer, field hockey, basketball, lacrosse and futsal. They will represent the United States, Mexico and the Cayman Islands.

“It is extraordinary to see such a high concentration of young talent within a single school community,” says St. Stephen’s Athletic Director Jon McCain.

National teams select high school athletes through a multistage process that includes scouting top-tier high school tournaments and evaluating players on skill, speed, agility, versatility and character. These athletes have been representing an elite level of competition in their respective sports. The recognition brings prestige, advanced training opportunities and increased visibility to college recruiters and professional scouts, strengthening their prospects for collegiate scholarships and beyond.

“Competing at the national team level is a testament to their individual work ethic and the elite competitive culture we strive to foster in our varsity programs,” says McCain. “They bring back a level of experience and leadership that elevate Spartan athletics across programs.”

Congratulations to these Spartan student-athletes: • AJ Carnegie ’27, Cayman Islands U20 Men’s National Soccer Team • Eleanor Evarts ’26, United States U21 Women’s National Field Hockey Team Training Camp • Jadyn Houston ’28, United States U18 Women’s National Field Hockey Team • Meredith Jaime ’28, Mexico U17 Women’s National Basketball Team • Charlie Kauachi ’29, Mexico U15 Men’s National Lacrosse Team • Cooper Nelson ’28, Cayman Islands U17 Men’s National Soccer Team

• Harper Nelson ’26, Cayman Islands U20 Women’s National Soccer Team • Sashka Parker ’28, Cayman Islands U17 Women’s National Soccer Team • Carolina Reyna ’27, United States U17 Women’s National Soccer Team • Savannah Schutt ’27, United States Women’s National Futsal Team • Quinn Small ’27, Cayman Islands U17 Men’s National Soccer Team

Spartan Summer Reads Here’s a look at stories and required reads Spartans are diving into this summer. Grab a copy and read along with our current Spartans!

6th Grade “Restart” by Gordon Korman “Fever 1793” by Laurie Halse Anderson “Hatchet” by Gary Paulsen

7th Grade “Poetry Speaks Who I Am,” edited by Elise Paschen

8th Grade “Animal Farm” by George Orwell

English 9 “The House on Mango Street” by Sandra Cisneros

English 10 “The Picture of Dorian Gray” by Oscar Wilde

English 11 and 12 Reader’s choice

Carolina Reyna ’27 was named the 2025-26 Gatorade Texas Girls Soccer Player of the Year, a prestigious honor recognizing excellence in athletics, academics and character.

Scan to find fun summer beach reads for all ages curated by our Becker librarians.

ALUMNI NEWS

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Celebrating 75 Years

REUNION WEEKEND 2026

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ALUMNI NEWS

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SERVING AS THE CENTERPIECE OF THE SCHOOL’S 75TH ANNIVERSARY and the largest alumni celebration of the year, Reunion Weekend 2026, April 17-19, brought Spartans together from near and far. The weekend featured 23 events and welcomed over 350 attendees — including alumni and their families, parents of alumni, and current and former faculty and staff.

The weekend started with special chapel services for the Upper and Middle Schools, featuring Reunion Weekend 2026 Cochairs Liza Ayres ’14 and Mallory Boyle ’04 along with members of the first graduating class Will Brewster ’51 and Cliff “Toppy” Castle ’51. Spartan alumni got a glimpse of student life with a student panel discussion in Becker Library. Students Dalia Rangel ’26, Nicole Leal Blanco ’27 and Levi Skaistis ’26 shared their experiences on The Hill. On Friday evening, Pioneer Spartans welcomed the Class of 1976 to their annual dinner honoring alumni celebrating 50-plus

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10 P H OTOS 1 Spartans from the Class of 2001 reunite at the Taste of Austin 2 The Trahan Brothers band performs at the reunion, featuring Josh Mosier ’15, Lee Trahan ’19, Elliott Trahan ’17 and Satchel Williams 3 Alumni celebrate 25 years of Theatre Focus with Associate Director Mike Dolan’s “Classes Without Quizzes” 4 Spartans celebrate 50-plus years since graduation at the Pioneer Dinner 5 Will Brewster ’51 deep in discussion at the student panel 6 Spartans of the ’80s smile at the Decades Happy Hour 7 Some of the swag included a limited-edition, commemorative 75th anniversary ceramic mug, a collectible bandana and custom cookies 8 Toppy Castle ’51 addresses students during Upper School chapel to kick off the reunion 9 Reunion Weekend co-chairs Liza Ayres ’14 and Mallory Boyle ’04 celebrate a successful weekend 10 Chris Gunnin delivers the “State of the School” address 11 Former Theology Department Chair and instructor Jim Woodruff leads a packed house for his “Classes Without Quizzes” lesson

years since graduation.

Despite chilly weather, Saturday’s events proceeded with energetic Spartan spirit, beginning with the Spartan Leadership Brunch and Awards Presentation (read more about the 2026 alumni honorees on page 38). The afternoon featured the “State of the School” presentation by Head of School Chris Gunnin, campus tours led by the Advancement Office and the return of the popular “Classes Without Quizzes” series. Faculty-led sessions included “Constitutional Law” (Shelley Sallee, Ph.D.), “LEDs, Circuits and Color” (Troy Lanier), “Theology” (Jim Woodruff), and “Theatre Focus” (Mike Dolan, M.F.A., and Clay Nichols, M.F.A.).

Saturday evening included receptions for parents of alumni and for current and former faculty and staff, followed by the annual Taste of Austin celebration.

The event featured food trucks, live music by the Trahan Brothers (Elliott Trahan ’17, Lee Trahan ’19 and Josh Mosier ’15) and a 75th anniversary toast

led by Gunnin. The evening concluded with “Trivia Stream”, hosted by Gus Davis ’99.

On Sunday morning, alumni joined Charlton Perry, director of outdoor education and land management, and John Dugan, codirector of health services, for a hike through campus trails before participating in a service project. The weekend concluded with the alumni chapel, featuring a homily by former Head of Upper School Tad Bird ’79, with Brewster (Bird’s uncle) assisting in the Eucharist.

Reunion Weekend 2026 was a success thanks to the leadership of the Reunion Committee: Liza Ayres ’14 (cochair), Mallory Boyle ’04 (cochair), Louise McNutt Brazitis ’07 (vice president), Hank Ewert ’70, P ’05, ’98 (former faculty representative), Shannon Powers Flahive ’96, P ’31 (president), Claire McKay ’71, P ’05, ’98 (parents of alumni representative), Alice Nazro Nezzer ’87 (alumni recognition chair) and many dedicated campus partners.

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ALUMNI NEWS

Rudy Green ’71

John Harrison ’65

Ellen Osborne Ray ’86

Ricky Green ’86

Sophie Foreman Mann ’06

2026 Alumni Honorees THE FOUNDERS AWARD FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE

RUDY GREEN ’71, the first Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship recipient at St. Stephen’s, has embodied courage, leadership and a pioneering spirit since his time as a student. After graduating, he attended Yale University and then earned his law degree from The University of Texas at Austin, building a life marked by achievement and service. Green has remained deeply committed to St. Stephen’s through two terms as a trustee, leadership on long-range planning and enduring philanthropic support with his wife, Joyce Christian, including an endowment that expands access through financial aid.

His lifelong passion for the arts is reflected in his support of artists and cultural institutions, including the Christian-Green Gallery at UT Austin. An active alum and dedicated volunteer for more than 50 years, Green continues to engage meaningfully with the school and its community. His legacy of service, generosity and leadership exemplifies the spirit of the Founders Award for Distinguished Service.

THE SPARTAN ALUMNI LEADERSHIP AWARD

RICKY GREEN ’86 served a sixyear term on the St. Stephen’s Board of Trustees, the highest volunteer leadership role at the school, demonstrating exceptional commitment to Spartans. As a student and MLK Scholarship recipient, Green later led efforts to revive and strengthen the 38

Summer 2026 Spartan Magazine

very program that made his own education possible. Partnering with fellow trustees, school leadership and alumni, he helped transform the scholarship into a permanently endowed fund, which has grown to more than $450,000 in support of financial aid. His ongoing commitment to accessibility is also reflected in his consistent giving to the Annual Fund and financial aid initiatives. Through his vision and collaboration, Green ensures that future generations of students will benefit from the same opportunities that shaped his journey. His leadership and enduring influence embody the spirit of the Spartan Alumni Leadership Award.

THE SPARTAN IMPACT AWARD

ELLEN OSBORNE RAY ’86 and JOHN HARRISON ’65 exemplify the spirit of the Spartan Impact Award, which honors alumni whose leadership and work create meaningful and lasting change in the community.

As executive director and CEO of the Still Water Foundation, Ray has guided transformational philanthropic efforts advancing education, community development, the arts and environmental stewardship. Her commitment to St. Stephen’s runs deep, highlighted by years of service on the board of trustees — including a tenure as executive chair — when she steered the school

through vital periods of growth and long-term planning. A collaborative social entrepreneur, she also built and supported impactful initiatives such as MINDPOP and Texas Rural Funders, expanding opportunity and strengthening communities across the state. Through her generosity, vision and steady leadership, Ray continues to make a difference, reflecting the very best of St. Stephen’s.

A dedicated St. Stephen’s graduate, Harrison has demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to community leadership through decades of volunteerism. Alongside his wife, Julie-Ray, he cofounded Partnership for the Pathway, expanding access to recreational trails that promote health and connection throughout the Texarkana region. Their work has enriched thousands of lives and boosted local tourism through events such as the Run the Line Half Marathon. Recognized as two of Leadership Texarkana’s Leaders of the Year, Ray and Harrison reflect a deep, sustained commitment to community improvement, making their service a true reflection of the values celebrated by the Spartan Impact Award.

THE SPARTAN YOUNG ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

SOPHIE FOREMAN MANN ’06 exemplifies the spirit of the Spartan Young Alumni Achievement

Award celebrating graduates who demonstrate outstanding professional accomplishment, leadership and commitment to the values of St. Stephen’s. As chief marketing officer at Furnished Finder, she has helped grow the platform to more than 300,000 properties, connecting traveling professionals with flexible housing nationwide. Mann’s experience at companies such as Bumble, Vrbo and Hims & Hers reflects a strong digital-first approach and a proven ability to scale organizations with purpose and vision. Just as importantly, Mann remains closely connected to St. Stephen’s, generously sharing her time and insights with students and young alumni. She returned to campus in 2025 to speak on a Spartans Engage panel, offering guidance and inspiration to the next generation.

Mann’s professional success, thoughtful leadership and ongoing engagement with her alma mater make her a deserving recipient of the Spartan Young Alumni Achievement Award.

Scan to nominate Spartans for the 2027 awards.

ALUMNI NEWS

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ALUMNI NEWS

75 of Great Humility Campfire Poet Tad Bird ’79, former head of Upper School and grandson of the school’s first headmaster, shared this poem during Reunion Weekend 2026 Chapel.

Where once were sheep, thorny flora, fanged fauna Horse, cattle and crowing roosters Aligned the titanic prescient vision of Hines With a pilgrimage of Brewsters Hines plucked young Will and his family From ivy-wrapped confines near Boston With a simple, yet compelling appeal “Let’s do something special near Austin!”

“Where?” I could imagine Grandmother Elizabeth declare “Where in the world is this place?”

To which Rev. Brewster likely responded “In the middle of Texas, with live oaks and snakes.”

So began their journey, overlooking Lake Austin Accompanied by roadrunner and purple martins Transplanted faculty from earlier comforts Building a community of brave Spartans Broke ground in midwinter, did these brave souls Amid live oak, prickly pear, sky grey Gathered patrons and priests, gritty young girl with shovel Overturned rock on St. Stephen’s Day

Since then, so much has transpired But all according to His plan Developing mind, body and spirit Dedicated to the recovery of man And alumni remember their time well in this place Shoveling horse manure, hauling rock, pitching mulch From sit-down lunches and bell-ringing fests To forays down to the Gulch Plus special occasions, where madrigal voices Compel communal sing!

A descant of “Ye Holy Angles Bright” Where sweet hosannahs ring!

Then there are homecomings/reunions, where friends rekindle Share stories that elevate, hearten Regardless of age, day student or boarder concur “It’s tough to be a Spartan!”

Yet in this space, this iconic Chapel Where beats the heart of community Could stand a little modern touch “Perhaps a little more room and AC?” St. Stephen’s was/is bold ’Twas on Rock, foundation lay For its manifestation of what Hines proclaimed on Founding Day Where recovery of man is fully embraced On this rocky hill, arid and spare Intentional practices of those things That which makes us more humanely aware Of the gifts each has to offer Where respective geniuses strive Where we embrace our diversity Strengthened community, well and alive

And as we celebrate our milestone year Reflecting on 75 We remember those Spartans who sacrificed much Grounded principles on which we thrive We are in awe and humbled, by that which we have By that which we gratefully share The gifts of our students, faculty, staff and alumni Generous Spartans beyond compare A city on a hill cannot be hid Nor a bushel cover such light As that which emits from the gifts of His Saints Sharing what is good and right Though we live in times described As in the “thin veneer” Don’t be constrained as little boxes Don’t shy away and live in fear Rather, be curious and compassionate Discern so you may see Exercising those skills honed here Intellectual and spiritual empathy There is joy in our hearts, quiet pride on this day Celebrating sacred space of which we are so fond Rest not on our laurels, but still raise the bar For the next 75 and beyond We understand, we know well Ingrained in our souls we see We happily celebrate this day With Great Humility Godspeed and Amen

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ALUMNI NEWS

Spartan Alumni Association Board 2025–26

Spartan Alumni Association Board News

Shannon Powers ’96, P ’31 President

Spartan Alumni Association Board members BEN CHAN ’95 (regional representative — Washington, D.C.), JANE DRYDEN LOUIS ’69 (secretary) and ALICE NAZRO NEZZER ’87 (alumni recognition chair) will conclude their second terms this summer. During his time on the board, Chan organized four regional gatherings that brought together alumni across Washington, Virginia and Maryland. Louis kept both the board and executive committee running smoothly over six years with her diligent note-taking and steady sense of humor. Over her six-year tenure, Nezzer served as Reunion Weekend cochair and, for the past three years, as alumni recognition chair. Under her leadership, the association introduced two new honors: the Spartan Impact Award and the Spartan Young Alumni Achievement Award, celebrating outstanding service and emerging leadership within the alumni community.

Louise McNutt Brazitis ’07 Vice President Jane Dryden Louis ’69 Secretary Liza Ayres ’14 Cochair, Reunion Weekend 2026 Amy Bieberdorf ’87 Alumni Regional Representative — Austin Mallory Boyle ’04 Alumni Regional Representative — San Antonio; Cochair, Reunion Weekend 2026 Benjamin Chan ’95 Alumni Regional Representative — Washington, D.C. Laura Scanlan Cho ’89, P ’23, ’19 Alumni Chair, Spartans Engage Hank Ewert ’70, P ’05, ’98 Former Faculty Representative Indigo Giles ’20 Chair, Alumni Service Amanda Kushner ’08 Alumni Regional Representative — Dallas Claire McKay ’71, P ’05, ’98 Parent of Alumni Representative Alice Nazro Nezzer ’87 Chair, Alumni Recognition Maddie Renbarger ’14 Alumni Regional Representative — New York City EMERITUS Jonathan Quander ’89

SHANNON POWERS ’96, P ’31 has served as president of the Spartan Alumni Association for the past three years, following three years as cochair of Reunion Weekend. Known for her genuine warmth and ability to make every Spartan feel welcome and valued, Flahive has led a significant expansion in alumni engagement. She has grown programs and events in Austin while also championing grassroots efforts that bring

Patricia Henna Rowe ’89, P ’23, ’19, ’16 Jennifer Stayton ’85 STAFF David Allen ’19 Alumni Engagement Officer

alumni together in meaningful ways.

Her thoughtful, strategic leadership has positioned the association for continued success in the years ahead. She will continue her service as past president in the 2026–27 school year, as current Vice President Louise McNutt Brazitis ’07 steps into the role of president this summer.

St. Stephen’s and the Spartan Alumni Association are grateful to each for their leadership and dedication to their alma mater.

The board will welcome these five new members in the 2026-27 school year:

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P H OTO S 1 Ann-Tyler Chote Konradi ’90, P ’24, alumni recognition chair 2 Cathy Zorola Krznar ’87, regional representative — Houston 3 Leilani Gietz Valdes ’91, P ’24, ’21, ’18, secretary 4 T.C. Waugh ’90, P ’20, ’18, parent of alumni co-representative 5 Laura Neuhaus ’01, regional representative — Boston

Thank You, Michelle!

After nearly seven years of dedicated service, Director of Alumni Relations Michelle Geo Olmstead moved on to new ventures in June. During her tenure, Michelle helped envision, build and grow our alumni engagement efforts by recruiting leadership alumni volunteers, creating systems and infrastructure for sustainable alumni leadership, and most notably, revitalizing the Spartan Alumni Association Board. We will miss you, Michelle! sstx.org

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ALUMNI NEWS

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Regional Events St. Stephen’s and the Spartan Alumni Association are grateful to Joe Newton ’81 and his wife, Karen, in San Antonio and to J.P. Bryan ’58 in Houston for hosting these annual regional events.

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PHOTOS 1 Boston Regional Event 2 Seattle Regional Event 3 Dallas-Fort Worth Regional Event 4 San Antonio Regional Event 5 Houston Regional Event 6 Austin Regional Event at the Laguna Gloria sculpture garden

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ALUMNI NEWS

Spartans Engage Hosting professional panels this past winter in “Careers in Law”, “Careers in Healthcare” and “Careers in Scientific Research”, Spartans Engage helps students network and navigate future career paths.

CAREERS IN LAW

CAREERS IN SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

Jonathan Quander ’89, Ryan Botkin P ’24, Elizabeth Rowe ’19 and Remi Ratliff P ’23, ’19 (moderator)

Canon Ellis (faculty member and moderator), Blake Cooper, Ph.D., ’12, Max Daniller-Varghese ’10 and Lori Magruder, Ph.D., P ’28, ’25

Interested in helping students explore careers and navigate networking?

Join the Spartans Engage team!

Contact David Allen ’19, alumni engagement officer, at dallen@sstx.org for more information.

In April, Spartans Engage hosted its first-ever LinkedIn workshop for juniors and seniors.

Alumni and parent volunteers helped students learn the basics of putting together a profile and using the site to explore careers and make connections. Session volunteers included Laura Cho ’89, P ’23, ’19, Bonner Kyle P ’26, ’17, ’14, ’13, Marc Staubley P ’32, ’29, Amy Bieberdorf ’87, P ’30, Ann-Tyler Konradi ’90, P ’24 and Robert Gilbreath P ’30.

Alumni Panel on Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2026 Moderated by Marsha Elliott, director of equity and inclusion, Middle and Upper School students were treated to an alumni panel discussion featuring Ricky Green ’86, Rudy Green ’71, P ’07, Clarke Heidrick ’68, P ’10, ’05, ’02 and John McFarland ’68. The panelists shared how they responded to the assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by creating a scholarship fund in his honor. That fund, now an endowed scholarship, continues to fuel a shared commitment among its creators and recipients to keep St. Stephen’s accessible today.

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ALUMNI NEWS

Spartan Spotlight Natural Instincts

Callie Cho’s ’19 St. Stephen’s foundation helps her protect nature, wildlife and fragile ecosystems On a wall in CALLIE CHO’S ’19 Washington, D.C., apartment sits a taxidermy jackalope — a mythological jackrabbit with the horns of an antelope — that once lived at St. Stephen’s in Johnny Wilson’s biology classroom in Hines Hall. The critter found its way to Cho’s home when Wilson retired.

Today, it’s a source of inspiration in her profession and a reminder of her time on The Hill.

Cho is a science communicator for the World Wildlife Fund, a global nonprofit organization whose mission is “to stop the degradation of the planet’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature.”

Most often associated with wildlife conservation, the WWF also focuses on the conservation of oceans, grasslands, forests and freshwater ecosystems. They take action by “conserving the world’s biological diversity; ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable; and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.”

The Washington D.C. office, where Cho works, also develops public policy, and it is precisely this interdisciplinary approach to conservation work that she loves. In addition to her work translating scientific

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papers into publicly accessible language, she also creates content for the WWF’s social media and YouTube platforms, influences campaign communication strategies through behavioral change research, and says she “dabbles in helping the scientists as needed.”

“I also like that it’s very multifaceted,” she says. “I get to do everything from writing to science. I’ve always been interdisciplinary, which stemmed from St. Stephen’s, so it’s exciting that I found a job where I get to keep doing that.”

Cho says she loved the natural world even before becoming a Spartan, and that passion grew after enrolling at St. Stephen’s. For her 10th birthday, Cho took her friends to St. Stephen’s, where her mother, Laura Scanlan Cho ’89, and grandmother, Nancy Wilson Scanlan ’59, had attended.

“Mr. Wilson took us snake hunting, which was something I was forcing all my friends to do. We went and found a den and looked for snakes in the woods.

That was my first experience with Johnny Wilson and I was like, “Wow, he’s so cool; he knows so much about biology, and he’ll take me to go find snakes in the woods. That’s pretty sick.”

Wilson would ultimately take Cho much

farther afield than the Texas Hill Country — he led a St. Stephen’s trip to Guyana in the spring of 2017 that Cho credits with her love of hands-on fieldwork, calling it “one of the most fun experiences of my life” that helped her recognize a path forward in conservation.

Recalling the origins of her interdisciplinary path toward conservation work, Cho says Wilson and others were significant influences in her life’s trajectory. “Johnny Wilson very much shaped a lot of who I am today from a young age.”

Wilson’s enthusiasm for biology is legendary among his former students, starting from day one, when he traditionally conducted his first classes each year dressed in a gorilla suit and spoke like an ape. After an introduction

Cho on a childhood family trip to Alaska

ALUMNI NEWS

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PHOTOS 1 Cho snorkeling while conducting research in the Cook Islands 2 Cho and her mother, Laura Scanlan Cho ’89, in Rwanda 3 Cho in her undergraduate research lab 4 The infamous taxidermy jackalope from Johnny Wilson’s classroom

2 like that, his students were hooked, and Cho was no exception. She recalls advancing to learn about nonhuman intelligence and communication, developing an interest in what makes humans different from other intelligent or social life-forms. She further explored those topics through a humanities lens in her senior novel project at St. Stephen’s.

Cho’s ambition was sparked from an interdisciplinary academic background introduced to her by several St. Stephen’s instructors.

“Mr. [Jin] Chung, taught me how to think critically. Johnny Wilson inspired my passion for biology and fieldwork. Dr. [Jenny] Huth inspired me to look at nature through a literary lens and Mr. [Andy] Aceves inspired my creative writing..”

These science, history and English teachers, and many more, launched Cho into her college career at Swarthmore, where she studied neuroscience

and English literature, captained its NCAA Division III field hockey team, worked in an endocrinology-focused neuroscience lab, and ultimately delivered the commencement address for the Swarthmore Class of 2023. She later earned a master’s degree in biodiversity and global change from University College of London.

Beyond the classroom, Cho landed experiential internship opportunities such as humpback whale research in the Cook Islands and marine protected area biodiversity surveys in Belize. She says, “I find [conservation work] very internally fulfilling. I definitely can point to what I do as being something that I think is helpful for the world, which I think is a privilege to be able to say at our age. I feel lucky that I get to do something that I’m passionate about and that feels morally right.”

“I’ve always been interdisciplinary, which stemmed from St. Stephen’s, so it’s exciting that I found a job where I get to keep doing that.”

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ALUMNI NEWS

Class Notes Learn what our alumni are up to and encourage other alumni to share personal updates. Find information on how to submit your class note below.

SHARE YOUR NOTES

1950s

The Rev. Will Brewster ’51 and Cliff “Toppy” Castle ’51 attended St. Stephen’s 75th anniversary celebrations at Reunion Weekend 2026. Marjorie Castle, Cliff’s wife, accompanied him and livened every conversation with her questions and observations about the school. Conrad Derdeyn ’52 was there as well; he was Will’s roommate at Kent School for two years before coming to St. Stephen’s. Cliff and Will were introduced at the various gatherings as members of the first graduating class and at both Upper and Middle school chapel services on Friday, April 17, and they both had the opportunity to briefly share a few stories. Will was asked what his father would think of the school today. “He would be astounded at the size and beauty of the campus.

He would be amazed at the size and makeup of the student body. He would be impressed with the caliber of the faculty and staff. Overall, he would be pleased,” he said. Will writes, “I am really glad I could come this year. It was special.”

(Picture 1) In March, J.P. Bryan ’58 hosted the annual regional gathering at the Coronado Club in Houston. Spartans in the area were provided with an update on the Lasting Impact campaign and the 2025-26 school year. As class representative, J.P. reports, “Our St. Stephens class celebrated its 70th anniversary two years early to correspond with the 75th anniversary of St. Stephen’s. We were hopeful that would encourage a larger turnout that otherwise would not have occurred without all of the events surrounding the 75th anniversary; sadly, that was not the outcome.

There was a dinner Friday night that included all the classes of the previous 50 years of our history. The Class of ’58 had three representatives present: Jeannette Schaleben Cook ’58, Henry Brooks ’58 and me. It was an enjoyable occasion, attended by some of those in classes that had preceded us, such as Jerry Buttrey ’54 and Will

Online at sstx.org/alumni, select the “Stay Connected” box, or email your class representative (found on page 47) or dallen@sstx.org Please include: • A 50-to-100-word blurb • A high-resolution photograph, if necessary, JPG format preferred • The full names and class years of everyone mentioned Spartan Magazine editors reserve the right to edit or omit any information submitted.

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Cliff “Toppy” Castle ’51 , The Rev. Will Brewster ’51 and Chris Gunnin

Brewster ’51. We three attendees spent much of our time reminiscing quite fondly about those of you unable to attend.”

“With rue our hearts are laden For golden friends we had, For many a rose-lipt maiden And many a lightfoot lad.

By brooks too broad for leaping The lightfoot boys are laid, The rose-lipt girls are sleeping In fields where roses fade.”

1960s

John Harrison ’65 was honored with the 2026 Spartan Impact Award during Reunion Weekend.

Thank you to Dianne Duncan Tucker ’65 for coordinating the 60-year reunion party of the Class of 1965.

Brock Brown ’68 and his wife, Mary, recently visited Austin, where they reunited with classmates John McFarland ’68, Clarke Heidrick ’68, John Barkley ’68 and Molly Dougherty ’68.

Clarke and John hosted Brock and Mary for a Central Texas tour, including visits to St. Stephen’s, Fredericksburg and several Austin landmarks. The group also visited Good Shepherd on the Hill Episcopal Church at Woodland Avenue, just east of I-35, where Clarke, John and his wife, Jill, attend. When Brock was growing up, his father was a priest at what was then Trinity Episcopal Church at the same location.

Clarke writes, “We had two wonderful evening gatherings at which all of the group got together with John Barkley ’68 and Molly Dougherty ’68.

Much of Austin’s best Mexican food, barbeque and hamburgers were consumed and several stories were told — as Mark Twain said, they were all true ‘mainly.’”

The visit preceded a pilgrimage that Brock, Mary and John took to West Texas and the Texas-Mexico border with members of Brock’s church in Speedway, Indiana, to see the status of immigration there. Guided by the Episcopal Diocese of the Rio Grande’s Borderlands Ministry, the group visited shelters in El Paso and Juárez, Mexico, held a prayer vigil outside a detention center, and met local faith leaders, community members and border officials. The trip also included a stop in Marfa, Texas, to reconnect with former St. Stephen’s priest Fr. Mike Wallens, who lives in Alpine. The group toured Mike’s churches and listened to him preach. Mike took them to a shelter in Ojinaga, Mexico, across

ALUMNI NEWS

Amber and Santi

2 the border from Presidio. They toured a shelter run by the town of Ojinaga, then met the mayor and her husband, who is the shelter manager.

Mike introduced the group to the station chief of the Border Patrol station in Marfa, who kindly answered their questions about the state of the border. They also heard a lot about opposition to the administration’s proposal to construct a wall along the border in that segment of the river, including in the new Big Bend Ranch State Park. In summary, “It was a great trip.”

Molly Dougherty ’68 reports that after her husband, Kip, died in April 2025, their precious elderly cat, Holly, held on for another two and a half months until she died in July. Eager to get another cat, Molly and her roommate visited Austin Pets Alive! and were asked the question that has since become among the most beautiful words in the English language: “Would you consider two?” The cats were littermates and the shelter was hoping they wouldn’t be separated.

Molly had not thought about two, but when she met them, she instantly fell in love. The shelter had named the cats Bart and Lisa Simpson, but they chose Santi for the boy and Amber for the girl. Molly writes, “I really don’t know how I would have gotten through the past months without them. I miss Kip tremendously and am immensely grateful for the more than 34 years we were together. But every time I am sad, I spend time with Amber and Santi and immediately feel better ... I can’t begin to say how adorable and precious they are. I am truly blessed.” (Picture 2) Leilani and Robert Henderson ’68 recently welcomed into their Arlington home their daughter, Diana, who is in graduate school for her master’s in counseling following a firefighting career, and three “sweet but noisy” grandkids, ages 8, 6, and 5 … “oh yeah, and their pets.”

Leilani and Robert’s cat, Barney, has graciously accepted Diana’s cat, Sasha, one guinea pig and

five mice. They are all adjusting — it is a work in progress! In June, the Hendersons headed to Honolulu for Leilani’s 50th high school reunion at Punahou School, which was originally postponed in 2021 because of COVID-19. Their family, including daughter Rachel (now a police captain), various nephews and nieces, grandnephews, and others, visited on and off over June and July.

Ellen O’Brien ’68 reports that moving into a continuing care retirement community has been challenging in some ways but very rewarding. She also reports that her husband Duane’s dementia has really improved because he’s no longer as isolated as he was. He hikes a couple of miles every day with their dog, Daisy. Ellen is leading a once-a-week water aerobics class and serves on the Library Committee. She writes, “We have 2,000 books in-house! Moving here was just a great idea!”

Steve Olsen ’68 is at home working on physical recovery. Returning home has accelerated his progress. He walks about three-quarters of a mile each day, starting with a walker initially and then switching to a four-pad cane. Steve writes, “Inside of a week I was walking unassisted. I’m still working on increasing my strength and stamina. I lost 47 pounds while in the hospital.

I was hoping to lose 20 pounds before all this happened. I definitely don’t recommend this as a weight-loss program. I hope to host another class get-together this fall. Thanks again for the kind words and prayers. I appreciate them more than you can imagine. I’m progressing well. Peggy and I will be married 57 years in June.”

Jane Dryden Louis ’69 has served as secretary on the Spartan Alumni Association Board since 2020.

She has dutifully kept the board on track with dedication and a great sense of humor. We are grateful for Jane’s service. She was recognized at the board’s annual retreat in June.

1970s

Shelby Longoria ’71 is happy to report that he and his wife, Tita, have been married 46 years. They have three adult children and two grandchildren, who all either live in Dallas or are moving there soon. They live within a couple of blocks of each other, and Shelby feels very blessed. He was hoping so much to come to his Class of ’71’s 55th reunion, but a business conflict prevented him. He hopes to visit Austin soon to reconnect with classmates.

Claire McKay ’71, P ’05, ’98 hosted the annual Parent of Alumni Reception during Reunion Weekend 2026 with fellow committee members Katherine Leigh P ’28, ’26 and T.C. Waugh ’90, P ’20, ’18. She will continue to serve on the Spartan Alumni Association Board as the parent of alumni representative.

Claire McKay ’71, P ’05, ’98 and Hank Ewert ’70, P ’05, ’98 spent an amazing time in the Netherlands in October for their daughter Leslie’s ’05 wedding. Claire and Hank then returned to spend the holidays visiting a couple of Christmas markets, “which is always so fun.” On Jan. 2, they met Jim Dart ’71 in Oslo, Norway, where they spent two chilly days exploring the city. The group then flew to the Lofoten archipelago (“look it up on Google — it’s amazing”) and spent a week with Will Dibrell ’71 and his wife, Ellen, at their home there. Will drove them around a bit, they walked some and, despite the lack of sunlight and the cold, had a wonderful time exploring and experiencing the Arctic winter. The group was lucky enough to see the northern lights three nights in a row, and Will said they hadn’t had a display like that in many years. “All in all, it was a really wonderful trip.” Claire and Hank also recently welcomed a new member of the Spartan family, Ruby! (Picture 3) Class of 1971 Representative Kathryn Miller Anderson ’71, P ’00 gathered alumni from the classes of 1969 to 1972 to celebrate the Class of 1971’s 55-year reunion during Reunion Weekend 2026.

Hank Ewert ’70, P ’05, ’98 and Martha Black P ’02, ’00 hosted the annual Current and Former Faculty and Staff Reception during Reunion Weekend 2026.

Chris Butler ’71 had the chance to play a little music this year with Alex Coke ’72, whom he called “Austin’s best jazz musician. Also I got to jam with Jim Crosby ’70 at the reunion. Thanks, guys.”

Rudy Green ’71 was honored with the Founders Award for Distinguished Service during Reunion Weekend 2026.

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Jim Dart ’71, Claire McKay ’71, Hank Ewert ’70, and Ellen and Will Dibrell ’71

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ALUMNI NEWS Brenda and Darrell David ’72 have moved into a new home on 33rd Street in Austin, just north of The University of Texas campus. They are within walking distance of UT football games and restaurants along Guadalupe. They have also reconnected with Betsy Williams Tschurr ’78 and thoroughly enjoy spending time with her. Professionally, Darrell is consulting with a group developing a clinic to prepare individuals seeking ibogaine treatment for PTSD, addiction and related issues, as well as providing posttreatment counseling and integration.

Gaylord Rhodes ’72 continues to provide golf instruction in Las Vegas. He is also training for B3 Sciences, which offers equipment designed for low-stress, high-gain results to increase muscle mass. Gaylord is working with elite high school athletes and notes that since working with B3 he has completely reversed a damaged knee and arthritic pain.

David Parker ’72 is mostly retired but continues to provide some intellectual property consulting.

He was recently diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, which he believes he may have been managing for 10 years; he jokes that had he known, he would have asked for more strokes on the golf course. He and his wife, Dana, sold their home of 23 years but remain deeply rooted in Rollingwood.

Steve Monas ’72 writes, “Greetings from Cape Cod! We have a new grandson, I have a new band and spring fever is setting in after a long New England winter. And apparently, I’m still not very good at meeting deadlines.” (Picture 4) Kent Acord ’74 and Megan St. Clair closed on a home in Breckenridge last August and have moved to Colorado permanently.

John Harvey Williams ’74 retired in August 2024 after 40 years of entrepreneurship in Mexico, principally in Mexico City and Oaxaca. He now resides primarily in Austin, traveling frequently back to Mexico, mostly to Mexico City, Oaxaca Steve Monas ’72

Mike Peters ’74 reports that after unexpectedly needing plumbers to replace all the water and drain pipes in their house, they had some lovely tile work done to repair where they tore out a wall behind the kitchen sink. It really brightens the place. This event has also given him the opportunity to learn some new skills while repairing large holes in the plaster. Whee!

After more than 30 years of pediatric operation and teaching budding surgeons, Mary Brandt ’75 has retired, sort of. She finished a Master of Divinity degree in 2021 and was ordained at Bering United Church of Christ in Houston in November for a ministry of “healing the healers.” Mary is still working on what that means, but her pastor said, “We need to ordain you to keep doing what you are doing” ... which means speaking, writing and in general causing as much “good trouble” as she can. M<ary and her partner, Stacey, still live in Houston, but they are traveling much more, birding a lot and hanging out with friends and family.

Mark Grayson ’75 comments, “Strange life.

A series of phoenix moments — some small successes, lots of crash and burn.” Mark is thoroughly enjoying being a dad to two incredible men, and he loves being married to a wonderful woman who “gets” him. Their older son lives in Corning, New York, and walked down the aisle on May 30. Their younger son is finishing up his doctorate in rhetoric at Penn State. Mark reports working harder in retirement than he ever did when he was gainfully employed. “LOL. Would love to connect with everyone!”

At this point in Paul Harford’s ’75 life, he has traveled to all seven continents and cut back on his clinical hours to conduct a clinical medical device trial on the UT Austin campus with the Mayo Clinic. Paul has started a new company with his nephew in California called AlloBiomedica and is spending most of his time dedicated to his wife, Sandy (“my best friend and love of my life”); taking care of the many birds, squirrels and deer that live around them; playing music with friends every Monday night; and attending as many of the fantastic concerts, dance and theater events in fabulous Austin as they can. Paul is working to strengthen his relationship with his brother and his brother’s wife, children and grandchildren, as well as the circle of friends around him and is “ever more grateful for the life I have lived.”

Hal Hayden ’75 and his wife, Cat, are still enjoying Prescott, Arizona, where they moved in 1996 when Austin got too crowded for them. He retired from a venture capital partner role with Trinity Capital in 2021 after the firm went public.

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They are enjoying much more travel — both abroad and in their motorhome throughout the Western U.S. He reports, “Life is good!”

THE ARTS by Rick Pate ’75 I trained to be a painter Rickelangelo, but alas, I never made a dime.

So I wrote a book.

I thought it not too sloppy, But even my best friends Wouldn’t buy a copy.

Then I kept time In numerous good-time bands, But none has ever gained acclaim Outside those one-night stands.

If I had it to do again Would I come to my senses?

After all, I could have made more as a cowboy mending fences!

Would I drop the arts in pursuit of financial gain?

Would I sell my drums And start buying stocks To ease my fiscal pain?

For a condo in Boca And retirement security Could I stop writing prose and poetry Lest I fall into vagrant obscurity?

Hell no!

I would do it all again.

I would happily follow the muse Once more, round the bend.

And in the end, if I have a stone, there to mark my spot, On it will say, “He may have lost but He gained a lot!”

Dan Norton ’76 chaired the Planning Committee for the 50-year reunion party for the Class of 1976. The class was also welcomed at the Pioneer Spartan Dinner on the Friday evening of Reunion Weekend 2026. This annual event celebrates Spartans who graduated 50-plus years ago.

Ricardo Solis, Ph.D., ’77 is living in McAllen. He is serving in his fifth year as president of South Texas College, a large college system of 30,000 students in the Rio Grande Valley. Previously, he was president ​of Laredo (Texas) College for six years.

Cydney O’Donnell ’77 was recognized in 2025 as a Distinguished Alumna of Texas A&M University for her successful career in real estate and investments, her tenure as a professor and program director at TAMU, and her generous philanthropic giving and service to TAMU, Trinity University and more.

Tad Bird ’79 gave the homily at the alumni chapel during Reunion Weekend 2026. He shared a poem

ALUMNI NEWS If all goes to plan, Mike will celebrate his 101st country in December with a cruise in the southern Caribbean with stops in Bequia, an island in the Grenadines, Grenada and Tobago, which, paired with Trinidad, makes up another island nation.

Mike shares two pictures of himself walking along the Camino de Santiago de Compostela in September 2024. He walked the last 100 kilometers from Sarria along the French Way, or Camino Francés. Mike reports, “It was an amazing experience despite the development of various blisters caused by an extremely poor choice of footwear!” (Picture 5)

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Mike Gwynn ’80

he wrote in honor of the school’s 75th anniversary.

You can read the poem on page 40.

Melanie Joseph ’79 has written a children’s book!

“Donkey Shoes” is a story that celebrates selfacceptance and finding one’s place in the world.

The book will be on shelves in January 2027.

Catta Morris O’Connor ’79 published her first novel, “Dust Covered Lies,” in 2024, and it was honored with two Spur awards for excellence in Western fiction from Western Writers of America: Best Traditional Novel and Best First Novel. The release event was hosted at First Light Books in Austin.

1980s

Mike Gwynn ’80 has lived in Austin continuously since 1996, when he moved back from San Antonio after years spent in the States. Navy and then graduate schools (TAMU and The University of Texas at San Antonio). Mike moved into his current residence in 2014, the same year his partner, Jean O’Dea, moved to Austin from Mexico City. The two were elementary school classmates at a Catholic school in Mexico, then reconnected in he fall of 2013 after a 39-year separation.

Jean and Mike pursued the same occupation: substitute teaching. Jean is still at it, whereas Mike is completing his third year of retirement and becoming more active in his parish, St. Catherine of Siena.

Jean and Mike traveled extensively in 2023, particularly cruising, completing as many as six per year.

In January 2024 they were blessed with the arrival of a stray tabby named Felix, which reduced their traveling substantially. In total, Mike has visited 94 countries and hopes to reach 100 by the end of the year. He recently added Paraguay to the list and plans on touring three of the four countries that make up the Caucasus: 6 Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia.

Peter Larkam, Ph.D., ’80 shares a photo from his mother Beverly’s 98th birthday celebration in March, including Spartans Elizabeth Larkam ’72, Charles Larkam II ’76, John Larkam ’81, Peter and their families. Peter writes, “[My mother] is the reason any of the Larkam family attended St. Stephen’s. When my sister, Elizabeth, began SSS, I had a very early, maybe age 5, birthday party out on the sidelines of St. Stephen’s soccer field with a cake decorated like a soccer field. That is my earliest SSS memory. I went with my dad to the places on Loop 360 that eventually became the bridge spanning Lake Austin, which was constructed during my SSS tenure. The younger brother of one of my public school friends before I started at SSS in 8th grade died in a rock climbing accident on the rock face prior to the bridge’s construction. The Library Study Center used to shake a bit when dynamite blasts were occurring to shear rock before the bridge construction.”

(Picture 6) Scott Smith’s ’80 wife, Karen, shares that Scott has early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. She writes, “Scott is in a memory care facility, where he retains his sweet nature and thinks he is working at the care home, donning his IBM management consultant persona. :) He also comforts other residents, and everyone adores him. He serves as the mayor of the care home! Clearly, his leadership traits are still being put to good use to serve others.”

Miles Coby Wright ’80 has retired to the North Carolina mountains and writes, “Deeply in love with all my crew and fortunate to continue interacting around the world. Keep chasing purpose!”

Brady Coleman ’81 lives in Taos, New Mexico, with his seven-year-old son. Brady coaches his son’s soccer team and is mostly retired.

Class Representatives Charlotte Brigham ’81 and Erica Stafford ’81 hosted a weekend of activities honoring the Class of 1981’s 45-year reunion during Reunion Weekend 2026.

Joe Newton ’81 and his wife, Karen, hosted St. Stephen’s annual regional gathering in San Antonio March 25. Alumni, parents and parents of alumni had the opportunity to learn more about the St. Stephen’s of today and tomorrow through a presentation by Head of School Chris Gunnin about Lasting Impact: The Campaign for St. Stephen’s.

Erica Peters Stafford ’81 is still in Houston, with her 15-year-old son living at home and her 23-year-old daughter living nearby. She is thinking of retiring in two years from her job at an accounting firm, “but … well … refer back to my 15-year-old son!”

After 22 years, Jennifer Stayton ’85 is stepping away from serving as host of “Morning Edition” on KUT radio this summer. She will continue reporting for KUT News, including on “Austin Signal” and focus on expanded coverage of aging and quality-of-life issues in Central Texas.

Ricky Green ’86 was honored during Reunion Weekend 2026 with the Spartan Alumni Leadership Award.

Mei Lisa Thompson ’86, Audra Jones ’86 and Chris Breckwoldt ’86 coordinated and hosted a party in celebration of the 40-year reunion for the Class of 1986.

Peter Larkam, Ph.D., ’80 and family

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ALUMNI NEWS Ellen Osborne Ray ’86 received the Spartan Impact Award during Reunion Weekend 2026.

Audra Jones ’86 reports, “The Class of 1986 celebrated its 40th reunion. It was so great to see so many classmates in person. Our class party Friday night had a great turnout. We celebrated like we were in the ’80s — and have a playlist to prove it! We had a few friends call in on Zoom for our class picture, and we also remembered and celebrated our classmates who have passed. We were so proud of classmates Ellen Osborne Ray ’86 and Ricky Green ’86 for their alumni awards.

Was, is and always will be the Class of ’86!”

Cathy Zorola Krznar ’87 will join the Spartan Alumni Association Board as regional representative for the Houston area. Cathy and classmate and business partner Deb Kearney have hosted a number of events for Spartans in the area at Benny Thunders.

For the past six years, Alice Nazro Nezzer ’87 has served on the Spartan Alumni Association Board, serving as cochair of Reunion Weekend and alumni recognition chair. During her tenure as alumni recognition chair, the Spartan Alumni Association refined the nomination process and added a fourth award, the Spartan Young Alumni Achievement Award. We are grateful for Alice’s dedicated leadership.

1990s

Andrew Guthrow ’90 and Kaitlin Graham Guthrow ’92 celebrated their 22nd wedding anniversary in June. Andrew continues to fly corporate jets for AT&T, as he has done for the past 16 years. Kaitlin currently works for a family foundation and helps guide their philanthropic efforts to support nonprofit organizations in North Texas. Their daughter, Sophia, is thoroughly enjoying her first year of college at the University of Glasgow in Scotland and is double majoring in sociology and public policy. Their son, Matthew, is in 8th grade and is happiest on the football or baseball field. They live in Dallas with their pets: Royal, an English black lab, and Kiki, an orange tabby cat.

Ryland Holmes ’90 is married and has a 19-yearold son who is a freshman at the University of Missouri. Ryland is a chemical dependency counselor and recently joined The Women’s Home, which is a nonprofit that helps women who are new to recovery rebuild their lives. In her free time, Ryland needlepoints and does Pilates.

This summer, Ann-Tyler Chote Konradi ’90 and T.C. Waugh ’90 will join the Spartan Alumni Association Board.

Ann-Tyler will serve as alumni recognition chair and lead efforts to nominate and honor remarkable Spartans through St. Stephen’s four alumni awards. She was the recipient of the first Spartan Impact Award in 2023. Ann-Tyler and her husband, Brian, are the proud parents of three children. The one Spartan, Sasha, graduated in 2024.

T.C. will join Claire McKay ’71 as a parent of alumni representative. He is a proud parent of two Spartans, Thomas ’18 and Sophia ’20. T.C. will join Brandon Barker ’90 as the new class representatives for the Class of 1990. They hosted a party during Reunion Weekend 2026 in honor of their class’s 35-year reunion.

Catherine Nacol ’90 reports, “I just married the most darling Scotsman and am on a yearlong honeymoon.”

Rabbi Rebecca Wolitz Sirbu ’90 is the executive vice president of the Jewish Funders Network, where she helps philanthropists make a bigger impact with their giving. She lives in Teaneck, New Jersey, with her husband, Steven. Her daughter is a junior at Syracuse University majoring in finance and marketing.

Marshall Smith ’90 shares that his oldest son, Connor, is now in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, teaching AP English at a local high school, while his wife is completing graduate school at Louisiana State University.

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Jochen Tuerck ’90 is one of four partners in a medical care center near Munich, Germany, which keeps him quite busy, “but in a good way!” Jochen is married with two children in college.

T.C. Waugh ’90 recently started a company called Gold4Good that allows donors to transform their unwanted jewelry into a cash donation to their favorite charity. He and his wife, Giselle, have two children: Thomas ’18 is working in Los Angeles and Sophia ’20 is in medical school at The University of Texas Medical Branch.

Leilani Gietz Valdes, M.D., ’91 will join the Spartan Alumni Association Board as secretary this summer. In this role, Leilani will help the board keep track of its collective work. The role serves on the Executive Committee, which helps strategically plot out the year, recruit new members and keep the board moving forward.

She has been an active alum and volunteer, serving on St. Stephen’s Medical Advisory Board during COVID-19 and as a Spartans Engage panelist, and has generously worked with current students to explore careers in the medical field.

Leilani and her husband are the proud parents of three Spartans: Caroline ’24, Nic ’20 and Alex ’18.

Benjamin Chan ’95 has served on the Spartan Alumni Association Board since 2020 as regional representative for the Washington, D.C., area.

During his time, he has helped coordinate a number of alumni events and a young alumni network. As his term ends, the board would like to thank Ben for his service and dedication to St. Stephen’s. As class representative, Ben shares that he recently returned from the Explorers Club Annual Dinner, which was an opportunity to meet new members of the global exploration community and catch up with old friends.

He went on an expedition to the Gobi Desert last summer, and his group was honored to return the Explorer Club’s flag they carried in a ceremony. He will be heading back to the Gobi this summer, leading a flag expedition to conduct

Ben Chan ’95 with The Explorers Club

ALUMNI NEWS paleontological digs focused on titanosaur remains and tracks. Ben reports that 2026 has been a momentous year for him, his wife, Joan, and their daughters. “We are very proud of Helena and Lexi, who are graduating on to new schools. Helena will be entering Longfellow Middle School and Lexi will start high school at the Madeira School. Hope all is well, and happy 75th to our dear St. Stephen’s Episcopal School!

Onward and upward!” (Picture 7) Rhea Benbow Thomas’ ’95 short story, “The Grocery Store Bougie,” was published in the anthology “The Fire Within.” Her story won first place in fiction and the Editor’s Choice Award. The anthology is published annually by the Women in the Visual and Literary Arts Organization. Rhea is currently working on a mystery novel and dabbling in audiobook narrating. Her son Donny and her husband, Scott Thomas ’95, live in Austin. Scott works in finance and is deep in the study and practice of Hinduism, traveling to India regularly. The couple’s younger son, Remy, graduated in May from the Eastman School of Music with a Master of Music degree. They are so excited to have him moving back to Texas this summer after six years in Rochester, New York.

Jenny Roan Forgey ’95 and her husband, Justin, celebrated recent accomplishments with their son, Gunnar, and daughter, Lily. Gunnar has committed to play football at The University of the South, familiarly known as Sewanee, in the fall.

Lily joined the Grammy-award winning National Children’s Choir to sing at Carnegie Hall in New York City. (Picture 8)

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Jenny Roan Forgey ’95 and family

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Clayton Everline ’95

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The Class of 2001 reunion

Reunion attendees were treated to a special trivia session with “Trivia Stream” with Gus Davis ’99. Fun was had by all who participated.

2000s

Kitty Bayer ’01 hosted her class’s 25th reunion in April at Patrizi’s in East Austin. (Picture 10)

Cate Gilham ’17 and Ben Schneider ’17

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Clayton Everline ’95 authored “Search Survival,” which had two editions published in 2011 and 2019. For nearly 20 years, he has advocated for medical care for underserved communities, especially in coastal regions, through Waves of Health. Clayton has since scaled back his practice to focus on a small boutique concierge and sports medicine practice. For Spartans in California, Colorado and Hawaii, he offers a telehealthenabled, Epic-based concierge and sports medicine clinic. (Picture 9)

Laura Neuhaus Zittrain ’01 will serve as the newly created regional representative for Boston.

She will help engage alumni in the area and help coordinate events.

We are grateful for the leadership and service of Shannon Powers ’96. For the past three years, Shannon has served as president of the Spartan Alumni Association. She will stay on the board for the 2026-27 school year as past president.

She was celebrated at her last official meeting on March 4 and at the annual meeting of the Spartan Alumni Association during Reunion Weekend 2026. Shannon also hosted her class’s 30th reunion in April.

Sophie Foreman Mann ’06 received the Spartan Young Alumni Achievement Award during Reunion Weekend 2026. The award goes to a Spartan less than 20 years out from graduation who has distinguished themselves in their career and community.

Mallory Boyle ’04 cochaired Reunion Weekend 2026.

Selina Strasburger ’06 and Sarah Cromwell Sheppard ’06 hosted their class’s 20th reunion in April. See page 39 for their group photo.

This summer, Louise McNutt Brazitis ’07 will begin serving as president of the Spartan Alumni Association. Louise previously served as vice president, cochair of Reunion Weekend and alumni recognition chair.

2010s

Karina Altamirano ’11 hosted her class’s 15th reunion in April. See page 39 for their group photo.

Liza Ayres ’14 cochaired Reunion Weekend 2026.

As a member of the International Program Office at St. Stephen’s, she was also recently promoted to the role of assistant director of International Programs, where she provides comprehensive administrative and socio-emotional leadership for the global student body. In addition to managing the complex logistics of federal immigration compliance and visa processing, Liza will oversee part-time International Office assistants. Her work will focus heavily on the student experience, as she takes the lead of the Venture Orientation Program and chairs the Cultural Festival Planning Committee.

Nick Goldreyer ’16 and Anam Burki ’16 organized and hosted their class’s 10th reunion in April. See page 39 for their group photo.

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ALUMNI NEWS

13

Mary Orms ’19

Denise Devlyn ’18 and Isaac Tilin ’18

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15 Cate Gilham ’17 and Ben Schneider ’17 were married on November 22, 2025, at the Four Seasons in Austin. The wedding party included Spartans Hill Atwell ’17, Gracie Coates ’17, James Green ’17, Olivia Knox ’22, John Sansbury ’17, Matt Schneider ’17, Taylor Walters ’17, Reilly Wieland ’17 and Derek Wu ’17. (Picture 11) The Trahan Brothers band, composed of Elliot Trahan ’17, Lee Trahan ’19 and Josh Mosier ’15, performed at the Taste of Austin at Reunion Weekend 2026. To catch more Trahan Brothers shows, follow the band on Instagram at @trahanbrothers.

Denise Devlyn ’18 and Isaac Tilin ’18 joined St. Stephen’s Alumni Engagement Officer David Allen ’19 for drinks at the Old Stove Brewing Co. in Seattle’s famous Pike Place Market in January.

(Picture 12)

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Peter Horton ’23 and Colton Conyers ’23

Mary Orms ’19 recently finished another season of work as a participatory exhibit designer in Yosemite National Park. She spent the summer on a five-month road trip to celebrate her completion of the season’s work and her acceptance to the Master of Arts in Museum Studies program at the University of San Francisco, which she will begin in August.

(Picture 13) Lavanya Sankaran ’19 presented her first research posters at three consecutive conferences for the American Academy of Emergency Medicine, the American Federation for Medical Research and California Health Sciences University’s Research Day. Lavanya is a third-year medical student at CHSU.

2020s

Lauren Gill ’21 and Betsy Goodrum ’21 hosted their class’s 5th reunion in April. See page 39 for their group photo.

Devon Bell ’22 has been selected as a Fulbright grantee for the 2026-27 academic year. Her next step after graduating from Tufts University will be teaching English in Taiwan.

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Sonal Alla ’23

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Roger Bulhof ’25 and Trey Phillips ’25

In early spring, Sonal Alla ’23 attended the Legal Services Corp.’s forum on access to justice, followed by a reception on equal justice for all at the Supreme Court of the United States. She shares that one of her highlights was listening to SCOTUS Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson reflect on the promise of equal justice. (Picture 14) Parker Huynh-Benningfield ’22 filmed and produced a feature-length film, “Gridiron Gyudon: The Story of a Rice Bowl,” for his senior thesis at Bates College. With the help of classmate Solomon Starkes ’22, Parker accomplished a four-day production process during a family vacation in Japan, interviewing six American players in Japan’s professional football league and shooting the Rice Bowl, the Japanese league’s national championship game. “Gridiron Gyudon” premiered in Bates’ Filene Room on Feb. 11 and is available to stream on YouTube.

(Picture 15)

ALUMNI NEWS

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Dawson Burrell ’25 and team

Tristan Lovell ’25 and fellow cadets at Virginia Tech

Peter Horton ’23 cheered on Colton Conyers ’23 at the Big 12 Track and Field Championships in Tucson, Arizona, in May. Colton runs for Texas Christian University and Peter attends the University of Arizona, which hosted the event.

(Picture 16) Illinois Wesleyan University freshman Roger Bulhof ’25 greeted his St. Stephen’s classmate, North Park University men’s volleyball libero Trey Phillips ’25, when Trey came to compete against IWU. (Picture 17) Dawson Burrell ’25 and his team placed as runners-up in the entrepreneurship competition at Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business, “TuckLAB: Entrepreneurship”; advanced to the final round of the TuckLAB venture pitch competition; and secured prize and seed-round funding to continue building their idea, Bluelink, to facilitate safe communication in noisy factory settings. (Picture 18)

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Felix Eugene ’25 with peers at West Point

Zoe Reynolds ’25 and Jolie Stough ’25

United States Military Academy freshman Felix Eugene ’25 completed the Norwegian Foot March, an 18.6-mile ruck with a 25-pound pack, alongside his peers at West Point. (Picture 19) Tristan Lovell ’25 completed Virginia Tech’s Caldwell March, a 26-mile march that first-year cadets take through the mountains of Virginia.

Freshmen in the Corps of Cadets and their supporters undertake the first half of the march at the start of the year and complete it in the second semester. (Picture 20) Zoe Reynolds ’25 and Jolie Stough ’25 took a three-day trip to Disneyland for Zoe’s birthday.

(Picture 21) Keyen Gupta ’26 and Julia McElveen ’26 have been named alumni class representatives for the Class of 2026.

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ALUMNI NEWS In Memoriam Photo by Chris Caselli ’82

Linda Rose Bulloch ’60 died Jan. 18, at her home in Atlanta. At St. Stephen’s, Linda played softball and field hockey, served as a proctor, sat on the dormitory council and was managing editor of the newspaper. She earned a degree from Agnes Scott College in 1964 and later completed a master’s degree in education at Antioch College.

Linda’s career included working as a counselor at Brenau College in Gainesville, Georgia, followed by a position at the Savannah College of Art and Design. An avid writer, she published a book and numerous periodical articles.

Gerald Franklin ’60 died July 23, 2025. A Houston native, Gerry attended St. Stephen’s before graduating from Lamar High School.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Sam Houston State University and proudly served as a captain in the U.S. Army and Army Reserves. A respected Houston business leader, he owned and operated the Gerald Franklin Licensing Agency for nearly 50 years and cofounded Lone Star Liquor Licensing Co. LLC. Deeply committed to civic service, Gerry was the 80th national president of the Exchange Club. He held foundational leadership roles with the Exchange Club Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse of Houston and the ESCAPE Family Resource Center. He and his wife, Evelyn, established the Gerald and Evelyn Franklin Fund to support the National Exchange Club’s Youth of the Year scholarship. A memorial service was held Aug. 9, 2025.

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Edward Lawrence “Larry” Fry Jr. ’63 died March 31, at age 81. Larry attended St. Stephen’s for his 9th grade year. Born in Corpus Christi, he lived a life defined by service, faith and family. He proudly served in the United States Navy for 32 years, including time as a Seabee and later as a lieutenant commander with Naval Intelligence. He earned an electrical engineering degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1978 and built a successful corporate career with Lockheed, Teledyne Brown Engineering and Jaycor before retiring in 2010.

Larry was widely known for his quick wit, big personality and deep devotion to his family. He found great joy in the outdoors, reading, and breeding and showing Abyssinian cats through the Cat Fanciers’ Association alongside his wife. He will be remembered for the profound impression he left on everyone who knew him.

Ray Lynch ’61 died peacefully Dec. 22, at his home in Northern California. He attended St. Stephen’s for his 10th grade year. A beloved composer and musician, Ray was best known for his landmark album, “Deep Breakfast,” the first independently released recording certified platinum and an enduring work of new age music.

Along with “No Blue Thing” and “Nothing Above My Shoulders but the Evening,” his compositions sold more than 2 million copies, topped Billboard charts and earned three Billboard Awards. His piece “Celestial Soda Pop” became the theme for NPR’s “Fresh Air.”

Beyond his public success, Ray mentored fellow musicians and collaborated freely. He is survived by his wife, Kathleen Bennett; daughters, Beverly Knowland and Margy Davids; and a wide circle of friends, collaborators and listeners whose lives were enriched by his work.

Henry Shore ’25 died unexpectedly Dec. 6, 2025, at his home after a fatal reaction to a sleep aid. At St. Stephen’s, he was an inspiring force in the residential community and the soccer academy. A talented and dedicated athlete, he was a first-year student thriving academically and athletically at LeTourneau University. Known for his determination, warmth and ability to connect with others, Henry left a profound impression on his family, friends and teammates. His passion for soccer took him around the world, and his future aspirations reflected both ambition and creativity.

A memorial service was held Dec. 12.

Kenrik Kabano ’26 died unexpectedly April 20.

Kenrik attended St. Stephen’s as a boarder for his 10th grade year. He was a standout basketball player and became an accomplished studentathlete at Klein Oak School in the Houston area.

Memorial services were held May 2 in Spring, Texas and on campus May 7.

ALUMNI NEWS

Alumni Class Representatives Will Brewster ’51 brewsterwilliam34@gmail.com

Juliet Frerking ’01 frerking@gmail.com

Michael Hines ’54 poppyhines@msn.com

Rachel Katz ’05 rpk228@gmail.com

Colin Phipps ’55 colin@phippsfarm.com

Sarah Cromwell Sheppard ’06 sarahhcromwell@gmail.com

Ruth Wilson Witten ’57 ruthwitten@aol.com

Selina Strasburger ’06 selina.strasburger@gmail.com

J.P. Bryan ’58 BryanJ@teai.com

Whitney Gaston Abblitt ’07 whitney@greeneryco.com

Tom Romberg ’59 tromberg@me.com

Louise McNutt Brazitis ’07 louisebrazitis@gmail.com

Pat Fatter Black ’60 ggpat77@gmail.com

Blaire Metcalfe Merket ’08 blaire.metcalfe@gmail.com

Steve Jolly ’61 stevejolly@mindspring.com

J.J. Botha ’09 johannbbotha@gmail.com

Duncan Osborne ’62 deosborne@ohsks.com

Chantal Strasburger ’09 chantal.strasburger@gmail.com

Julia Cauthorn ’63 julia@texancapital.com

Carlotta Garza ’10 carlotta.garza@gmail.com

Arthur Wright ’64 arthur.wright@tklaw.com

Omar Yaghi ’10 omaryaghi2@gmail.com

Dianne Duncan Tucker ’65 ddtuck@aol.com

Ryann Young Seigel ’10 ryannhyoung@gmail.com

Randy Parten ’67 jrparten@parten.com

Lindsay Redman ’11 llredman93@gmail.com

Robert Henderson ’68 rehenderson@nvcc.edu

Gray Twombly ’11 twombly.gray@gmail.com

Josh Harrison ’69 JHarrisonLaw@aol.com

Alia Yaghi ’11 alia.yaghi1@gmail.com

Dee Meador ’70 meadortx@yahoo.com

Yosua A. Husodo ’12 yosua.adiyasa@hotmail.com

Kathryn Miller Anderson ’71 zjmiller1513@gmail.com

Helen Elizabeth Old ’12 helenelizabeth1@me.com

Darrell David ’72 darrell.s.david@gmail.com

Jake Politte ’12 jake.politte@rocketmail.com

Douglass Anderson ’73 dlalaw@hotmail.com

Caroline Pringle ’12 carolinepringle93@gmail.com

Ann Rhodes McMeans ’74 armcmeans@gmail.com

James Carter ’13 jamesterelcarter@gmail.com

Mary L. Brandt M.D., ’75 mary.l.brandt@gmail.com

Annie Nordhauser ’13 lisa.nordhauser@gmail.com

Dan Norton ’76 daniel@danielnorton.com

Nathan Goldberg Crenier ’14 nathangoldbergc@gmail.com

Robert Ettinger ’77 robert@ettlaw.com

Jaclyn Horton ’14 jaclynlhorton@gmail.com

Mark Tucker ’78 mrtucker@mindspring.com

Jim Old ’15 jamesold1@mac.com

Carroll Lively Reeser ’79 carroll@reeser.net

Nick Goldreyer ’16 nick.goldreyer@gmail.com

Peter Larkam ’80 peter@peterlarkam.com

Madison Wiedeman ’17 madisonw5457@gmail.com

Charlotte Stuckey Brigham ’81 charbrigham@gmail.com

Miranda Ayres ’18 mirandadaisy29@gmail.com

Erica Peters Stafford ’81 erica.stafford@bvcpa.com

Allie Goldreyer ’18 allie.goldreyer@gmail.com

Wendy White Naughton ’82 wendy.naughton@gmail.com

Blossom Maduafokwa ’18 bdm2140@barnard.edu

Sara Walser Earl ’83 swalser@mac.com

Andrew Yow ’18 david.andrew.yow@gmail.com

Eliza Bonner Graham ’83 hummingbird4787@gmail.com

Wyatt Gill ’19 wyatt.gill912@gmail.com

Grant Little ’83 gf1little3@gmail.com

Tom Guan ’19 guantomy@gmail.com

Suzanne Cantarino Pfeiffer ’84 suzannepfeiffer@austin.rr.com

Greta Kastner ’19 gretakastner@gmail.com

Libbie Walker Ansell ’85 libbieansell@gmail.com

Chloe Lawrence ’19 chloelawrence512@gmail.com

Chris Breckwoldt ’86 cbreckwoldt@sstx.org

Lucy Schmidt ’19 lucyschmidt88@gmail.com

Catherine Hoey Randall ’87 caterandall@sbcglobal.net

Lizzy Jones ’20 lizzyjonesatx@gmail.com

Mark Rowe ’88 markrowe@henna.com

Sophia Waugh ’20 sophiastoylewaugh@gmail.com

Jonathan Quander ’89 jdquander70@gmail.com

Lauren Gill ’21 laurengill42@gmail.com

Joe Frisz ’90 joe.frisz@enovapay.com

Betsy Goodrum ’21 betsygoodrum@gmail.com

Liz Fleming Powell ’91 lz.powell@gmail.com

Ellie Gunnin ’22 elliegunnin21@gmail.com

Monika Powe Nelson ’92 giantmonsterprincess@gmail.com

Sophie Hawthorne ’22 sophie.i.hawthorne@gmail.com

Davis Baldwin ’93 rdbaldwin@mac.com

William Casas ’23 wgcasas1200@icloud.com

Travis Greig ’94 travisgreig@gmail.com

Meredith Clay ’23 meimeiclay@icloud.com

Seth Alley ’95 sethalley@msn.com

Amanda Bell ’24 arosebell06@gmail.com

Ben Chan ’95 eyethump@gmail.com

Thomas Groff-Barragan ’24 groffthomasusa@gmail.com

Hawkins Li ’95 hli3@yahoo.com

Charlie Hubbard ’25 charliehubbardjr@gmail.com

Beth Cockerham Mack ’95 semack77@gmail.com

Casey Maina ’25 caseymaina@gmail.com

Ann Strauser Palmer ’95 annstrauserpalmer@gmail.com

Julia McElveen ’26, jnmcelveen@icloud.com

Rhea Benbow Thomas ’95 rheabt@gmail.com

Keyen Gupta ’26, keyen@goopsters.com

Get social!

Connect with St. Stephen’s and your classmates online.

LinkedIn group: St. Stephen’s Episcopal School Alumni Private alumni Facebook group: facebook.com/Groups/StStephensAlumniGroup Follow St. Stephen’s on: Facebook facebook.com/sstx.org Instagram @SSTX_OnTheHill YouTube @StStephensAustin

If you have not received emails from the Alumni Office recently, we may not have your current email address. Please send your information to dallen@sstx.org so you do not miss invitations to events and news about your classmates!

Meghan Alexander ’96 malexander@alexanderatty.com Gerry DeLeon ’96 gerryadeleon@gmail.com Shannon Powers ’96 shannon6480@gmail.com Cam Beesley ’97 leardsfool@gmail.com Jared Hockema ’98 jhockema@mac.com Becky Hollis Diffen ’99 becky.diffen@gmail.com Aaron Albrecht ’00 albrecht.aaron@gmail.com Claire Browder ’00 clairebrowder@gmail.com Katharine Bayer ’01 kittybayer@gmail.com

You are invited to volunteer and serve as class representative for the classes of 1966, 1975, 2002 and 2003.

If you are interested, please contact David Allen ’19, alumni engagement officer, at dallen@sstx.org. sstx.org

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MOMENT OF ZEN

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1

A Parting Lesson After 45 Years On May 15, 1981, Mason Cox was offered his one and only teaching post — at St. Stephen’s Episcopal School. After Shirley Sherman and Kathryn Respess, Mr. Cox has been the longest-serving 3 school employee. Forty-five years to the day after securing his lone academic job, Mr. Cox offered a powerful parting lesson in a chapel service commemorating his retirement. He was brief as he spoke to the assembled Upper School community: “With all due credit to those who came before and showed me the way, I ask you to take heed and to take heart; your life is an act of art. So ask yourself: What will you enact with your art?”

For his own art as a history teacher, a colleague, a dorm parent, an adviser, a coordinator of the Japanese international exchange program, a mentor in the International Office, a coach and a friend, St. Stephen’s offers profound appreciation to Mr. Cox. As Jin Bu ’23 said to him in the commemorative chapel, “I know I am only one of many students whose life you have quietly changed. ... You deserve every bit of peace and joy that comes next.” Yes, Mr. Cox, you do. Thank you for all you have meant to us and the ways you have shaped St. Stephen’s with your decades of competence, goodness and sustained care.

— VICKI WOODRUFF RETIRED ENGLISH INSTRUCTOR

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Summer 2026 Spartan Magazine

PHOTOS 1 Utagawa Hiroshige. “Fuji Seen from the Left on the Tokaido”; 1858. The Art Institute of Chicago; this artwork was gifted to Cox as a tribute to his 45 years of service by Sarah Todd, director of the International Program.

2 A blue heron flying in the skies above campus, which symbolizes lessons of patience, quiet contemplation and self-reliance; photograph by Chris Caselli ’82 3 Cox on campus in the fall of 2025

BACK TO SCHOOL

2026-27 IMPORTANT DATES TO SAVE AUG.

3

Campus store and online bookstore open, select Upper School fall sports begin

AUG.

17-24

Middle School preseason sports camps and fine arts workshops, Venture and orientation events

Visit our back-to-school page for supply and book lists, orientation schedules, and more!

AUG.

25

First day of classes!

sstx.org/back-to-school sstx.org

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6500 St. Stephen’s Drive Austin, TX 78746

St. Stephen’s is building on the momentum of its 75th anniversary year as we look ahead to the next 75 years. Today, we have the exciting opportunity to make a Lasting Impact on future generations of Spartans. sstx.org/lasting-impact

PARTING SHOT Victory! The Class of 2027 claims bragging rights and the powderpuff title in the junior vs. senior matchup. Find more SSTX Life on page 28.

NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID AUSTIN, TEXAS PERMIT NO. 2556