Spotlight marksmen week While the Alumni Association had a full slate of events planned throughout 2020, the ongoing pandemic forced everyone to adapt. Alumni Weekend was postponed, and regional events became virtual gatherings. But the Marksman network stayed strong. Several alumni, including Rhett Miller ’89 and Taylor Jenkins ’03, recorded messages of encouragement for students via the 10600 webpage. Throughout the month of May, the Class of 2020 was buoyed by messages from alumni, applauding their resiliency and motivating them to stay strong during a tumultuous senior year. “It would be an understatement to say that the last year has thrown a few curveballs at the School we all love,” said Jamie Rogers ’85 in a June video message. “But what defines St. Mark’s is our response to those challenges. The community pulled together after a devastating tornado,
On June 30, 2020, St. Mark’s ended what can only be
followed by a global pandemic, in ways that are truly inspiring.”
described as an historic school year. First, the campus was devastated by a tornado on the evening of October 20, 2019. The School community responded quickly, cleaning up the campus and resuming classes just ten days later. Then COVID-19 struck the nation.
One of the clearest ways that alumni show their support is through gifts to the St. Mark’s Fund. The flexibility provided by these funds played a significant part in allowing St. Mark’s to react so quickly to the tornado’s aftermath and then facilitate the sudden move to remote learning.
(above) Members of The Class of 2020 host a virtual discussion about their historic senior year.
Students and teachers left campus for Spring
For more than a decade, more than 50% of all
Break, not knowing that they would complete the
alumni have made annual contributions to the
rest of the school year virtually. While both events
St. Mark’s Fund, a nearly unheard-of level of
shook the foundation of the School and the city
support. Even amid the challenges presented
of Dallas, St. Mark’s remained focused on its core
during a global pandemic, Marksmen were
mission. Throughout both events, the Alumni
committed to once again making the School a
community has offered unwavering support to
philanthropic priority. This effort culminated in
the place they call home.
June with Marksmen Week, a virtual weeklong celebration of the strength of the St. Mark’s alumni community and its ongoing support of the School.
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Spotlight | THE PRIDE
St. Mark’s School of Texas
