Marksmen Week

Spotlight marksmen week

Students and teachers left campus for Spring Break, not knowing that they would complete the rest of the school year virtually. While both events shook the foundation of the School and the city of Dallas, St. Mark’s remained focused on its core mission. Throughout both events, the Alumni community has offered unwavering support to the place they call home. 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

On June 30, 2020, St. Mark’s ended what can only be 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.

(above) Members of The Class of 2020 host a virtual discussion about their historic senior year. 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, followed by a global pandemic, in ways that are truly inspiring.”

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. For more than a decade, more than 50% of all alumni have made annual contributions to the

St. Mark’s Fund, a nearly unheard-of level of support. Even amid the challenges presented during a global pandemic, Marksmen were committed to once again making the School a philanthropic priority. This effort culminated in 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.

Marksmen Week featured a dedicated webpage where graduates and other community members shared messages of solidarity with one another. During the week, the Alumni Association hosted four virtual programs:

“Talking Mental Health in Challenging Times” with St. Mark’s Director of Psychological and Student Services Dr. Gabby Reed and Dr. Fred Gioia ’98, a Dallas-based psychiatrist

“A Conversation around Science & Space Exploration” with Founders’ Master Teaching Chair Doug Rummel and alumni currently working at SpaceX: Nick Orenstein ’01, Will Ferenc ’09, and Michael Gilliland ’13

“Leadership & Resiliency with the Class of 2020” featuring several recent St. Mark’s graduates

“Character and Leadership in The Great Gatsby” featuring Victor F. White Master Teaching Chair in English David Brown While greeting the online audience for one program, Paul Genender ’87, Alumni Association President, asked, “Who needs primetime TV when you have Marksmen Week?”

In addition to strengthening the bonds of the Marksmen network, the week was also a chance for alumni to rally in support of the School. During the month of June, more than 900 alumni made gifts to the St. Mark’s Fund, supporting excellence at 10600 Preston Road, and achieving 50 percent alumni participation for the 12th consecutive year. Additionally, this outpouring of support unlocked $50,000 in additional support for the St. Mark’s Fund thanks to a generous donor’s Alumni Participation Challenge. Altogether, these 900 gifts accounted for more than $480,000 donated in June, capping off another incredible year for the St. Mark’s Fund.