Sharon Sparlin, ssparlin@sstx.org or 512.327.1213 x 158
COVER PHOTO
(L to R) Anna Franco ’24, Evy Langdon ’24, Maddie Davenport ’24, Ricardo Montemayor Aguirre ’24, Ben Krauss ’24, Cale Chappelear ’24, Max Lain ’24
Each spring I marvel at the energy and engagement of the Spartan community. While every day on The Hill is exciting, there is something even more inspiring about the final weeks of the school year. The fine arts performances and exhibitions are magnificent, our athletes are training and competing with spirit and pride, and the work of students in the classroom is impressive and commendable.
As you will read in this issue, our students are exploring complex ideas and topics with the engagement, curiosity and scholarship that has become customary at St. Stephen’s. Their efforts and achievements are a credit to the faculty and themselves. A number of daily chapel services in the spring term are dedicated to honoring departing faculty and staff or senior offerings, in which graduating seniors share deeply personal reflections from their time at St. Stephen’s. In both of these types of chapel services, the most common theme is that ours is a school that is unique in the deeply personal, meaningful and transformative relationships that are forged on campus.
The spring is also when we take time to celebrate and honor our graduating seniors, and this year’s senior class is exceptional. Portions of this publication are dedicated to their achievements and the ways that they have not only upheld the school’s ideals and standards but also have made their unique mark on our community. Put simply, our graduates, with their fierce spirits,
compassionate hearts and sharp minds, give me hope that St. Stephen’s will continue to contribute to Bishop John E. Hines’ vision of the recovery of humans.
This year’s Reunion Weekend had record-breaking attendance, and the laughter, memories and stories shared by our alumni, as they returned to campus, remind us of the enduring strengths and values of this community.
Finally, the early success in the advanced phase of our next comprehensive campaign has been energizing and inspiring. As we make plans to celebrate the school’s 75th anniversary throughout the 2025-26 school year, the campaign is an opportunity to secure the school’s success for the next 75 years. I am deeply grateful for the generosity of the donors who believe in St. Stephen’s, and I am excited by the ways that these gifts will strengthen St. Stephen’s for years to come.
Congratulations to the members of the Class of 2024 and blessings to Spartans near and far.
All my best,
Chris Gunnin Head of School
Honoring Our 2024 Graduates
St. Stephen’s Episcopal School celebrated its 74th commencement Saturday, May 25.
Parents, grandparents, friends and special guests convened on The Hill and others joined virtually to celebrate a myriad of accomplishments. This year’s class of 129 graduates is a diverse representation of cultures, with students from not only Austin but also 13 cities across Texas; two other states, Michigan and Kansas; and 12 foreign countries, including China, Congo, India, Jamaica, Korea, Mexico, Nigeria, Poland, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Thailand and Vietnam.
The members of this class are matriculating to 72 colleges in 23 states and one international campus. Fifteen graduates have plans to play NCAA sports. 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.
PHOTOS
TOP TO BOTTOM : Seniors line up before their procession into the Chapel before the graduation ceremony; Zosia Jankowska ’24 and Amanda Bell ’24
CHLOE BENARDETE, who delivered the senior address at graduation, won both the Bishop John E. Hines Medal and the Velberta Asher Towner Award in the Performing Arts. The Rt. Rev. Hines, the founder of St. Stephen’s Episcopal School, was a man of extraordinary vision and bold action. He started the school with the idea that the St. Stephen’s education would be used as “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.” Benardete was described as exhibiting “a love of learning in all of her courses.” In her four years at St. Stephen’s, she ran track and cross-country, served on the Athletic Council, began the Next Gen Women in Sports Club, and participated in Theatre Focus — all while maintaining the highest GPA.
The Velberta Asher Towner Award in the Performing Arts is given in memory of Velberta Towner, a St. Stephen’s faculty member from 1958 to 1984. Known to the St. Stephen’s 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. As a winner
of this award, Benardete was described as one of the most dynamic, hardworking and receptive students.
The William Brewster Medal was given to Thomas Groff-Barragan. The award was established in honor of the school’s founding headmaster in the 1960s. 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.
“[Thomas] uses all of his talents to bring people at St. Stephen’s together,” read Head of School Chris Gunnin. “He is very engaged with the school community, as well as with the larger world community — a gifted writer, a real leader, a good friend to many. In a world fraught with many problems that seem insoluble, he manages with enthusiasm and verve, energy and optimism to chart a path that is positive and admirable.”
The Dobbie Leverton Fenton Medal was awarded to Aliza Chauthani, who was described by college counselor Claire Fenton ’93 as someone whose “advocacy
The Bishop John E. Hines Medal and the Velberta Asher Towner Award in the Performing Arts
Chloe Benardete
The William Brewster Medal
Thomas Groff-Barragan
The Dobbie Leverton Fenton Medal
Aliza Chauthani
has not only raised awareness, but has also ignited meaningful change, fostering an environment where every voice is heard, respected and valued.” Inspired by the beloved teacher, adviser and friend who lived a life of compassionate service with a St. Stephen’s career spanning 33 years, Dobbie Leverton Fenton began as an 8th grade boarding student and graduated in 1963. Through her own words and actions, she celebrated difference, was slow to judge others and ministered to all she met, believing that everyone deserves equal and respectful treatment.
Leverton Fenton’s work on campus is reflected in Chauthani. “While many wait until later in life to pursue this kind of work, [Aliza] is already out there — already working to repair and empower marginalized communities as well as challenge systemic injustices, paving the way for a more inclusive and equitable society. Indeed, [Aliza] possesses an unwavering drive to engage with the most urgent and pressing issues of our world, both global and local. And she is committed to defending against the affronts of injustice anywhere and anytime,” read Claire Fenton.
Thomas Groff-Barragan ’24 and Chris Gunnin Aliza Chauthani ’24 and Claire Fenton ’93
Chloe Benardete ’24 and the Rt. Rev. Kathryn M. Ryan
Diplomas With High Honors
Chloe Benardete
Meghan Chia
Jorik Dammann
Lucas Elkins
Delaney Halloran
Jocelyn Hoenicke
Max Lain
Ava Sadasivan
Diplomas With Honors
Megal Alla
Christopher Aung
Solange Barbier
Amanda Bell
Henry Bell
Will Burkhart
Salvador Castaneda
Alexa Castillo
Espinosa de los Monteros
Cale Chappelear
Aliza Chauthani
Harriet Crofut
Hilda Du
Kelly Fairman
Sophia Fan
Kayla Fink
Truitt Flink
Anna Franco
Kique Franco
Zach Geller
Micah George
Honors
Phoebe George
Ava Gonzalez
Avery Griffin
Thomas GroffBarragan
Anna Guan
Julia Havemann
Julia Hurtado
Jules Isenberg
Chris Jang
Caroline Jones
Charlie Jones
Maeve Kadyan
Nina Kannan
Ben Krauss
Leah Lee
Ellie Legere
Jasmine Li
Sharon Li
Selina Lu
Michelle Lyu
Megan McDonald
Isabella Messina
Holt Moriarty
Jared Ocelotl
Harrison Oddo
Kayla Patel
Rex Ramza
Brodie Rodemacher
Daniella Rodriguez
Ryder Rodriguez
Ben Royston
William Schmidt
Carlos Schober
Brian Shaw
Hannah Simmonds
Harrison Simms
Addison Starr
Amanda Tharp
Asha Williams
Evan Yang
Jerry Zhang
Cum Laude Society
Megal Alla
Christopher Aung
Amanda Bell
Henry Bell
Chloe Benardete
Will Burkhart
Cale Chappalear
Meghan Chia
Harriet Crofut
Jorik Dammann
Lucas Elkins
Kelly Fairman
Zach Geller
Thomas GroffBarragan
Delaney Halloran
Julia Havemann
Jocelyn Hoenicke
Chris Jang
Maeve Kadyan
Ben Krauss
Max Lain
Jasmine Li
Sharon Li
Ava Sadasivan
Brian Shaw
Alice Wilkerson ’24 and Phoebe George ’24 during the graduation ceremony
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 2024 Montgomery Prize was awarded to Delaney Halloran
The Jan Hines Leadership Award is presented to those students who have made positive contributions to our school and worked tirelessly to make our community a better place. This year’s award was presented to Amanda Bell, Chloe Benardete, Anna Guan, Jocelyn Hoenicke, Eva Díaz Mirón Olloqui, and Yulrin Son.
The Elizabeth Hughes Hoey Award in Creative Writing is presented to the Upper School student who submits the best work in any area of creative writing. The 2024 Hoey Award was presented to Aliza Chauthani.
International Student of the Year
Eva Díaz Mirón Olloqui
National Chinese Honor Society
Salvador Castaneda
Julia Havermann
National Latin Exam
Henry Bell
Jared Ocelotl
National Latin Honor Society
Henry Bell
Jared Ocelotl
Model UN
Zach Geller
Benjamin Royston
The Spiritual
Leadership Award
Hannah Simmonds
Service Learning
Distinction
Amanda Bell
Anna Guan
Maeve Kadyan
Equity and Inclusion
Leadership and Service Award
Aliza Chauthani
Makailynn Garcia
Kamsi Mba
Health Leadership Award
Christopher Aung
Aliza Chauthani
Deji Fafunwa
Gatling Inman
Max Lain
Proctor Medals
Diego Adkins
Hilda Du
Yulrin Son
Thomas GroffBarragan
Selina Lu
Caroline Valdes
PHOTO
English 12
Brodie Rodemacher
Advanced Chinese
Julia Havemann
Advanced French 5/6
Chloe Benardete
Advanced Latin 5
Jared Ocelotl
Advanced Spanish 7/8
Amanda Tharp
Statistics and Selected Topics
Evy Langdon
Book Prizes
Advanced Statistics
Megal Alla
Engineering
Megan McDonald
Social Science Seminars
Amanda Bell
Theology
Meghan Chia
Advanced European History
Benjamin Royston
Advanced Biology II
Max Lain
Astrophysics
Ava Sadasivan
Advanced Physics II
Jorik Dammann
Advanced Art History
Anna Guan
Advanced Visual Studies
Isabella Ratcliff
Social Science Seminars
Amanda Bell
Scholastic Art and Writing Awards
Gold Key: Nicholas Chen, Anna Guan, Ellie Legere, Jasmine Li,
Isabella Ratcliff
Gold Key Portfolio: Jerry Zhang
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 2024 Sumners Music Award recipient was Meghan Chia
The Anne Dewey Guerin Award is awarded each year to the graduate who made the greatest contribution to the theater program. This year’s Anne Dewey Guerin Award was presented to Evy Langdon.
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 own craft while also pushing the intellectual boundaries of visual expression. The recipient of The Rudolph H. Green Art Award was Jerry Zhang
AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE
Outstanding Choral Student
Jocelyn Hoenicke
Outstanding Principal Viola
Natalie Kwon
Outstanding Orchestra Soloist
Leah Lee
Outstanding Chamber Ensemble
Member
Patrick Lemuel
Outstanding Filmmaker Award
Amanda Bell, Thomas Groff-Barragan, Julia Havemann, Evy Langdon and Isabella Messina
Outstanding Piano
Student
Leah Lee
Outstanding Principal Flute
Megal Alla
Outstanding Vocalist Award
Jeff Jin
Technical Theatre Award
Shannon Lynch
The Dance Director’s Award
Daniella Rodriguez
The Orchestra Director’s Award
Meghan Chia Yearbook Award
Sophia Fan and Michelle Lyu
PHOTOS TOP TO BOTTOM : History teacher Luis Murillo, Ph.D., delivers the faculty address; Seniors sing one of their last hymns in the Chapel; Jorik Dammann ’24; Cooper Gunnin ’24, with Head of School Chris Gunnin and the Rt. Rev. Kathryn M. Ryan, smiles as he receives his diploma.
Athletics Awards
The Don Cunningham Memorial Awards are presented to two Spartans who lettered in three sports in their senior year and demonstrated outstanding talent, leadership, dedication and sportsmanship. This year’s Cunningham Awards were presented to Kayla Fink and Charlie Jones.
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 2024 award recipients were William Schmidt, Delaney Halloran, Kayla Fink, Ben Krauss, Brodie Rodemacher, Elle Middleton, Harriet Crofut, Charlie Jones and Asha Williams
The Kristin Svahn Athletic Leadership Award is presented each year to two student-athletes who demonstrated exceptional leadership qualities through out Upper School. The 2024 Athletic Leadership Award was presented to Delaney Halloran and William Schmidt.
The 2024 National Interscholastic Cycling Association Recognition award recipients are Gatling Inman, Jared Ocelotl and Eli Goldberg
All SPC Award Winners
Cross-Country
Chloe Benardete
Field Hockey
Daisy Botkin
Kayla Fink
Football
Charlie Jones
William Schmidt
Chris Tapia
Lacrosse
Charlie Jones
Harrison Simms
Soccer
Phoebe George
Swimming and Diving
Deji Fafunwa
Max Lain
Patrick Lemuel
Faculty and Staff
Recognition
Tennis
Lucas Elkins
Julia Hurtado
Track and Field
Beltre Curtis
Phoebe George
Elle Middleton
At the end of the 2023-24 academic year, awards of excellence were presented to the following outstanding teachers and staff. Chioma Mba, math instructor, and Colleen Hynes, Ph.D., English department chair, were each awarded the Dean H. Towner Master Teaching Chair.
English Instructor Ben Hines ’91 received the Upper School
Teacher Excellence Award.
Custodian Gabriela Medina received the Staff Excellence Award
PHOTOS TOP TO BOTTOM : Kayla Fink ’24; Chansoo Hwang ’24, Gatling Inman ’24, Diego Atkins ’24 and Owen Brunson ’24; Evy Langdon ’24
PHOTOS TOP TO BOTTOM: Caroline Jones ’24, Carter Laws ’24, Sophie Saur ’24, Addison Starr ’24, Julia Havemann ’24 and Alice Wilkerson ’24 pose with their diplomas after the ceremony; Ronit Becktor ’24
Chris Gunnin and Chioma Mba
Colleen Hynes, Ph.D., and Chris Gunnin
Katherine Leigh and Ben Hines ’91
Katherine Leigh and Gabriela Medina
Middle School Closing Ceremony
St. Stephen’s celebrated its 74th annual Middle School Closing Ceremony on May 31. Seventy-one 8th grade students were promoted to Upper School, and a number of awards were given across the Middle School division. Not only were high awards presented to students, but English teacher Rachel Holiman also won the Teacher Excellence Award. Head of Middle School Magnus Maccow presented dozens of awards and certificates, and Head of School Chris Gunnin delivered remarks.
Chris Gunnin said, “We gather to celebrate the accomplishments of all our Middle School Spartans who have engaged in the life of our community, who have invested themselves in our programs and who have embraced the ideals, values, and habits of our community. Middle schoolers, we are very proud of the work you have done, the ways you have grown, and the skills and passions that you have developed this school year.”
Several students received important academic achievement awards.
The Academic Hall of Fame Award, which is presented to students who achieve High Honor Roll status each term for the three years of Middle School, was presented to Rajasi Agarwal ’28, Carmen Losada Sanchez ’28, Oliver McDaniel-Chang ’28, Hana Milosavljevic ’28, Ellie Ton ’28 and Emerson Yorio ’28 Hana Milosavljevic ’28, Maya Lawrence ’29 and Elizabeth McDaniel-Chang ’30 were recognized for their outstanding scholarship and for achieving the Highest Academic Standing in their class.
Named for the first head of Middle School, the Priscilla Foster Award recognizes an inspiring student leader with a can-do spirit and desire to help others. 8th-grader Nadine Benson ’28 was awarded the 2024 Priscilla Foster Award.
Axel Galicia Sanchez ’29 and Oliver Padalecki ’30 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 Finley Wilson ’29
The Middle School’s Spiritual Leadership Award was given to Bryce O’Sullivan ’28
The Anne Teel Athletics Award was presented to Sydney Durrett ’28, and the Hunter Paschall Athletics Award went to Cole Davenport ’28
PHOTOS TOP TO BOTTOM: Father Ed Thompson takes a selfie with students after the ceremony; Middle School Dean of Students Eileen Wilson poses with students
PHOTOS
1 The Class of 2028 8th grade picture
2 Bryce O’Sullivan ’28 and Enzo Lemieux ’28
3 A group of Middle School students after the ceremony
Alumni and students consider how St. Stephen’s has prepared them for successful lives after graduation
BY VICKI WOODRUFF
As Mahatma Gandhi perceptively said, “The future depends on what we do in the present.” With that in mind, what is St. Stephen’s doing now to help students plan their futures with confidence as they go forth from The Hill to the world? In a diverse and rapidly changing world beyond school, how does St. Stephen’s promote a love of learning and a spirit of service to help anchor students to lives of meaning and purpose? A blend of St. Stephen’s educators, an early-career professional and two 2024 graduates ponder these very questions.
CLAIRE FENTON ’93 P ’24 ’22 AND KIM GAREY P ’22 ’19 ’16
Kim Garey, incoming associate head of school for academics and student programs and current head of Upper School, member of the St. Stephen’s boarding community, and parent of three graduates, sparkles with animation as she discusses how St. Stephen’s prepares its students for the future. Add to the conversation Claire Fenton, director of college counseling, part of a three-generation St. Stephen’s family and mother of two graduates, and the conversation grows even livelier.
Both women agree that creating well-rounded and courageous students who are encouraged to discover their authentic selves is a key goal of a St. Stephen’s education. “The focus of education
here is to develop critical thinking in all classrooms, to think and write critically across the disciplines,” Garey notes. “This is not education that’s just about content (narrowly defined) but is about the entire thinking process.” She adds, “We also promote healthy relationships among peers and adults that prepare kids to be good people who go on to do good things in the world.”
St. Stephen’s intentionally offers well-designed STEM classes and a blend of electives. It also powers its program with core classes in the liberal arts to create thoughtful students who experience a balanced education, she explains.
Fenton adds, “We tap into our students’ common, shared humanity. If you go to school with this diverse collection of people and this mix of educated, interesting adults, you are learning about what it means to be human in this world together. That’s extraordinary.”
With three other college counselors, Fenton guides students as they explore life immediately beyond St. Stephen’s: college or sometimes gap years. “An impressive array of excellent colleges see the authentic, real students we turn out who have been empowered to look at the world with discerning eyes. Our students can think, write and speak about who they are and what they want.” That, she says, is exactly the goal.
Garey nods, adding, “We are preparing our kids to be successful at selective academic colleges. We’re appropriately challenging at the right level. College is hard!” The “magic of St. Stephen’s,” she asserts, is the blend of many different kinds of highly attuned adults with different personalities and styles. “There is an adult guide for everyone here.”
“Our kids leave here feeling empowered to be exactly who they are and to extend themselves into situations that are not comfortable and not easy. They’ve done the hard work here. They’re pretty confident they can try new things, and they’re not afraid to struggle for it,” Fenton comments.
Both agree: St. Stephen’s graduates are reflective thinkers, innovators and problem-solvers, students well prepared for the challenges and adventures of life beyond The Hill.
DR. TONISHA KEARNEY-RAMOS ’06
Dr. Tonisha Kearney-Ramos ’06 takes a moment to look back at St. Stephen’s, calling from her apartment in Manhattan. She is an assistant professor of clinical neurobiology (in psychiatry) at Columbia University Medical Center, where she is leading a multiyear research study into the use of multiple disciplines to develop new treatments for substance use disorders. These involve brain imaging, brain stimulation and behavioral pharmacology. Earlier in her career, she studied the disruption of working memory, a critical type of cognition responsible for decision-making and planning, both of which are often disrupted in SUDs and many other neuropsychiatric disorders. This knowledge forms the basis of her current research.
Her three years as a boarding student from 2003 to 2006 were critical in her becoming the researcher she is now, she says.
At St. Stephen’s, the motivated student discovered that she could not rely solely on her intellect. “I learned that I had to actually study. I had to push myself. I couldn’t just get by on gifts — I had to face the rigor,” she remembers. Now, she says, “I’m creating knowledge, developing knowledge.” She gives special credit to her teachers in the math and science departments in helping her develop the tenacity to face temporary roadblocks and the ability to delay gratification in favor of focused academic intensity.
Kearney-Ramos earned a B.S. from Tulane University and a Ph.D. from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, adding a postdoctoral fellowship at the Medical University of South Carolina, too.
“I also learned I need creative forces to thrive,” she says of her time as an artist and dancer at St. Stephen’s. She notes that the “generative energy” of the arts plays into her current work. “Clinical research allows you to combine academic work with
creative work to imagine something new, which is what my research calls on me to do.”
She continues, “And I didn’t realize how important being at a faith-based school was in helping my faith grow,” calling the Chapel the “glue” that binds St. Stephen’s together. Today her Christian faith is the foundation of her scientific and personal life. “It’s not true that science and faith do not overlap,” she asserts, laughing, then adding, “I’m not shy about saying so.”
In addition to her clinical research, she promotes diversity in representation in the biomedical sciences to create a more inclusive future in science education, with a special focus on helping minority students and faculty (especially junior faculty) find the resources they need to be successful. In this way, Kearney-Ramos is an important voice and actor in creating a more equitable future at the highest levels of academia in one of America’s most revered universities.
St. Stephen’s, she recalls with appreciation, gave her the skills she needed when she needed them, which was her “stepping stone,” as she calls it, to the life she leads now.
PHOEBE GEORGE ’24
Phoebe George ’24 exudes joie de vivre when she talks about her plans for the future. She is off to Connecticut’s Fairfield University as a public health major to study both the sciences and the humanities, take part in small discussion-based classes, play soccer, pursue social justice work and still have time for friends and extracurricular activities. And that, she says, sounds just like St. Stephen’s.
The Austin native with seven generations linked to the same Texas ranch comes from a family of social justice activists, attorneys and “argumentative people who have lively debates,” she says, so enrolling at St. Stephen’s was a natural match for her. “I like that St. Stephen’s has taught me not just ways to view the world but also how to have an impact on the world.”
George thrived at St. Stephen’s, and her strong humanities base has opened the door, she says, to her interest in public health. Her
Phoebe George ’24, Alice Wilkerson ’24, Sophie Saur ’24 and Kayla Patel ’24 at the Senior Picnic
Phoebe George ’24 and Asha Williams ’24 at the 2024 Powder Puff Games
senior independent project in medical science especially intrigued her. The St. Stephen’s Alumni Office paired George with alumni from a variety of specialties in the medical field whom she had the opportunity to shadow. “I’ve talked to these doctors and have seen the same ‘St. Stephen’s thinking’ at work — an outlook and way to view the world.” What impressed her, she recounts, was how these doctors became not just excellent practitioners but also good people.
George reflects on her time at St. Stephen’s: meeting friends and trusting teachers, playing center-back in the Soccer Academy, singing in the SparTONES (an informal all-senior a cappella group), starting a mock trial club, taking part in Student Government, cooking and camping with friends, hanging out on The Hill and so much more.
And that, she says, is the life she wants for her future: unfolding opportunities and a sense of zest and balance each day.
THOMAS GROFF-BARRAGAN ’24
Thomas Groff-Barragan ’24 is a whirlwind of ideas and actions oriented toward film, friends, food and the future. The graduate praises St. Stephen’s for the support he received as he has matured over the years and also for its academic, creative and sports opportunities.
Groff-Barragan, who holds three passports (American, Colombian and French) has attended schools in France, Romania, Ukraine and Spain (for culinary arts). But he has called St. Stephen’s home for four years — in his words, “a true home,” with abundant support from the International Office staff in particular.
He says the writing-intensive approach, especially in his English and history classes, pushed him in areas from screenwriting to essay work and more, ramping up his readiness for both analytic and creative challenges ahead and giving him confidence as he prepares for his freshman year at Wesleyan University in Connecticut.
He hopes to create a “both/and” type of future rather than an “either/or” one. “I want to keep open doors,” he says, adding that St. Stephen’s has given him an ability to “imagine different options” as he matures. An avid athlete, he moved from the St. Stephen’s Tennis Academy to varsity-level tennis and the Soccer Academy as his interests evolved.
Film studies in particular ignited his curiosity and allowed him to be inventive and connect to a true passion: cooking. He helped create a loving and respectful documentary about the St. Stephen’s dining services staff members. He also was involved in a number of other experimental films, documentaries and mockumentaries (one about peanut butter and jelly sandwiches). His favorite ritual at school was Taco Tuesday, when he and a few St. Stephen’s friends invited guests to taquerias around Austin and then talked and laughed together. One special guest? Film teacher Mike Dolan, who was a steady mentor and guide for Groff-Barragan.
What does tomorrow hold for him? Potentially many things. That’s what he’s hoping for, and that’s what his St. Stephen’s education has prepared him for. He, like many other alumni, can look ahead with clear thinking, buoyant resilience and a solid sense of self as he greets his future with confidence.
Thomas Groff-Barragan ’24 shares his “Taco Toosday” Senior Offering in Chapel
Thomas Groff-Barragan ’24 (center) with coaches and friends
Dr. Tonisha Kearney-Ramos '06 working with her lab equipment and a student at Columbia University Medical Center
Endowed Teaching Chairs
In 2023, St. Stephen’s initiated a new model for endowed teaching chairs, giving donors an opportunity to establish an endowed teaching chair with a gift of $500,000 or more.
The endowment fund provides supplementary salary support to the recipient during their time as chair. Additionally, the fund provides general faculty salary line support.
“As a school, St. Stephen’s has prospered from having many veteran teachers who have shown great dedication to their craft, often over a period of many years,” says Wallis Goodman, dean of faculty. “In ways that few other things can, endowed chairs give the school a chance to recognize its teachers’ excellence and dedication.”
St. Stephen’s is in the advanced gifts phase of an ambitious comprehensive campaign, and increasing endowment support for faculty is a key campaign priority. Thus far, four new chairs have been established with gifts of $2.3 million.
Chair awardees are selected by Head of School Chris Gunnin in consultation with the senior administrator overseeing the division, the senior administrator overseeing the academic program, the director of diversity and inclusion, and the dean of faculty.
“The single most defining quality of great schools is excellent teaching,” says Chris Gunnin. “When I speak with alumni and current St. Stephen’s students, they are clear that teachers have a profound impact on them and inspire them to become better thinkers and leaders as well as more compassionate and fulfilled humans. At the same time, we are facing a national teaching shortage, and teachers around the country are facing morale challenges. The ability to award endowed teaching chairs will allow the school to recruit, retain and recognize the folks on this campus who deliver the mission of St. Stephen’s. I am extremely grateful to the generous donors who have helped ensure that teaching excellence will be a part of St. Stephen’s future in perpetuity.”
THE LAURA CAMP ENDOWED FACULTY CHAIR
To be awarded in the 2024-25 academic year Laura Camp was a beloved teacher, mentor and dedicated Spartan. In the fall of 1971, Laura began a 40-year teaching career at St. Stephen’s, where she lived on campus, served as a dorm parent and was an Upper School history teacher. Established by Laura Camp’s estate, former students and friends, this endowment honors her service to the school and supports a teaching chair to continue her legacy of teaching excellence. The awardee may be in any discipline.
THE MARY CRAWFORD WOLFF ’58 ENDOWED TEACHING CHAIR IN ENGLISH
To be awarded in the 2024-25 academic year
The Wolff Family Foundation is honoring Mary Crawford Wolff ’58 with this chair dedicated to teaching excellence in English. A lifelong learner and educator, Mary felt that the faculty at St. Stephen’s helped ignite and develop her love of exploration, learning and diversity. Mary was a vibrant and spiritual person, and her life and interests embody St. Stephen’s mission to empower students to live a life of meaning that enriches the world. Her legacy extends to her three grandchildren who are current students at
St. Stephen’s: Clara Rogers ’25, Story Rogers ’28 and Crawford Rogers ’30.
It is the foundation’s hope that this gift will serve to recognize the past faculty that impacted Mary’s life as well as the current teachers who continue to make our school such a unique place. The awardee must be an English instructor.
THE HENNA FAMILY ENDOWED TEACHING CHAIR FOR THE HUMANITIES
To be awarded in the 2028-29 academic year
Established by Louis Henna Jr. ’64 and Marci Henna, Patricia Henna Rowe ’89 and Mark Rowe ’88, and Elizabeth Henna ’87 and Tim Commons, this
fund supports an endowed teaching chair dedicated to teaching excellence in the humanities. The awardee may be in any of the humanities disciplines.
G.R. WHITE TRUST ENDOWED LIBERAL ARTS TEACHING CHAIR
To be awarded in the 2028-29 academic year
Established by the G.R. White Trust, this fund supports an endowed teaching chair dedicated to teaching excellence in the liberal arts. The awardee may be in any of the liberal arts disciplines.
Growing a Generation of Visionaries and Independent Thinkers
St. Stephen’s Students Harness the Power of Yes, as Instructors Inspire Them to Explore, Create and Discover Something New
BY CATENYA MCHENRY
Throughout the life of many teenagers, the word “no” is something they have likely heard on repeat. At St. Stephen’s, students often have an opposite experience — the word “yes” is commonplace. Hearing yes is transformative and means a student’s good idea is nourished and given space to grow and blossom.
“St. Stephen’s faculty have an extraordinary commitment to our students,” says Head of School Chris Gunnin. “So often, when students need a faculty sponsor to start a new club or to explore an independent project, the answer is a resounding “Yes!”
Independent study is an essential aspect of a St. Stephen’s education. Each year, Upper School students are presented with a number of opportunities to explore and pursue ideas they are interested in and passionate about. These initiatives encourage students to think beyond their own needs, to inspire one another and to apply what they have learned in the classroom to make a positive difference in our world.
SENIOR INDEPENDENT PROJECTS
During the fall semester, seniors are afforded a chance to pursue a project that piques their curiosity. As part of the process, interested seniors submit an application and an initial proposal for consideration.
“It’s not for every senior, but we definitely have around 20 that apply every year,” says Jodi Blount, Ph.D., fine arts and piano instructor and director of the Senior Independent Projects (SIP) program.
A small committee of faculty and staff members reviews the applications and chooses projects that can advance. If selected, students are able to complete two of their academic classes early, five weeks before graduation, so they can use that time to focus on their senior project. Proposals in 2023 included a political podcast about young voters to a short film, an interactive storytelling doll, new murals for the Chapel and more.
Designed by former college counselor Jonah O’Hara, Blount says the goal of the
program is to give self-motivated students time to take risks and explore something outside daily classes and extracurriculars.
“There’s no grade and there are no tests,” says Blount. “They’re free to explore, and it’s a neat way to view what’s ahead for them.”
Blount says that as students formulate their ideas, she wants them to think beyond the boundaries of St. Stephen’s.
“I really encourage them to go find
The St. Stephen’s community is grateful to Colleen and Frank Trabold P ’14, ’11, ’09, whose gifts to the Trabold Taste of Tomorrow Endowment support the impactful SIP program.
Artist Jerry Zhang ’24 applies the finishing touches to his senior independent project Chapel murals.
someone who is an expert outside St. Stephen’s, to work with community members just to get a different perspective,” says Blount.
Asha Williams ’24, entering her freshman year at the University of California, Berkeley, with plans to major in political science, produced a political podcast that explores why it is important for her peers not only to understand the political process and the issues but also to exercise their right to vote this year. Her three episodes cover politics, women’s issues and an interview with an Austin city leader.
“This is my first year voting. I turn 18 right before the election, and when I try and look at election information for all the different elections, I just kind of get lost. And I feel like a lot of people feel that way too,” says Williams. “I thought, ‘What can I do about this?’ because I have always been very outspoken, I love to share my opinion, I love to hear other people’s opinions. I think the most powerful tool we have is our voice.”
Artist Jerry Zhang ’24, who plans to study art at Rhode Island School of Design, painted two new captivating and colorful murals for the Chapel that tell a story of personal and academic growth.
Mentored by alum and Austin-based artist, illustrator and muralist William Hatch Crosby ’05, Zhang wanted to leave a lasting impression at St. Stephen’s.
“I really wanted to leave a part of my legacy at the school,” says Zhang. “Ms. Zepeda (fine arts and visual arts instructor) earlier in the year had conversations with us as an art class about working on new paintings for the Chapel. And so I just thought, ‘Why not take this opportunity to both leave something behind and also inspire upcoming artists?’” says Zhang.
JUNIOR AND SENIOR SCIENCE PROJECTS
Student-produced projects carry over into core subjects like science. Electronics and Robotics Instructor Troy Lanier teaches the Projects in Science and Technology class, which allows students to take on a yearlong STEM project of their choice. Students imagine and pitch 10 ideas and, together with Lanier, they choose one to pursue.
“It’s intentionally a class in which students build things. And in that process, they learn about project management, part
sourcing and presenting their ideas,” says Lanier. “Akin to the software and hardware industry, we use ‘sprints’ to measure progress instead of having traditional tests.”
Lanier explains two other unique features of the class. “First, unlike an independent study in which a student works on the project alone and then returns to the teacher/sponsor with results, this class meets every day in the rotation with a teacher present. Second, and most unique, we infuse the class with scientific, technology and engineering principles,” says Lanier.
With Lanier’s guidance, students develop their ideas from a pencil sketch on paper to design, prototype and full product operation — all while incorporating different skills and knowledge acquired from previous Middle and Upper School robotics, biology, chemistry and engineering classes. For example, a student might need to manage voltage and current, as they learned in electronics class, or use the concept of torque from physics, or implement coding skills from computer science class.
Lanier talks through a couple of projects set up in the classroom in Hines Hall.
“One of our students is basically making
Lainey Leslie ’25 (below) adjusts her designed, built and coded pink handheld video game device.
Asha Williams ’24 records an episode of her SIP podcast focused on politics and voting rights.
A student designed and constructed a Zen sand table complete with a robot hidden underneath that magnetically moves a ball through the sand.
a computer from scratch — wiring her own clock module and using the original 6502 CPU chip. It’s similar to an original Apple II computer, and she’s learning to program in machine language,” says Lanier.
“Another student is building a Zen sand table with a hidden robot underneath that magnetically moves a ball through the sand,” says Lanier. “While the ball seems to have autonomy, it doesn’t. It’s following an algorithm. Part of the project involved the student using her microcontroller skills from robotics class as well as new programming skills, like how to program a Raspberry Pi single-board computer. This knowledge will be applicable when she majors in electrical engineering at The University of Texas at Austin next year.”
Harrison Oddo ’24, who has been accepted to Columbia University, built a high-end hydroponics system that could be potentially viable in the St. Stephen’s Dining Hall to grow mini vegetable and fruit plants on site. Harrison is a member of the Green Goblins environmental club and thought this would be a fun project to tackle. He plans to experiment with radishes and then graduate to tomatoes.
“I’ve been working more recently on using information that I’ve learned in Chemistry I and Chemistry II on pH and how to balance liquid solutions,” says Oddo. “Specific plants live in a range of pH that is comfortable for them, and a little too much acid stunts their growth or prevents them from growing at all. There are a lot of different systems you can buy that only cost a couple hundred dollars and you’ll get something and it works. But I think there’s something more valuable in making it yourself,” says Oddo.
“[Harrison] has built a whole control box for it, and the control box needed fuses in it because of possible current overload,” says Lanier. “So we’re talking about Ohm’s law, we’re talking about amperage and possible fuses that he needed for power management for that system. It’s more than simply putting together PVC; he had to figure out flow calculations, and he used a microcontroller to receive data from the system and then make modifications.”
Inspired by the Nintendo DS and Gameboy Advanced from the late 1980s and early 2000s, Lainey Leslie ’25 designed, built and coded a pink handheld video game with music, graphics and a number of characters. It works much like
the game Guitar Hero, except Leslie 3D printed tiny heart-shaped yellow and pink buttons with a very specific gamer in mind.
“This is a big project because it’s got a lot of software and hardware,” says Leslie. “On the software side, I coded the game from scratch. I didn’t use a game engine; it’s all text. It’s all code. I wrote it in Lua, which is a programming language that is really beautiful.”
Leslie says she wanted to build an ergonomic piece just for women, as women are often ignored in the tech and gaming industry.
“When I was in elementary school, I went to this summer camp called Girls Make Games, and I fell in love with it,” says Leslie. “These past couple summers, I’ve been going back as a counselor and helping teach. And when I came to make my project, I wanted to make something for the girls that they would think was really funny and cute.”
Leslie’s and Oddo’s projects are just two of a multitude of other student-led projects under Lanier’s guidance throughout his tenure at St. Stephen’s. In addition to the projects themselves, Lanier is equally excited about observing his students’ growth from middle school until now. He points to photographs of Oddo in 8th grade and Leslie in 6th grade, when they were learning basic science principles.
“It’s kind of fun to see [Harrison] in 8th grade come through the whole program, and now he’s here building something that’s electrically based,” says Lanier. Lanier speaks about these projects ,and others with joyful enthusiasm, and his
love for teaching the subject matter is infectious. He says that what his students are learning today measures up with courses in higher education institutions. To keep his students motivated and focused on their next chapter, Lanier shares stories of previous successful projects that have emerged from this class.
From a student-designed, fully operational food delivery robot to an astronomy radio that detects the Milky Way, Lanier sees these science projects and the Projects in Science and Technology class as a gateway to the future.
“While we’re a college prep school, we’re also preparing kids for life,” says Lanier. “We’re a school that celebrates what it means to be human, and like it or not, the human experience is largely defined by technology today, sometimes for better and sometimes not. Having an understanding of how technology works equips us all to understand the human experience as we live it today,” says Lanier.
Electronics and Robotics Instructor Troy Lanier stands next to student Harrison Oddo ’24, who designed, built and wired a fully operational hydroponics system.
Honoring Our Spartan Retirees
The St. Stephen’s community includes a number of talented and devoted retiring faculty and staff members who have given decades of service. This year’s retirees served our campus for a collective 140 years. Although their presence on campus will be missed, their inspiring legacy is long-lasting. St. Stephen’s wishes each of these Spartans good health and great happiness as they embark on their next chapter.
CYNTHIA BARTEK’s 17-year tenure at St. Stephen’s included a stint in the classroom and, most recently, serving as head librarian. Bartek previously taught Upper School English 10 and developed the curriculum for the Middle School Information Literacy class, which she has taught to 6th graders since 2008. Bartek is a member of the Curriculum Committee, and the Yearly Theme Committee and leads the Parent and Alumni Book Group, which has met monthly in the library for many years.
Whether it is helping students conduct research in the library, moderating a lively book group discussion or planning a schoolwide Literary Festival to promote writing in its many forms, Bartek leads with competence and grace. She is an exemplary colleague and mentor to all who work with her.
“I’m so thankful for the caring and endlessly interesting group of people who form this community!” says Bartek. “St. Stephen’s has challenged me to be a
better person in many ways. I have always appreciated the school’s foundational principles and its emphasis on hearing and respecting all its members. I have also enjoyed the chance to grow professionally and to attempt to create a library environment that meets the current needs of our community. I’m grateful that I’ve had a terrific team to work with in Becker Library! I will deeply miss the eventful and busy school days.”
CATHY CRANE has served in a number of roles since her first days on campus in 2008. Crane has worked in college counseling and in fine arts.
In 2019, Crane helped coordinate a number of aspects of the Independent Schools Association of the Southwest Arts Festival when St. Stephen’s hosted.
Crane later worked as the college counseling office manager and Advanced Placement coordinator and most recently worked in the Fine Arts Department, where she assisted with Scholastic Arts and Writing awards and yearbook. Crane
DJ Jackson sits next to his wife, Cynthia Roland, at a heartfelt ceremony in December 2023 honoring his 30 years of service.
Cynthia Bartek, 17 years
Cathy Crane, 16 years
helped manage more than 1,700 art piece entries each year. She also assisted with data management.
Crane recalls a multitude of memories she will take with her into retirement: “The rapid chatter and pounding feet that herald the release of Middle School lunch; the beauty of the art, music, dance, theater and film produced on campus; the amazing privilege of witnessing senior offerings in Chapel and senior toasts at the retreat, and the profound beauty of the thick, silent fog that can cover The Hill at 6 in the morning,” said Crane.
DE WAYNE “DJ” JACKSON was described as a lively St. Stephen’s member who brought his dedication, positive energy and passion to campus every day and lived up to his name by turning into a music DJ, creating playlists for everyone to rock out to while standing in the lunch line.
Jackson has served St. Stephen’s for the past 30 years, have started his career in 1994. During a Chapel service where Jackson’s legacy was celebrated, a number of people shared stories, and good memories from the past 30 years. Dean of Faculty Wallis Goodman shared nostalgic snapshots, alumni Chula Robertson ’09 and Rose Robertson ’06 told heartwarming stories and Apollo Percussion lined up for a final performance together — which included Jackson playing the congas. Seniors Kamau Brame ’24 and Kevin Kimazi ’24 also surprised Jackson by holding up a large “Happy Retirement” banner, which included his name and years of service.
GALE PEÑA, accounts receivable manager, has seen a multitude of changes
during her 21-year tenure on The Hill. When she arrived in 2003, Peña worked in the library four days a week and in the business office, handling payroll and accounts payable. Most recently, Peña oversaw student billing and assisted thousands of domestic and international families with navigating the tuition payment process. When asked which St. Stephen’s memories she’ll cherish most, she mentions her colleagues. “The business office team has been an anchor and inspiration through the best of times and through difficult times,” said Peña. She will always be grateful for how her team has supported and cared for each other.
Peña’s husband, Louis, also previously worked at St. Stephen’s, operating the dining hall from 1995 to 2005. Their two children are St. Stephen’s alumni. Their daughter, Veronica (Ronnie) ’08, is an assistant professor at Arizona State University, teaching neuroscience and psychology, and their son, Elliot ’11, works on campus as the operations assistant.
MARCELINA RODRIGUEZ has given 22 years of service to St. Stephen’s. She worked for 15 years in housekeeping, and for the last seven years, she has done a phenomenal job serving the entire SSES community in the Dining Hall. Rodriguez’s daughter, Rosa Rodriguez, worked alongside her mom in the Dining Hall.
“I’m blessed to be her daughter,” said Rosa. “She is a very wonderful woman as a mother, as a sister, as a friend.”
KAREN SMITH has given excellent care to boarding and day students as a nurse in the St. Stephen’s Health Center for 14 years. Her greatest strength is offering immediate and crucial student
support. Working in shifts as part of the nursing team, Smith and her colleagues have provided 24/7 care while school is in session, including driving students to off-campus appointments and attending a number of 7th grade retreats. In addition to her nursing skills, Smith is also a writer, and while she expressed that she will miss “some very special students, faculty and especially her nursing co-workers,” she is looking forward to resting and writing.
“I think I will resume writing and hopefully return to sketching,” says Smith. “I want to start pedaling my bike again and would love resting for a while before making more decisions.”
CHARLES WARLICK ’83 first came to St. Stephen’s as a 7th grader in 1977. He later returned to The Hill to teach Upper School French in 2004. In addition to French, Warlick taught Spanish I and expanded his skills on the field as a crosscountry coach in 2004 and 2005.
Warlick has given decades of service and dedication to the school and its students. As an official Quiz Bowl sponsor, he provided a space for curious students to compete in statewide competitions and to square off against St. Stephen’s faculty. Warlick has modeled intellectual curiosity and the need to understand multiple perspectives when facing important issues.
“One of the things that I will miss most about life on campus is meeting so many people at seated lunch (as opposed to free seating) whom I would otherwise not have had an opportunity to get to know,” says Warlick. “Not many people will admit that they like assigned seating, but I am one of them.”
Gale Peña, 21 years
Marcelina Rodriguez, 22 years Karen Smith, 14 years
Charles Warlick ’83, 20 years
Thanking Our Outgoing Trustees
Beth Ozmun P ’09
joined the board of trustees in 2012 and has served a total of 11 years in countless capacities: on the Campus, Head’s Evaluation and Audit committees; as secretary of the board; as chair of the Governance Committee and as executive chair and as co-chair of the Head’s Search and Transition committees. As of January 2024, Ozmun has completed her service as a trustee and transitioned to the role of chancellor, where she remains an ex officio member of the board.
“It’s been an incredibly rewarding experience to serve on the board in several roles over the years and to have had the opportunity and the honor to work with a dedicated group of people who are each deeply committed to the St. Stephen’s mission and to its community.”
Katherine Leigh P ’26 ’28 served as the 2023-24 Parents’ Association president. During her time on the board, she served on the Advancement Committee. With more than two decades of experience as a pediatric speechlanguage pathologist, Leigh has worked with children in a variety of settings and presented workshops on early speech and language development, disability criteria and autism. She has volunteered at her church, at her her children’s schools and with community organizations. Leigh and her husband, Van, are the proud parents of Edison ’26 and Elliott ’28.
“The opportunity to represent parents on the SSES Board of Trustees has been an honor and a truly rewarding experience.”
The Rev. Al Rodriguez
joined the board of trustees for a second term in 2021 and served on the Governance Committee. His first board term was in 1993. Father Al is one of the principal founders of El Buen Samaritano, an Episcopal social and human needs ministry in its 37th year of service to the Austin, Texas, community. He also served as the Director of the Hispanic Ministry Studies program at Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, his alma mater. Since retiring from parish ministry, he has been a consultant to the Office of Latino/ Hispanic Ministries of the Episcopal Church, a national program dedicated to equipping congregational and diocesan leaders to reach out to multigenerational Latinos across the country.
“It was an honor to have served on a board that includes trustees who have been formed and prepared for leadership by the very institution they now help steer with loving care and guiding determination.”
Julie Buckthal Person ’71 P ’01
’99 joined the board of trustees in 2018. During her board tenure, she chaired the Governance Committee and served on the Executive Committee. She attended St. Stephen’s as a boarding student from Amarillo, Texas, and returned to The Hill from 1977 to 1984 to teach drama, English and anthropology. Buckthal’s children, Natalie Heberling ’99 and Paul Heberling ’01, were born while Buckthal lived on campus as a member of the residential life team.
“My six years on the board have been incredibly interesting and gratifying. I am so impressed with — and proud of — our school leaders, our faculty and staff, and my fellow board members. They bring astounding intellect, wisdom, creativity, compassion, dedication and energy bring every single day. Our beloved school is in excellent hands!”
Gratitude for Our Parents’ Association
The St. Stephen’s Parents’ Association is dedicated to supporting the entire school community, with a laser focus on enriching academic, spiritual, social, extracurricular, residential and family experiences. During the 2023-24 academic year, the association accomplished that goal through a robust program of regular events and activities. The volunteer opportunities included providing students with treats between classes; hosting dozens of coffees and socials as well as Gratitude on The Hill, cultural celebrations and the Spartan block party; volunteering at book fairs; organizing campus cookouts; scheduling guest speakers for small-group meetings to encourage meaningful discussions about the diverse St. Stephen’s community; providing athletic and fine arts booster support; and so much more. Many thanks are due to the numerous parent volunteers for all the ways they have contributed their time, talents and energy to the incredible success at St. Stephen’s.
Lunar New Year
Gratitude on The Hill Chair Dr. Mary Ann Ramirez P ’28 and 2023-24 Parents' Association President Katherine Leigh P ’26 ’28
Parent volunteers Cora Sharma P ’30, Munira Bhaidani P ’28 ’29 and Shahin Chauthani P ’24 help the community celebrate Diwali.
Sophomore parents provided special treats for Valentine's Day.
Parents volunteer in the Becker Library at the Grand Day Book Fair.
PHOTOS
SSTX LIFE
1 Middle School faculty members Miriam Murtuza, Tania Gil, Drew Smith, Chioma Mba and Sally Arambel handing out Moon Pies
2 Science Department Chair Frank Mikan in his classroom explaining the total solar eclipse
3 Moment of totality captured by Chris Caselli ’82
4 Aliza Chauthani ’24 and Kamsi Mba ’24 enjoying the watch party
5 6th graders, faculty and staff on the airstrip at the LBJ Ranch
6 6th grade girls posing in front of the photo wall in the NASA tent
Total Solar Eclipse ... on The Hill
In April, Spartans enjoyed the historic moment of totality with epic eclipsethemed events on The Hill, which included specially themed Chapel services led by Science Department Chair Frank Mikan, eating Moon Pies and wearing special T-shirts designed by Isabella Ratcliff ’24 and Nicholas Chen ’24. Science instructors passed out more than 700 pairs of solar eclipse glasses, while a custom playlist of eclipse-themed songs — selected by Mikan — blasted on the speakers. In the days leading up to the monumental minutes of darkness, more than 100 alumni, parents, faculty and staff joined a live Q&A with Mikan, who explained the natural phenomenon.
Katie Krauss ’26, Asha Williams ’24 and Delaney Halloran ’24 grab a comfortable spot on The Hill for the eclipse.
at the LBJ Ranch
By special invitation to the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park, Spartan 6th graders took a bus trip to Stonewall, Texas, to experience totality together. Students witnessed the rare event while standing in awe on the famous airstrip where President Johnson landed during and after his presidency. NASA scientists were on hand, and St. Stephen’s alum Mary Orms ’19, who works at the ranch, was also a part of the day’s educational crew.
Inaugural Holi on The Hill Celebration
Sponsored by the St. Stephen’s Indian Affinity Group, Spartans gathered after school Friday, March 22, to celebrate Holi, which marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring as well as honoring the symbolic triumph of good over evil.
“It felt so wonderful to be part of a community that values such diverse celebrations and a community of students, parents and faculty that also want to learn about these different celebrations.”
— AVANI PARIKH VIJE P ’28 ’31
Grand Day
In March, we welcomed grandparents and guests to The Hill to honor the special bond they have with our students. The day’s events included visiting classrooms, participating in lessons, attending Chapel and eating lunch in the Dining Hall. Grands were treated to special performances by the Madrigals, the Middle School choir and the Upper School orchestra, and guests had a chance to shop at a special book fair in Becker Library.
Theology Instructor Jim Woodruff led a group of students through a meditation exercise, one of more than two dozen activities to celebrate Earth Day.
Payton Curry ’28 and her Grand Day guest
Athena Toba-Kieth ’29 and Maya Lawrence ’29 with Grand Day guests
8th Grade Annual
Big Bend Trip
Spartan 8th graders made their annual pilgrimage to Big Bend National Park in the spring. Plucked out of their west Austin environs and plopped in West Texas, the 8th graders had their first adventure paddling Rio Grande from La Cuesta to Madera Canyon. The biggest challenge came while hiking the Southwest Rim in the Chisos Mountains — a 13.5-mile round-trip expedition with over 2,000 feet of elevation gain. At the top, they were rewarded with an open view of nearly the entire sweep of the Rio Grande River.
Find more nature shots on page 48.
A group of 8th graders pose for a picture at the Chisos Basin Trailhead.
Rohan Vije ’28 and Hanson Zhao ’28
Hana Milosavljevic ’28 and Setara Manasa ’28
Alina Bunch ’25, Leela Weisser ’25, Isa Whiteley Bermeo ’25 and Jade Wong ’25 enjoy boba tea at the “What a Wonderful World” International Festival in February.
Josh Goldenberg ’27 dazzles the crowd at the International Festival.
MLK Day Events
Traditionally, St. Stephen’s schedules a full day of campus activities for students on Martin Luther King Jr. Day that align with the civil rights leader’s mission of love and service. The events were initiated by Yvonne Adams, former basketball coach and director of equity and inclusion. Inclement weather forced our school to close on the January holiday, and the day’s guest speakers, including GRAMMY-nominated musician and inspirational speaker SaulPaul, chief catalyst at With Respect Consulting Dr. Gene Batiste and Austin gospel group Christopher D. Spivey & Co., graciously rescheduled their campus visits for a date later in the spring.
The Rev. Becca Stevens
In April, St. Stephen’s opened our campus to the Austin community to be inspired by The Rev. Becca Stevens. She was the inaugural keynote speaker for the Dr. Ralph G. and Virginia Gallaher Maurer ’64 Endowment for the Advancement of Christian Ethics. Stevens is an Episcopal priest, author and social entrepreneur who has dedicated her life to fostering holistic healing for women survivors of human trafficking, addiction, prostitution and exploitation.
In November, St. Stephen’s welcomed members of the esteemed Stanley King Institute as part of the Brooke Howe Laws Endowed Speaker Series, which focuses on social, emotional and character development for the community. Dr. Roland David, Dr. Paula Chu and Dr. Melanie Drane shared insights with faculty, staff and parents on how to practice deep listening with a focus on listening to understand.
SaulPaul
Christopher D. Spivey & Co.
Dr. Gene Batiste
Congratulations to our 2024 National Merit Scholarship winner, Jorik Dammann ’24. As a Merit Scholar, Dammann received a $2,500 college scholarship for academic excellence. Scholarship winners were chosen from a talent pool of more than 15,000 nationwide high school finalists in the 2024 National Merit Scholarship program.
Track and Field Records Set During Spring SPC
The Spartan girls’ 4x100 and 4x400-meter champion relay team (Gabi Curtis ’26, Kennedy Lartigue ’27, Tristan Lovell ’25 and Elle Middleton ’24) took the Southwest Preparatory Conference Championships meet in Dallas by storm, winning both races and breaking both school records in the two events. The two finishes led the entire girls’ team to a third-place overall finish — the Spartans’ highest place on the podium since 2001.
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St. Stephen’s Upper School students joined thousands of others at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School in Southwest Austin for the annual Independent Schools Association of the Southwest Fine Arts Festival. The event showcases the best art, music and dance performances from students representing schools in Arizona, Kansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. More than 3,000 students attended in 2024.
members of the St. Stephen’s Class of 2024 each signed a National Letter of Intent to continue their sports careers in college in the fall — the most in school history in one year. These outstanding student-athletes have worked hard not only in the classroom but also in their athletic pursuits.
Solange Barbier ’24
Daisy Botkin ’24
Kamau Brame ’24
Bethany Butler ’24
Salvador Castaneda IV ’24
Jorik Dammann ’24
Kayla Fink ’24
Phoebe George ’24
Kevin Kimazi ’24
MK Lutz ’24
Kayla Patel ’24
Hannah Simmonds ’24
Harrison Simms ’24
Evan Yang ’24
National Chinese Essay Contest Winners
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Spartans won in the 20th annual National Chinese Essay Writing Competition. They participated in the intermediate-level division as nonheritage Chinese speakers. Each student was enrolled in Chinese V and Chinese Independent Studies classes and wrote essays entirely in Chinese characters about their chosen topic.
Gold Award Winners: Salvador Castañeda ’24, Rebecca Cole ’25, Julia Havemann ’24 (second year in a row)
Gabi Curtis ’26, Tristan Lovell ’25, Kennedy Lartigue ’27 and Elle Middleton ’24
A New Endowment for Rural Texas Students Opens a World of Opportunity
An alum from the Class of 1964 gives back in hopes of helping other students who have a similar background
BY CLAY NICHOLS
IMAGINE THIS: IT’S THE LATE 1950S, a principal or superintendent — one Mr. Martin — patrols the halls of a school in a tiny Texas town. Dime Box or Paris or Alice, maybe. Brady, let’s call it. Out of the corner of his eye, Mr. Martin spies a child slipping stealthily out through a classroom door, clearly skipping class.
Mr. Martin pursues, and, to his surprise, the child heads directly to ... the library? Of all places. As the stunned Mr. Martin observes, the child steps confidently behind the librarian’s desk — as if on duty, as if he owns the place — pulls out a book he had stashed there and begins to read.
Mr. Martin knows the boy, whip smart, observant, completely uninterested in sports. Not typical. He knows the parents, too. Established local ranchers with a long history in the area, educated people. Also not typical. The next day he calls them into his small office in the public school in Brady, Texas and tells them, “Mr. and Mrs. Wulff, I’m proud of our school, but Bart needs something more.”
The family consulted an Episcopal priest, who recommended a new possibility unlike anything else available for young Bart Wulff ’64 — an Episcopal coeducational boarding school on a remote hill outside Austin.
Since the school’s founding, variations of this story have taken place in dozens of small towns all across the state of Texas. Most have some elements in common — a gifted child, a caring counselor, parents who value education — all ending at the doors of the boarding program at St. Stephen’s Episcopal School. Serving boarding students from rural Texas was central to Bishop John Hines’ founding vision for the school. As Wulff puts it, “When Bishop Hines started the school, really the core idea was that [it] was to provide a mechanism whereby bright kids in Texas who needed a better place for their secondary school
education could go and could learn the sort of things that Bishop Hines thought were important, which [are] the values that the school still professes.”
These days, in pursuit of the goal of a diverse and thriving boarding school, Associate Head of School for Enrollment Management Lawrence Sampleton and his team circle the globe in search of qualified students. As a result, the school now has students from seven states and 19 countries. As any campus resident can tell you, we live in a global village. Texans, 46 of them representing 23 communities, still make up the largest geographic constituency in the boarding program. But as a percentage, the number of Texans from small towns has declined since the 1950s and ’60s, becoming vanishingly small.
In hopes of reversing this trend and in alignment with St. Stephen’s strategic goal to increase the enrollment of domestic boarding students from Texas, Bart Wulff ’64 and the G.R. White Trust established the Endowment for Financial Aid for Rural Texas Students.
This new endowment allows the school to uphold its our commitment of inclusion while serving a student population central to the school’s founding. This brings the school closer to Hines’ vision by providing the admission team with more resources to attract these students.
Because in some small Texas town, maybe Dime Box or Paris or Brady, there’s a kid reading a book in the library like she owns the place. With the help of the Endowment for Financial Aid for for Rural Texas Students, she just might become a future Spartan.
To date, donors have committed nearly $900,000 in gifts and pledges. If you are interested in participating or learning more, please contact Director of Advancement April Speck-Ewer at aspeckewer@sstx.org or 512.327.1213 x 118.
Bart Wulff ’64
An aerial view of the St. Stephen’s campus facing west in the 1950s
YOU BELIEVED
Class of $1.8 MILLION 2030 22%
HIGHEST RATE OF PARENT PARTICIPATION
INCREASE IN ALUMNI GIVING RAISED as of June 12
Thank you for believing in and supporting the leaders, trailblazers and stewards.
THANKS TO THE GENEROSITY OF DONORS LIKE YOU, gifts to the Annual Fund set a new record in support of our dedicated students and faculty.
We are grateful to our more than 1,000 donors. We are also grateful for the leadership of our Annual Fund committee members and the support, time and commitment they gave to the Annual Fund. We especially thank Laura and Bryan Burkhart P ’28 ’26 ’24, our 202324 parent chairs, for their leadership in raising a record $1.05 million from the parent community. Thank you for ensuring The Hill remains a truly special place to learn and live, for both today’s students and future generations.
The Annual Fund is the school’s highest fundraising priority, as it helps to offset the cost of educating each student by supporting academic programs, financial aid, faculty development, athletics, fine arts and campus sustainability. Gifts to the Annual Fund reflect the strength of our community and our shared commitment to our students.
We are grateful for our Annual Fund 2023-24 volunteers:
ANNUAL FUND PARENT CHAIRS
Laura and Bryan Burkhart
PARENT CLASS CAPTAINS
Class of 2024: Pam LaPlaca
Class of 2025: Sandra Brown and Charlie Cole
Class of 2026: Rebecca Krauss and Lou Mabley ’86
Class of 2027: Andrea Bermudez and Kari Potts
Class of 2028: Tavia Conkling and Jenny Hassibi
Class of 2029: Manjeera
Adusumalli and Lisa Tsai
Class of 2030: Lindsay Hunter and Ellen Navarre
GRANDPARENT CHAIRS
Dianne and Gene Schoch
ALUMNI CHAIRS
Katherine Bailey Brown ’05 and T.J. Brown ’99
FACULTY AND STAFF CHAIRS
Laurel Eskridge and Ben Hines ’91 TRUSTEE ADVANCEMENT COMMITTEE CHAIR
Debbie Gonzalez
Scan the code to make your 2023-24 gift by July 31 or visit sstx.org/givenow
1 Katherine Bailey Brown ’05, Clay Nichols, Alice Nazro Nezzer ’87, Francie Nazro Thurman ’84, Jennifer Stayton ’85, Lawrence Becker (former teacher), Hank Ewert ’70, Leilani Valdes ’91, Liz Moon (fine arts department chair) and Scott Bailey ’70
2 Reunion Weekend 2024 Co-Chairs Liza Ayres ’14 and Louise McNutt Brazitis ’07
3 Ben Richards ’94, Troy Lanier (current faculty member), Travis Greig ’94 and Miriam Murtuza (current faculty member)
4 Bart Wulff ’64, Louise Henna Jr. ’64 and Toby Sackton ’64
5 Decades Happy Hour
6 Parents of Alumni Reception for the Class of 2019: Chris Hicks, Elisabeth Foster, Ann Dure, Sandy Rogge, Patricia Henna Rowe ’89, Lisa Trahan and Laura Wieland
A RECORD NUMBER OF SPARTANS from the classes of 1952 to 2020 defied the weather and gloomy skies to return to campus April 19-21 and celebrate Reunion Weekend 2024. The three days of festivities highlighted the 50th anniversary of the Japanese Exchange Program. Other events honored cherished traditions such as the Pioneer Spartan Dinner and the Saturday Night Taste of Austin. New events included the inaugural Parent of Alumni Reception, which paid tribute to parents of our 2019 graduates, and Alumni Recess, which included geocaching led by Michael Oberle, pickleball matches and a trivia event hosted by Dr. Ace Furman ’12.
PHOTOS
Celebrating Remarkable Alumni Leaders
Spartans gathered to celebrate all alumni volunteer leaders and honor the recipients of the 2024 alumni awards.
The Founders Award for Distinguished Service
This honor is conferred by the Spartan Alumni Association and given to a person whose lifelong contribution to the school has been exemplary.
LOUIS HENNA JR. ’64
For over 50 years, Louis Henna Jr.’s dedicated leadership and generous financial support has been truly outstanding. From serving as a member and leader of the board of trustees to his service on the Endowment Committee, his leadership and generosity can be felt throughout the St. Stephen’s experience. In 2000, Henna and his wife, Marci, established the Marci and Louis Henna Jr. ’64 Family Financial Aid Endowment, and in 2023, Henna and his family established The Henna Family Endowed Teaching Chair for the Humanities. Both provide ongoing support to faculty and students. His support of social justice programs, financial aid and core academics has truly made a difference to generations of Spartans.
Spartan Alumni Leadership Award
This award honors an alum who has provided outstanding volunteer leadership in service to their alma mater and the Spartan Alumni Association.
PATRICIA HENNA ROWE ’89
Patricia Henna Rowe’s service to St. Stephen’s and the Spartan Alumni Association has been remarkable. Whether it was leading the Annual Fund efforts with her husband, Mark Rowe ’88, serving as the chair of the Advancement Committee of the St. Stephen’s Board of Trustees or as president of the Spartan
Alumni Association, Henna Rowe leads with purpose, thoughtfulness and kindness. As Spartan Alumni Association president, she successfully led the Spartan Alumni Association board through the era of COVID-19 and developed new programming such as the New Year Party the Annual Meeting at Reunion and joint networking events with St. Andrew’s. Her leadership talents are only eclipsed by her dedication to St. Stephen’s.
Spartan Impact Award
This award honors an alum whose leadership has made a significant impact in the community.
JIM CROSBY ’70
THE FOUNDERS AWARD FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE
2018 Will Brewster ’51
2019 Nancy Wilson Scanlan ’59
2021 Jill Matthews Wilkinson ’64
2022 Bart Wulff ’64
2023 Randy Parten ’67
2024 Louis Henna Jr. ’64
SPARTAN ALUMNI LEADERSHIP AWARD
2019 Mary Lou Porter Bailey ’71
2021 Jennifer Stayton ’85
2022 Jonathan Quander ’89
2023 Kathryn Miller Anderson ’71
2024 Patricia Henna Rowe ’89
SPARTAN IMPACT AWARD
2023 Ann-Tyler Chote Konradi ’90
2024 Jim Crosby ’70
As a teacher and lay chaplain at St. Stephen’s for 25 years, Jim Crosby has had a tremendous impact on the lives of hundreds of Spartans. His work as a founder of Nonviolent Austin, an organization that seeks to build a culture of peace founded on the principles of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., has significantly contributed to fostering understanding, harmony and positive change in our community.
The Henna and Rowe families
The Henna and Rowe families
The Crosby family
Jim Crosby ’70, Patricia Henna Rowe ’89 and Louis Henna Jr. ’64
CLASS OF 1984
CLASS
CLASS
CLASS
CLASS
CLASS OF 1974
CLASS OF 1989
CLASS OF 1996
CLASS OF 1994
CLASS OF 2004
50 Years of Japanese Exchange Program
THE 2023-24 SCHOOL YEAR MARKED THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY of the student exchange program between St. Stephen’s and St. Andrew’s School (Osaka, Japan), as well as 23 years of partnership between St. Stephen’s and St. Margaret’s Senior High School (Tokyo, Japan). St. Stephen’s celebrated this post-World War II endeavor for international peace and friendship at Reunion Weekend with a reception for alumni, faculty and former host families; a panel discussion about the personal and social impacts of the exchange program and a Chapel service dedicated to “diversity within unity” for the alumni and residential communities. We extend special thanks to our alumni speakers, Nick Palter ’76, David Wolitz ’93, Audrey Blood ’09 and Rev. David Sugeno ’83. We also thank Director of International Programs Sarah Todd for over 20 years of steadfast leadership of the exchange program and for moderating the panel discussion.
“Never has the world needed so many efforts, such as the Japanese Exchange Program, that allow us to cross artificial lines of difference and to celebrate our diversity and our unity — to remind us that unity does not have to mean uniformity and that difference does not have to mean division. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.”
— REV. DAVID SUGENO ’83 (Homily, April 21)
Pioneer Spartan Dinner
THE ANNUAL PIONEER SPARTAN DINNER, celebrating alumni who graduated over 50 years ago from St. Stephen’s, welcomed the Class of 1974 to the group. Attendees reconnected, reminisced and were treated to a special performance by the St. Stephen’s Madrigals.
1 David Wolitz ’93, Audrey Blood ’09 and Nick Palter ’76
2 Zach Geller ’24, David Allen ’19, Dr. Ace Furman ’12, Drew Green ’07, Kyle Nalepa ’04, Brian Wilson ’84 and Nick Palter ’76
3 Rev. David Sugeno ’83, Evan McGinnis ’25, Miki Kuroda ’25, Mai Sakakibara ’26 and Rev. Aimée Eyer-Delevett
4 John Foster ’74, Michael Mehaffy ’74, Jim Erickson ’74 and Charlie McKenzie ’74
5 Vicky Harrison ’69, Margot Clarke ’72 and Josh Harrison ’69
6 Jonathan Shapero ’74, Abbie Klanert ’74 and Ann Rhodes McMeans ’74
PHOTOS
Spartan Alumni Association Board
2024-25
Shannon Powers Flahive ’96
President
Patricia Henna Rowe ’89 Past President and Emeritus Member
Jane Dryden Louis ’69
Secretary
Liza Ayres ’14
Co-Chair Reunion Weekend 2025
Amy Bieberdorf ’87
Alumni Co-Chair, Spartans Engage
Mallory Boyle ’04
Alumni Regional Representative — San Antonio
Louise McNutt Brazitis ’07
Co-Chair Reunion Weekend 2025
Katherine Bailey Brown ’05
Alumni Co-Chair, Annual Fund
T.J. Brown ’99
Alumni Co-Chair, Annual Fund
Paul Byars ’07
Alumni Co-Chair, Spartans Engage
Maddie Renbarger ’14
Alumni Regional Representative — New York City
Benjamin Chan ’95
Alumni Regional Representative — Washington, D.C.
Hank Ewert ’70
Alumni Faculty Representative
Ellen Jockusch ’70
Pioneer Spartans Representative
Amanda Kushner ’08
Alumni Regional Representative — Dallas
Claire McKay ’71
Parent of Alumni Representative
Alice Nazro Nezzer ’87 Chair, Alumni Recognition
Jonathan Quander ’89
Alumni Regional Representative — Houston
Jennifer Stayton ’85 Emeritus Member
Michelle Geo Olmstead
Director of Alumni Relations
David Allen ’19
Alumni Engagement Officer
Regional Events
The Spartan Alumni Association hosted three regional events this past spring in Houston (February 9), Dallas (May 2) and Denver (May 16).
Saints Networking
In February, alumni from St. Stephen’s and St. Andrew’s Episcopal School in Austin gathered at The Tavern in central Austin for their second networking event of the year.
Save the Date for 2024–25
Regional Events
San Antonio
August 15
New York City
September 19
Taipei, Taiwan
October 20
Beijing, China
November 1
Shanghai, China
November 4
Dallas
November 7
Seoul, South
Korea
November 9
Tokyo, Japan
November 10
Houston
May 1
Los Angeles
June 3
San Francisco
June 5
Stay tuned for news of networking events in the fall.
Houston
Dallas
Denver
Kate Henrichson ’96, Colin Clark ’96 and Shannon Powers Flahive ’96
Amy Bieberdorf ’87 and Michael Osborne ’96
SPARTAN AUTHOR SERIES
Elisabeth Sharp McKetta ’97
The Spartan Alumni Association hosted its first Spartan Author Series event on May 9. The virtual gathering featured author Elisabeth Sharp McKetta. McKetta guided attendees through self-reflection, drawing from the principles of her book “Edit Your Life.”
Know a Spartan author we should feature in this series? Contact Michelle Geo Olmstead, director of alumni relations, at molmstead@sstx.org.
A Special Welcome to the Class of 2024
In May, Head of School Chris Gunnin and Nancy Gunnin hosted a special lunch in honor of the Class of 2024 and their families. Spartan Alumni Association Board member Paul Byars ’07 welcomed the class as St. Stephen’s newest group of alumni.
25
Paul Byars ’07 and David Allen ’19
Will Burkhart ’24, Ava Sadasivan ’24, Jorik Dammann ’24, Maeve Kadyan ’24 and Christopher Aung ’24
Members of the Class of 2024 enjoying lunch at the Senior Picnic
Spartan Spotlight From The Hill to the Olympics
St. Stephen’s Academic and Athletic Preparation Sets the Stage for Alumni to Compete at the Highest Levels
As a little girl, Lennie Waite ’04 recalls writing about two big dreams: playing in the World Cup and running in the Olympics. Although an extremely small percentage of people do either, Waite’s dream of becoming an Olympian came true. She competed in the 2016 Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. It was the culmination of a remarkable journey that began at St. Stephen’s.
Waite says her love for sports and scholarly pursuits began to flourish when she first arrived on The Hill as a 6th grader. She and her family traded Austin for Singapore, but she returned to St. Stephen’s in 2000 as a 9th grader. In Upper School, Waite excelled not only in the classroom but also as a competitive Soccer Academy athlete and a member of the cross-country and track teams. Her former soccer coach and current Athletic Director Jon McCain says, “Lennie was such a fun athlete to coach. Her willingness to learn, combined with her competitive spirit, [made her] a joy to be around for both her teammates and me as her coach.”
After graduating from St. Stephen’s in 2004, Waite attended Rice University, where, thanks to her strong St. Stephen’s academic foundation, she found herself well equipped to balance the rigors of academics and athletics — competing in soccer, track and cross-country. Her collegiate athletic career was punctuated by groundbreaking achievements, including participation in the 200405 NCAA soccer tournament — a first in Rice University’s sports athletic history. She set school records in the mile, 1,500-meter and 3,000-meter steeplechase, giving her the confidence to keep pushing toward her childhood dream of competing on the biggest stage.
Waite earned dual undergraduate degrees in psychology and economics in 2008. She continued her athletic pursuits to train at Rice for a fifth year while taking graduate-level courses and beginning the Ph.D. program in psychology at the University of Houston.
After earning a Ph.D. in 2012, Waite moved to the U.K. to continue her athletic journey on the professional
level. Born in Scotland, she represented the country in three consecutive Commonwealth Games and represented Great Britain at the World Student Games, European Team Championships and 2016 European Championships as well as the Olympic Games in 2016. She competed in Rio, despite a foot injury, and went on to represent Great Britain the following year. With her lifelong goal of making the Olympic team realized, it also laid the groundwork for her appearance at the World Championships in London in 2017.
From the ambitions of a seven-year-old to the global stage, Waite’s journey is a testament to the power of education, hard work, perseverance and the pursuit of one’s dreams.
Today Waite is a Houston sport psychology consultant and serves on the 2024 Olympic Committee, where she plays a key role in creating mental health services for track and field athletes competing in Paris. Drawing from her Olympic journey and her St. Stephen’s experience, she inspires and imparts wisdom to other athletes. Her clients — from high school students to elite professionals — benefit from her professional expertise and unique experiences competing at the highest levels.
With the best athletes in the world about to take center stage at the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris, Director of Alumni Relations Michelle Olmstead recently caught up with Waite to reflect on her road to the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
PHOTO
Lennie Waite ’04 competing in the 2016 Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro; credit: Ian Walton/Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
What inspired you to pursue your sport at the Olympic level?
I grew up watching the Olympics and always thought it would be cool to compete there one day (without having an understanding of what it was going to take!).
Once I reached high school and then college, I had more of an understanding of how competitive the landscape of sports was and refocused my goals on trying to improve and compete with the athletes around me. When I was at Rice, I started focusing on the goals right in front of me — it was a stair-step process, which started with scoring points at conference to medaling at conference to being conference champion, and then becoming an NCAA All-American. In my last year at Rice, my coach mentioned that I was good enough to run in Europe in the summer. Once I stepped into that landscape, I realized all the next goals in front of me were centered on competing at an international level, which led me to set my eyes on the Olympic Games.
How did you overcome setbacks or obstacles during your Olympic journey?
There were a lot of setbacks! I relied on my support system and my identity outside sports to get through setbacks. Because I had my Ph.D., I could focus on consulting and challenge myself with academic and career goals while coming back from an injury. I would lean on my coach for advice and trust his wisdom — he was very focused on the process of coming back from an injury and helped me keep it fun!
What advice would you give to aspiring athletes who dream of competing in the Olympics?
It takes a lot of work and sacrifice and can be an emotionally draining process. It is so important to have a sustainable approach that allows you to stay in the sport through the highs and lows. I think one of the reasons I became an Olympian is because I kept showing up. I didn’t make the Olympics until I was 30. I contemplated quitting a few times but always willed myself back to the track. I had a sustainable approach that allowed me to stay in the sport for long enough to reach my top level of performance.
How has your Olympic experience influenced your life and career beyond sports?
My Olympic journey continues to play a huge role in forming my approach to hard goals and my philosophy on what it takes to be one of the best in the world at something. There are challenges in all journeys of life, and I always find myself leaning back into the fundamentals of what helped me navigate the challenges during my career as a professional athlete: my support system, my mentors, process-focused goals, and a multifaceted identity.
I work as a sport psychologist with high school, collegiate and Olympic athletes now, and I constantly use my past experiences combined with my academic background to support the next generation of athletes in achieving their peak potential. I know firsthand the resilience it takes, and I love helping athletes build that resilience to get what they want out of their sport.
In January, Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen ’16 was among the 41 NBA players selected for the 2024 USA Basketball Men’s National Team player pool.
In mid-June, decorated Longhorn swimmer Coby Carrozza ’20 competed at the USA Swimming Olympic Trials in the 200-meter and 400-meter freestyle races.*
(USA Swimming Trials, June 15–23)
*The results were not available at the time of publication.
Two extraordinary Spartan alumni athletes have ties to the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
Coby Carrozza ’20
Coach LaMont King and Jarrett Allen ’16
Following the Voice Inside You
BY ERIN CARGILE-RYDQUIST
NPR’S TINY DESK CONCERT SERIES IS THE ULTIMATE STAGE FOR ESTABLISHED AND RISING MUSICIANS, and Maya Sampleton ’16 can now add her performance, singing backup vocals with Austin-based funk soul group BLK ODYSSY to her musical resume. Sampleton says performing on the Washington, D.C., set of the Tiny Desk Concerts, which draw 16 million monthly viewers, is not only a “once-in-a-lifetime experience” but also a constant reminder that she’s striking the right chords musically in her life.
“It was such a cool confirmation that this art we all do, the time we all put into this, the money and the pieces of ourselves [we share] are paying off,” says Sampleton.
If Sampleton’s journey could be summed up in a new single, the song might be titled “Follow Your Heart and Passions,” because that’s what she says she was encouraged to do by members of the supportive St. Stephen’s community. In retrospect, her stint on a tiny desk in the nation’s capital was not the beginning of Sampleton’s success. It grew from a series of milestones and impactful decisions that started as a 6th grader at St. Stephen’s. She made her mark as a shining star on stage, landing lead roles in school musicals, and on the basketball court as a leading scorer. Sampleton’s transition from Middle School to Upper School was accompanied by additional challenging responsibilities, as she placed more focus on academics and her dream of playing college basketball, believing the sport would open more doors after graduation.
As the captain of the Spartan girls’
varsity basketball team her senior year, Sampleton averaged 20 points per game and led the school to a 2015 Southwest Preparatory Conference championship. She received two attractive offers to play Division I basketball — one from the University of Texas at Arlington and the other from Columbia University in New York City. Sampleton’s school decision weighed heavily, as UTA offered a full athletic scholarship and the Ivy League institution only offered need-based financial aid — no athletic or academic scholarships. But she felt a closer connection to the team of girls at Columbia and was drawn to the Big Apple.
One day, while on a walk around the SSES campus contemplating her college decision, Sampleton crossed paths with her mentor and the girls’ head varsity basketball coach, Yvonne Adams.
“I expressed [to her] that Columbia was the school that was in my heart, and she said, ‘Do it!’ She was the first person who said to me, ‘If that’s what you feel like you want to do, go for it,”’ recalls Sampleton.
She interpreted that exchange with her coach as a defining moment of clarity, and she chose Columbia.
“It was the best decision I ever made,” said Sampleton.
Once her college commitment was made in September of her senior year,
Sampleton found herself with more spare time, and with the encouragement of Choir Director Kendra Lipman, she decided to audition for the Madrigals Upper School show choir. Sampleton easily landed a spot and, under Lipman’s direction, began taking private voice lessons. Lipman was thoroughly impressed with Sampleton’s talent, comparing her higher and lower registers to those of Beyoncé.
“We unveiled this whole other part of her voice that she had not really explored,” says Lipman. “I took her outside of her box and pushed her up into some higher Alicia Keys-style music.”
Performance opportunities on The Hill developed Sampleton’s stage confidence, says Lipman, both as a soloist and as a singer with a full choir and live band. Those experiences combined with her entire educational tenure on The Hill prepared Sampleton for what was ahead at Columbia.
The pursuit of a political science degree and playing college basketball did not interrupt Sampleton’s desire to sing. She
Maya Sampleton ’16 performs at Modern Voices on the St. Stephen’s campus in April 2024.
A NOTE FROM MAYA SAMPLETON
“This was a surreal experience; to tell my story to the place that raised me is just the biggest honor. I want to say thank you to St. Stephen’s, thank you to all the kids I grew up with here, thank you to my sweet best friends since Middle School, thank you to Coach Yvonne Adams and my high school teammates, and, most importantly, thank you to my beautiful family. Mom, Dad and Evan — I love you more than anything in this world. Thank you for all y’all do for me. I love you forever!”
found opportunities within the athletic community at Columbia by singing the national anthem at university sporting events, and she joined an a cappella group her freshman year. As Sampleton delved further into music, she realized following her heart and passions also meant that after three seasons with Columbia women’s basketball, she was ready to take a step away from her career on the court.
“I was ultimately burned out with basketball,” said Sampleton. “I started playing at a young age but never really had WNBA aspirations. I always saw college basketball as a means to getting my degree. I’ve always wanted to work in the arts and be a performer, or at least work in music.”
In the spring of her senior year at Columbia, Sampleton moved back home to Austin and graduated from college in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Sampleton describes this as one of the pivotal moments of her life.
The isolation gave her space to think and decide to take charge of her destiny, pouring energy and effort into her music career. That brave choice guided her into a network of life-changing connections, mentorship, and great friends and community in the music industry.
In 2023, Sampleton released her first single, “Promise.” In February 2024, she recorded her second single, a classic R&B song called “Mind Made Up.” The release of both songs and their companion music videos grew her fan base and social media following.
Later in 2024, Sampleton made her debut appearance as an official artist at Austin’s internationally acclaimed SXSW Music Festival, performing on multiple stages. Sampleton was also honored to return to where it all began as a featured performer at St. Stephen’s annual Modern Voices concert in the spring.
“I love this place so much,” Sampleton told the audience. Kendra Lipman was sitting in the crowd that night. Lipman says she’s proud to witness Sampleton’s growth from the early days at St. Stephen’s.
“Every St. Stephen’s student graduates with that sense of passion and drive that they run for, rather than just waiting for it to happen — and Maya is doing that,” says Lipman.
Sampleton knows her success would not be possible without a strong support system and community as well as her parents, Lawrence and Libbi Sampleton.
Her dad, who has worked at St. Stephen’s for more than three decades, is the associate head of school for enrollment management.
“I am so blessed that they support me,” says Sampleton. “They are my best friends. And I owe them everything.”
From humble beginnings as a preteen 6th grader to performing for millions on internationally known platforms, Sampleton maintains her humility and gratitude to the St. Stephen’s community. She is grateful to the school community for giving her the confidence to narrow her focus to music and expand her skills into songwriting. “I definitely think that this is the beginning for sure,” says Sampleton.
Sampleton’s music is available on all digital streaming platforms. You can also follow her on Instagram and TikTok at @mayasampleton.
Maya Sampleton ’16 at an NPR Tiny Desk Concert
Class Notes
1950s
John Terrey and Sarah Ford Terrey ’61 returned to Austin for the eclipse and spent some time on campus to show their school to their children. John and Sarah reconnected a number of years ago at Reunion Weekend and got engaged on campus one year later. The happy couple lives outside Boston. (Picture 1)
1960s
Louis Henna Jr. ’64 received the Founders Award for Distinguished Service at Reunion Weekend 2024. (Read more on page 33.)
Jill Matthews Wilkinson ’64 and Bart Wulff ’64 brought their classmates together during Reunion Weekend in celebration of the 60-year reunion for the Class of 1964 and in honor of their classmate, Louis Henna. Members of the class attended a number of campus events and celebrated the weekend at Jill’s home in Austin.
Wolfgang Benner ’66 and his wife, Shalmir, visited campus on May 3. The couple lives in Fredericksburg and were visiting Austin on their way to Boston to visit their granddaughter.
Molly Dougherty ’68 is planning a trip to El Salvador to visit ASAPROSAR, a Salvadoran association for rural health. It will be her first trip in five years after an earlier visit was canceled due to COVID-19. Molly helped their organization by translating their website, asaprosar.org. Molly was also thrilled to meet her new grandnieces: Meera, daughter of John Dougherty ’05, and Lizzie, daughter of Mark Dougherty ’09
Clarke Heidrick ’68 and John McFarland ’68 attended six games of the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska, in June.
Leilani and Robert Henderson ’68 drove from Northern Virginia to Cleveland for the April 8 eclipse with their daughters, Rachel and Diana, and their three grandchildren. While not the trip Robert had originally planned — a Texas odyssey to Odessa, Big Bend and Ft. Davis before landing in the Hill Country by the 8th — that adventure will come later. In Ohio, Robert and Leilani had a great time with their nephew Jason, his wife, Mia, and their boys. Robert reports that it was a wonderful break from the routines of work and school for everyone. “It was the kind of special family time — with appropriate silliness — forging bonds and memories that shape us and stay with us.”
Mary and Brock Brown ’68 had a wonderful eclipse experience, walking just two blocks to their town park and meeting families who had traveled from many
different states. Mary and Brock were also in Block Island, Rhode Island, for three weeks last summer. Brock’s son-in-law is the director of sailing at a summer camp, and his daughter was able to do her work remotely, so while they worked, Mary and Brock followed their 7-year-old grandson around the island as he sailed, kayaked, hiked, swam, played pickleball and went to town for doughnuts and chicken sandwiches. He moved twice as fast when he had a friend his own age with him! Mary and Brock also just sold their small-town newspaper, The Speedway TownTalk, in the home of “the Greatest Spectacle of Racing,” The Indianapolis 500. Mary was recently diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. She joined a research study that has a very competent group of scientists, so their focus is living life to the fullest. Brock writes that “it is a comfortable delight to review Facebook experiences or emailed news about the lives of our great Class of ’68ers. Thank you for sharing! Reflecting on the events we each lived through makes me think we just might make it through our current challenges.”
Class Representative Josh Harrison ’69 helped coordinate the multiclass party for the classes of 19691974.
Jane Dryden Louis ’69 continues to serve on the Spartan Alumni Association Board as secretary.
1970s
Jim Crosby ’70 received the Spartan Impact Award at Reunion Weekend 2024. (Read more on page 33.)
Hank Ewert ’70 continues to serve on the Spartan Alumni Association board, now in the role of former faculty representative.
Ellen Jockusch ’70 continues to serve on the Spartan Alumni Association Board as Pioneer Spartan representative.
After losing his first wife, Becky, to cancer in 2013, Chris Weismann ’70 has found love again. He reports that he is now happily married to Helen Winona Weismann, a true hero of ethics, intelligence and compassion.
Six Spartans enjoyed traveling to Cuernavaca together in January 2024. Zan Brookshire ’73, Ann Rhodes McMeans ’74, Margaret Miller Pierce ’72, Kathryn Miller Anderson ’71, Henny Wright ’74 and Margot Clarke ’72 had a blast reliving old times and making new memories. (Picture 2)
Class Representative Kathryn Miller Anderson ’71 helped coordinate a multiclass party during Reunion Weekend for the Classes of 1969-1974.
Chris Butler ’71 observed the April 8 eclipse in Blanco, Texas, where he also heard Marcia Ball perform. His trip included a party thrown by Bill Rutter ’70, who is an accomplished hand at gardening, milling and quarrying; as evidence, he built his own home. Chris was also able to spend time with Hank Ewert ’70, Claire McKay ’71 and Peggy Singleton ’71, whom he loves dearly. Luis
John Terrey and Sarah Ford Terrey ’61
(L to R) Zan Brookshire ’73, Ann Rhodes McMeans ’74, Margaret Miller Pierce ’72, Kathryn Miller Anderson ’71, Henny Wright ’74 and Margot Clarke ’72
2
Franke ’70 sadly could not make the trip from Mexico — ¡que lástima!
Andy Fraser ’71 and his wife, Marguerite, are still retired, and they recently bought a condo in Portland, Oregon, to make it easier to visit their children. While visiting in February, they attended the ValenTango dance conference. Andy is still practicing scientific activities without pressure or pay, and Andy and Marguerite both watched the April 8 eclipse from an old ranch house in Bandera County, Texas, where the clouds cleared for the few minutes of totality.
Larry Jones ’71 has enjoyed catching up with old friends over the phone instead of FaceTime, particularly Gary Jones ’71, Duncan McGann ’71, Fred Myers ’71, Rudy Green ’71 and Chuck Neelley ’71. Larry says, “You can’t make old friends, only cherish them.”
Claire McKay ’71 and Hank Ewert ’70 enjoyed a wonderful trip to the Netherlands to visit their daughter Leslie King ’05 in December. They enjoyed incredible artwork at the Van Gogh Museum and the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, and they had lots of fun at the Christmas markets in Cologne, Germany. They were sad to leave but plan to make another trip soon. Claire and Hank also had a great time at Reunion Weekend 2024, especially enjoying the record-breaking turnout and seeing Jim Crosby ’70 receive the Spartan Impact Award. Claire will continue to serve on the Spartan Alumni Association Board in the role of Parent of Alumni representative. She successfully coordinated the first-ever Parents of Alumni event at Reunion Weekend 2024, welcoming dozens of parents back to campus to celebrate their children’s milestone reunions.
In the early spring, Fred Myers ’71 performed Personal Experiment #36, where he investigated whether his scalp or facial hair grows quicker. Fred shaved his head and face and intended to observe 100 days of growth, but his facial hair got the better of him, and the morning of day No. 65 saw a clean-shaven Fred. He says, “Couldn’t stand it. Always curious and in pursuit of The Truth.”
Henny Wright ’74 hosted a tea to celebrate the 70th birthday of her sister, Margot Clarke ’72. Celebrating
Margot’s birthday and friendship were Danna Orr ’72, Ann Rhodes McMeans ’74, Lisa Barkley ’73 and Kathryn Miller Anderson ’71. They say, “How lucky we are to have been friends for more than 55 years!” (Picture 3)
Class Representative Ann Rhodes McMeans ’74 and David Smith ’74 helped coordinate and host the multiclass party for the classes of 1969-1974 during Reunion Weekend. Their class celebrated its 50-year reunion and was welcomed at the Pioneer Spartan Dinner.
Nick Palter ’76 flew to Austin from his home in San Francisco for Reunion Weekend 2024, where he sat on the panel for the Japanese Exchange Program panel discussion in recognition of the program’s 50th anniversary.
1980s
The Rev. David Sugeno ’83 took a Sunday off from his home parish, Trinity Episcopal Church in Marble Falls, Texas, to preach at the Alumni Chapel service during Reunion Weekend 2024.His homily centered on the Japanese exchange program. David preached that “unity does not have to mean uniformity and difference does not have to mean division.”
Class Representative Suzanne Cantarino Pfeiffer ’84 hosted the 40-year reunion class party during Reunion Weekend.
Jennifer Stayton ’85 currently serves as executive chair of the St. Stephen’s Board of Trustees and is an emeritus member of the Spartan Alumni Association Board. Jennifer celebrated 20 years of being the host of KUT’s “Morning Edition” in May.
Alice Nazro Nezzer ’87 is currently serving as assistant head of school at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School in Austin. Alice continues to serve on the Spartan Alumni Association Board as its chair of alumni recognition.
In her second year of service on the Spartan Alumni Association Board, Amy Bieberdorf ’87 will continue to serve as alumni co-chair of Spartans Engage. On April
4, as part of the Business and Entrepreneur Club, Amy visited campus and told students about her journey from St. Stephen’s to business school and beyond.
Catherine McKay ’88 married Mark Bethell on November 25, 2023, in the chapel of St. Andrew’s Middle School in Austin, where Catherine and Mark were Middle School sweethearts in St. Andrew’s inaugural 7th and 8th grade classes. They were each other’s first “I love you” and first kiss, went separate ways long before the Internet and social media, and were reconnected during the peak of COVID-19 lockdown. Mark’s father, Jim Bethell, and Jane Dryden Louis ’69 co-officiated the ceremony, and many friends and family attended. Notable to the St. Stephen’s alumni community were Holly and Jim Bohart ’88, Ashley and Erik Romberg ’88, Brian and Ann-Tyler Chote Konradi ’90, Cacki Chote Jewart ’88, and Peggy and Tom Romberg ’59, as well as Catherine’s parents, former faculty members Lucia McKay and Malcolm McKay.
Jonathan Quander ’89 will continue to serve on the Spartan Alumni Association Board as Spartan Alumni Regional Representative — Texas in the coming year. In February, Jonathan and his wife, Bethel, hosted the annual regional Houston event in their home. Jonathan also led the efforts to celebrate the Class of 1989’s 35th Reunion.
Patricia Henna Rowe ’89 was honored during Reunion Weekend with the Spartan Alumni Leadership Award. (See page 33 for more details.) Patricia continues to serve on the Spartan Alumni Association Board as an emeritus member.
1990s
Ryder Henry ’92 traveled to Erie, Pennsylvania, with his children to watch the eclipse, where they enjoyed the spectacular change of scenery under the moon’s shadow.
David Wolitz ’93 flew to Austin from his home in Washington, D.C., to sit on the panel for the Japanese exchange program panel discussion.
Class Representative Travis Greig ’94 coordinated the 30-year class party during Reunion Weekend for the Class of 1994.
Ben Chan ’95 continues to serve as the Alumni Regional Representative — Washington, D.C., on the Spartan Alumni Association Board.
Dorothy O’Shea Overbey ’95 choreographed and directed the interactive fantasy ballet “Moonfall.” It was a collaboration between two Austin arts organizations, new music collective Density512 and Red Nightfall Dance Theatre, which Dorothy founded in 2017. To learn more about “Moonfall” and Red Nightfall Dance Theatre, visit rednightfallproductions.com. (Picture 4)
(L to R) Danna Orr ’72, Henny Wright ’74, Margot Clarke ’72, Ann Rhodes McMeans ’74, Lisa Barkley ’73, and Kathryn Miller Anderson ’71
Shannon Powers Flahive ’96 just completed her first year of a three-year term serving as Spartan Alumni Association Board president. Shannon also serves as one of the class representatives for the Class of 1996 and coordinated the efforts behind a mid-to-late-90s party during Reunion Weekend.
The Spartan Alumni Association hosted its first event in the Spartan Author Series on May 9. The virtual event featured Elisabeth Sharp McKetta ’97. Elisabeth guided attendees through self-reflection drawing from the principles of her book “Edit Your Life.” Elisabeth reflects that St. Stephen’s has given her lifelong teachers and friends and the gift of a sound foundation for her life’s work. She wishes to thank St. Stephen’s for so much learning and encouragement. Elisabeth continues to teach writing at Harvard and Oxford, and this year published her 13th book, “Ark.” To learn more about Elisabeth, go to elisabethsharpmcketta.com. (Picture 5)
T.J. Brown ’99 and his wife, Katherine Bailey Brown ’05, will continue to serve as alumni co-chairs of the Annual Fund for 2024-25.
Class Representative Becky Hollis Diffen ’99 and Daniel Diffen ’99 hosted the party in celebration of the 25-year reunion for the Class of 1999 at their home.
Rafil Kroll-Zaidi ’99 visited St. Stephen’s with his wife, Anne, and their 11-month-old daughter to see campus, guest lecture in a few English and history classes, and speak with students at lunch about his experience writing as a contributing editor for Harper’s Magazine. (Picture 6)
2000s
Mallory Boyle ’04 is making a return to the Spartan Alumni Association Board. This year, Mallory will serve as Alumni Regional Representative — San Antonio, and she has already started working! The Spartan Alumni Association will host its first event of the school year on August 15 in San Antonio.
Katherine Bailey Brown ’05 and husband T.J. Brown will continue to serve as alumni co-chairs of the Annual Fund for 2024-25.
Louise McNutt Brazitis ’07 served as co-chair of Reunion Weekend 2024.
Paul Byars ’07 will continue to serve on the Spartan Alumni Association Board as alumni co-chair of Spartans Engage. Paul, his wife, Kristin, and big brother, Teddy, welcomed Lyra Anne Byars on March 8. She weighed 6 pounds, 14 ounces. The family is enjoying this time together.
Chloe East ’07 met up with Walter Simons ’07 in Denver, Colorado, where Chloe lives, to celebrate their recent professional accomplishments. Walter is a lawyer in the Houston office of Bracewell and was promoted
to partner in the appellate litigation practice. Chloe was granted tenure as an economics professor at the University of Colorado Denver. Her research is on U.S. public policy and inequality. She is now on sabbatical and spent this past fall as a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C.
(Picture 7)
Aaron Moten ’07 is starring as Maximus in the Amazon Prime Video show “Fallout,” based on thebest selling video game series. Season one is now available for streaming.
Composer, writer, and musician for PigPen Theatre Co., Ben Ferguson ’07, and his company played a twoperformance residency in New York City in the spring. The company debuted “Trunk Songs: PigPen Theatre Company” at City Winery on May 17, with a second performance on June 4.
Alumni Regional Representative — Dallas Amanda Kushner ’08 helped coordinate the regional gathering in Dallas on May 2.
Audrey Blood ’09 sat on the panel for the Japanese exchange program panel discussion at Reunion Weekend 2024.
2010s
Dr. Audrey Wozniak ’10 completed her Ph.D. in ethnomusicology at Harvard University, presenting her doctoral colloquium at the Orient-Institut Istanbul. Her thesis, titled “A Discipline for the Nation: Turkish Classical Music Choirs in History and Practice,” is the culmination of her ethnographic and archival fieldwork in Istanbul and Turkish diasporic communities, which she has conducted since 2015. Information on her work is available at audreywoz.com/home.
Sarafina Nance ’11 is delighted to announce that her memoir, “Starstruck,” has been selected as the Penguin Random House 2024-2025 Common Read for Florida International University — the text that all 7,000 incoming freshmen will read and discuss in their first year at the university.
Hailey Garber Copland ’13 and her husband started a small specialty-cut flower and veggie farm called Angel Valley Farm. They make custom arrangements, offer flower subscriptions and supply local florists. Their vegetables are purchased by a local restaurant, with more partnerships in progress.
5
Dorothy O’Shea Overbey ’95
Elisabeth Sharp McKetta ’97
6
Anne and Rafil Kroll-Zaidi ’99
7 Walter Simons ’07 and Chloe East ’07
Capt. Isaac Becker ’13 reported to the United States Navy Blue Angels in September, where he currently pilots the C-130 Fat Albert. Isaac and the Blue Angels performed at the naval air station in Ft. Worth in April and were cheered on by St. Stephen’s Director of Outdoor Education Charlton Perry. (Picture 8)
Liza Ayres ’14 served as co-chair of Reunion Weekend 2024. She will continue to serve on the Spartan Alumni Association Board as reunion co-chair.
In collaboration with her sister Phoebe Ayres ’16 as part of 4 GIRLS FILM PRODUCTIONS, Hallie Ayres ’14 produced “Delivery,” a short film addressing challenging life circumstances, coming of age, and a chance for new beginnings. To learn more, follow @4girlsfilmproductions on Instagram.
This spring, Nathán Goldberg Crenier ’14 was elected vice president of the U.S. Soccer Federation.
Class Representative Jaclyn Horton ’14 planned a full weekend of activities for the Class of 2014 during Reunion Weekend in celebration of their 10-year reunion.
Maddie Renbarger ’14 begins her second year of service as alumni regional representative — New York City. Maddie is helping plan the New York City event set for September 19.
Claire Zagrodzky ’16 will be returning to St. Stephen’s as a Middle School English teacher in the fall. Claire played varsity lacrosse during her time at Rhodes College and is excited to coach Middle School student athletes on The Hill.
Anna Sheinberg ’18 is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in chemistry at Duke University.
James Kyle ’18 completed graduate school at Carnegie Mellon and moved to Knoxville, Tennessee, to work as a mechanical and controls engineer at a carbon capture startup. Jud Kyle ’18 also recently completed graduate school and moved out to the Bay Area to work at a surgical robotics startup. Jud reports that this is the first time that he and James have ever lived apart other. James and Jud were back in Austin for the April 8 eclipse and experienced eclipse totality for the first time. They had a lot of fun catching glimpses of the black sun through the clouds with their parents.
Alumni Engagement Officer David Allen ’19 led the efforts behind the five-year reunion for the Class of 2019 during Reunion Weekend.
2020s
Roman Rhone ’20 was named one of the 100 Best & Brightest Undergraduate Business Majors of 2024 by Poets&Quants, a nationwide undergraduate business network. Roman writes that he is honored to represent the University of Michigan’s Stephen M. Ross School of Business.
Nayeon Kang ’20 and Jinho Rhee ’20 had dinner in May with St. Stephen’s film teacher Mike Dolan. Nayeon is continuing her economics studies at The University of Texas at Austin, while Jinho graduated in May with a degree in advertising. (Picture 9)
In January, St. Stephen’s Athletics hosted a panel discussion for students interested in participating in athletics at the collegiate level. Alumni Jayan Nitzsche ’21 (Pomona), Cooper Nichols ’22 (College of Wooster), Marina Crownover ’22 (UT/Mizzou), Matthew Hutchison ’21 (Cornell), Abbie Prewitt ’21 (Occidental) and Kendall Dowd ’22 (Stanford) served on this year’s panel and shared their collegiate experience with current students. (Picture 10)
Parker Huynh-Benningfield ’22 recently received the Web Harrison Award from the Bates College football team. The award honors a member of the team who exemplifies hard work, integrity, character, and passion for football and Bates College. Parker was recognized for his involvement with Big Brothers Big Sisters, his service as a mentor and campus ambassador, his creative work for Bates Athletics, his involvement with the Bates College Investment Club, and his leadership in the Bates Student Athlete Advisory Committee.
Alex Guo ’23 and Blair Peng ’23 paid a visit to the St. Stephen’s International Office to visit Sarah Todd, Liza Ayres ’14, Henry Colangelo ’18 and Selina Lu ’24 (Picture 11)
Capt. Isaac Becker ’13, Charlton Perry and the Blue Angels
Nayeon Kang ’20, Mike Dolan and Jinho Rhee ’20
Jayan Nitzsche ’21, Cooper Nichols ’22, Marina Crownover ’22, Matthew Hutchison ’21, Abbie Prewitt ’21 and Kendall Dowd ’22
Liza Ayres ’14, Alex Guo ’23, Blair Peng ’23, Henry Colangelo ’18, Selina Lu ’24 and Sarah Todd
The Rev. Charles “Charlie” Sumners ’59 passed away on March 3. Charlie entered St. Stephen’s in 1954 as a 7th grader and was later joined by his younger brothers, Tom Sumners ’63 and Robert Sumners ’66.
Charlie attended Southwestern University and Virginia Seminary. He was ordained to the Diaconate by Bishop Scott Field Bailey in 1967 and went on to serve at St. Patrick’s in Washington, D.C.; St. John’s in Bethesda, Maryland; St. Luke’s; in Atlanta and St. Bartholomew’s in New York City. While in New York, he created the Episcopal Television Network. He moved back to Texas and became the rector of St. Philip’s in Beeville in 1983 before retiring in 2000. His retirement and marriage to his wife, Robin, marked a new beginning for him. They had six children between their combined families. Charlie later took on a series of short-term pastoral assignments, serving in Texas and Colorado. Charlie’s life was celebrated at a memorial service in the St. Stephen’s Chapel in March.
Charlotte Tyte Singleton ’62 passed away on October 12, 2023, from injuries she sustained in a car accident. After graduating from St. Stephen’s, Charlotte studied at Barnard College, where her passion for world affairs, human rights and journalism blossomed. From nurturing her children in Germany and Portland, Oregon, to becoming a revered community leader, her impact was profound. Charlotte’s compassionate spirit shined through with her advocacy for children’s rights, support for underprivileged children in Vietnam and service as a court-appointed representative for vulnerable youth in Maine. She was dedicated to the World Affairs Council of Oregon and the
National Council of World Affairs Organizations. Following a courtship that began in Siberia, Charlotte married her husband, Seth, and they forged a loving 35-year partnership. Her warmth, humor, generosity, and culinary skills created cherished family memories. She is survived by Seth, her daughter Abigail Curless and son-in-law Michael, her son Andrew Kennedy and his wife Catlin, and her son Matthew Kennedy, as well as stepson Andy Singleton and his wife Mary Ann; and stepson Will Singleton.
James Corbin “Corby” Considine ’64 passed away on January 26. While a student at St. Stephen’s, he played football, baseball and basketball and was active in various clubs and student government. He was joined on The Hill by his sister, Jan Considine Carrington ’67, and his brother, Laird Considine ’72. After graduation, Corby attended Duke University and later earned his law degree from the University of Texas School of Law. During a summer break in Midland, Texas, Corby met Janet Wilkinson, marking the beginning of a long-distance love story that would lead to their marriage in 1967. Corby was a dedicated oil and gas attorney, retiring in 2017. Inspired by his wife, Corby also found fulfillment in the arts. He was active in the Midland Community Theatre, where he showcased his creative and comedic talents. Corby was also a marathoner, achieving a personal best time of 3:01:32. His legacy lives on in the hearts of his wife Janet, sons Kevin and Chris, daughter-in-law Penny, and cherished grandchildren Ian, MaryClaire, Jack, Cort and Corbin.
Enchanted Rock, Fredericksburg, Texas; photo by Chris Caselli ’82
James “Jim” Collin George III ’64 passed away in his Brownsville, Texas, home on June 11, 2020. After graduating from St. Stephen’s, Jim earned a B.A. in psychology from the University of Texas at Austin. Jim’s love of adventures and the outdoors began as a child with fishing and hunting trips and spending summers with his brother and cousins in East Texas. He met his wife, Carol, in the summer of 1972 while traveling in Mexico. They lived and traveled extensively in Mexico before returning to Brownsville, where Jim built a sailboat on which the couple lived while cruising the Caribbean. Jim’s talents shaped a successful career as a craftsman, the business owner of Lone Star Multihulls Inc. and a boat builder. One of his most notable works includes the exquisitely carved bishop’s chair in the Episcopal Church of the Advent in Brownsville. He was an avid Texas Longhorns football and Texas Rangers baseball fan, and he enjoyed a wonderful relationship with his only grandchild, Layla. He is survived by his wife, Carol Chapman George, his daughter, Laura George Grayson, his granddaughter, Layla Grayson, and his brother, Robert George ’71, as well as numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Elaine Romberg Gravatt ’81 passed away on December 17, 2023. After graduating from St. Stephen’s, Elaine spent one year at Pomona College in California before transferring to the Plan II Honors Program at The University of Texas at Austin. She earned a law degree from the University of Texas School of Law in Austin. Elaine moved to Weslaco, Texas, and worked with Texas Rural Legal Aid. She then moved to Washington, D.C., to work for the U.S. Department of Education in civil rights enforcement during the Reagan administration. Taking a leap of faith, she later transitioned to the U.S. Department of Justice. In 1997, she married Russell Gravatt. Tragically, their first child, Matthew Curtis, died after birth. Elaine found new passions crafting exquisite jewelry, needle felting and quilting. Elaine is survived by her husband Russell, her daughters Olivia and Gillian, her parents Tom Romberg ’59 and Peggy Romberg, her sister Margaret Romberg Carter ’83 and her husband Ted, her brother Matt and his wife Angela, and her brother-in-law Curtis Gravatt and his wife Jane. She also leaves behind her dogs, Eleanor and Stella. Her memorial service was held at the St. Stephen’s Chapel in January.
Alumni Class Representatives
Will Brewster ’51 brewsterwilliam34@gmail.com
Michael Hines ’54 poppyhines@msn.com
Colin Phipps ’55 colin@phippsfarm.com
Ruth Wilson Witten ’57 ruthwitten@aol.com
J.P. Bryan ’58 BryanJ@teai.com
Tom Romberg ’59 tromberg@me.com
Pat Fatter Black ’60 ggpat77@gmail.com
Steve Jolly ’61 stevejolly@mindspring.com
David Sanders ’62 rdavidsanders@msn.com
Julia Cauthorn ’63 julia@texancapital.com
Arthur Wright ’64 arthur.wright@tklaw.com
Dianne Duncan Tucker ’65 ddtuck@aol.com
Randy Parten ’67 jrparten@parten.com
Robert Henderson ’68 rehenderson@nvcc.edu
Josh Harrison ’69 JHarrisonLaw@aol.com
Dee Meador ’70 meadortx@yahoo.com
Kathryn Miller Anderson ’71 zjmiller1513@gmail.com
Thomas Groff-Barragan ’24 groffthomasusa@gmail.com
Class Notes Submissions
We encourage alumni to share personal updates with us for Class Notes. Spartan alumni are contacted by their class reps several times a year to gather news and information. For assistance contacting your class rep or to submit news directly by email, please contact Michelle Geo Olmstead, director of alumni relations, at 512.327.1213 x 178 or molmstead@sstx.org, or David Allen ’19, alumni engagement officer, at 512.327.1213 x 115 or dallen@sstx.org.
For help finding your class rep, please visit our alumni webpage at sstx.org/alumni.
Class notes can also be submitted online at sstx.org/alumni. Select the “Stay Connected” box. We welcome high-resolution photographs with your Class Notes submission. Please send a JPG format in the largest size possible (at least 900 pixels; image 3 inches wide at 300 dpi). Please include the full names and class years of everyone pictured.
Spartan Magazine editors reserve the right to edit or omit any information submitted.
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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!
Scenes From Big Bend
“I absolutely love the region, from the high desert of Marathon, Alpine, Marfa and Fort Davis to the scrub desert along the Rio Grande and the top of Emory Peak jutting up in the Chisos Mountains in the middle of the park. In many ways, it is a stark, harsh landscape. Despite very little water and an environment tortured by the misuse and neglect of man, life still thrives. Obviously, the punch of green from cottonwood trees towering over a spring is beautiful, but the ability of life to cling to even the most desperate and depleted landscape is a marvel.”
— CHARLTON PERRY, DIRECTOR OF OUTDOOR EDUCATION AND LAND MANAGEMENT
PHOTOS
1 Mexican jay found in the Chisos Mountains
2 Century plant stalk left from the previous season in the foreground at the Southwest Rim
3 Prickly pear cactus found throughout Big Bend
Photos by Chris Caselli ’82
New Student Orientation and Dorm Move-In
Sunday, August 18
Parents’ Association Back-to-School Event
Monday, August 19
First Day of School
Tuesday, August 20
6500 St. Stephen’s Drive Austin, TX 78746
If you receive multiple copies of this publication or have a new address to share with us, please send an email to Sharon Sparlin at ssparlin@sstx.org. Thank you!
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Do you know someone who is interested in attending St. Stephen’s? Tell them to visit our website and plan to attend 2024 Discovery Weekend December 6-9. sstx.org/admission
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