Scholarship Funds Honor Marksmen

Spotlight

scholarship funds established

The theme of the 2022 Marksmen yearbook, “You Never Really Leave,” rings true for all who experience St. Mark’s culture. For former faculty members, alumni and parents of alumni, the lasting impact of one’s time at 10600 Preston Road is particularly meaningful. Now, many are drawn back to the School, inspired to support the institution that had such a positive impact on their development as men.

Letcher Brothers Scholarship Fund

The impact of St. Mark’s has stood the test of time for the Letcher brothers, whose profound experience with the School has led to a lifetime of generous support for the School. Their firm belief in St. Mark’s mission inspired them to help ensure every boy has the opportunity for a first-class educational experience.

Easily qualified as a St. Mark’s dynasty, the Letchers’ journey to St. Mark’s started when their father moved from the East Coast to the South, settling in Miami, OK. The oldest of his four sons, Scott, enjoyed the school system until his high school years. When the family saw Scott’s experience with the secondary education in Miami, their East Coast roots kicked back in. Letcher made a call to his alma mater, Yale, to figure out where his next son, John ’53, should spend his high school years. The Ivy League institution had one answer for the Letchers: in between the Mississippi and the Rockies, there’s only one option — St. Mark’s School of Texas.

The St. Mark’s experience had begun for the Letchers.

St. Mark’s immediately took its hold on John. Out of the gate, he connected with Headmaster Robert Iglehart, an educator who would leave an indelible mark on the young man. As John excelled at St. Mark’s, Iglehart added STEMbased courses that kept him from complacency, pushing him to his full potential. John felt trusted by the faculty; educators like Iglehart gave him the freedom to pursue what really interested and challenged him. Classes like mechanical drawing provided him tools that he would use throughout his professional career.

By the end of the year, John had completed two grades in the span of a single school year. He felt accepted at the School; truly seen and looked after. John describes his single year at St. Mark’s as the most important factor in his education.

“In that one year, St. Mark’s changed my life,” John Letcher said. “I am convinced that I was extremely fortunate at where I landed in my schooling.”

Next in line was Frank Letcher ’59. Frank spent the entirety of his high school career at St. Mark’s. As part of the Class of 1959, Frank took a different path through the School than his brother John, following a route more focused on humanities. Finally came Bill Letcher ’67. He explored East Coast schools, but it was clear that St. Mark’s was the right choice, as nothing else compared in Bill’s school search. St. Mark’s was his first glimpse into the power of an independent school education.

“I do not know where I would be without St. Mark’s. The way information was presented, and responsibilities were put on you was just terrific. The School never lost sight of preparing students to progress in college and beyond,” Bill Letcher said.

The Letchers’ years at St. Mark’s left a deep mark on their entire family, and they felt it only right to make a gift to the School that would allow for boys to experience what they did many years ago. With this sentiment in mind, the Letcher Brothers Scholarship Fund was born. For John, having a scholarship in his family’s name means the world. After many successes in his work with computer systems, he wanted to pay forward the gift of education.

“I give to St. Mark’s because it made all the difference in the world with how I handled and viewed education later in my life,” John Letcher said.

Gianpaolo Santarelli ’94 Scholarship Fund

Alan and Jayusia Bernstein, parents of Leo ’90, had their own unique experiences with the School. The Bernsteins moved to Dallas in 1986 and soon became close friends with Giancarlo and Maria Santarelli, parents of Gianpaolo Santarelli ’94.

The couples connected initially through Maria and Jayusia, who Alan described as “kindred spirits, even though they came from extraordinarily different backgrounds.” Maria grew up in a very traditional Italian home, whereas Jayusia was the daughter of Eastern European Holocaust survivors. To this day, the Bernsteins and the Santarellis regularly spend time together. On July 11, 2021, tragedy struck the Santarelli family as their only son, Gianpaolo, passed away unexpectedly at the age of 45. As the Santarellis and the entirety of Gianpaolo’s Class of 1994 grieved the loss, so too did the Bernstein family.

“When Gianpaolo passed away it just struck us: We cannot imagine anything more horrible than losing your only son,” Alan Bernstein said. “It just takes the breath out of you.”

The Bernsteins sought to comfort and console their close friends and considered how they could honor Gianpaolo. Eventually, the Bernsteins and Santarellis decided to remember the “light of the Santarellis' life” forever by establishing the Gianpaolo Santarelli ’94 Scholarship Fund with other community members.

Through the creation of this endowment, the Bernstein family and others have ensured that Gianpaolo's memory endures at St. Mark's.

“Making this gift was an act of friendship and tribute to our dear friends. Nothing gives us more pleasure than making this gift in honor of the Santarelli family. That’s the beautiful thing about endowments: they are forever,” said Bernstein.

The St. Mark’s experience greatly influenced the Letcher family as well as the Bernstein and Santarelli families. Through their generous philanthropy, these families have helped shape the future of our School by expanding access to a St. Mark's education.