Alumni Programs

Alumni News

alumni programs

After nearly two years of limited campus access and several virtual events, parents, alumni, and friends enthusiastically returned to campus this fall for a variety of community events.

(above) Board of Trustees Vice President Jeff Hillier '76 visits with guests at the Alumni Holiday Luncheon

(above right) Alumni Water Polo Game On December 8, scores of parents and alumni partners gathered on campus for Volunteer Day and conducted meaningful outreach to peers that advanced the St. Mark’s Fund. Volunteers invited engagement with this year’s St. Mark’s Fund through personal phone calls, handwritten thankyou notes, and signed requests for support to fellow members of the St. Mark’s Community. During their Thanksgiving Break, members of the 15 most recent graduating classes caught up with one another at the annual Young Alumni Holiday Party at HG SPLY CO. Alex Eshelbrenner ’04, Ahlberg & Ribman Family Director of Alumni Relations, recognizes how important Young Alumni are within the St. Mark’s community. “It is critical to engage all of our graduates at a high level, including our young alumni,” Eshelbrenner said. “They are a key resource for current Marksmen and an important sounding board for the School. Plus, they will be leading our Alumni Association for years to come.”

For the first time in two years, the annual Alumni Holiday Luncheon was held in-person at Arlington Hall. Alumni heard campus updates from Eugene McDermott Headmaster David Dini, current Alumni Board President Sandy Campbell ’76, and Ekansh Tambe ’22. After the holidays, the Varsity Water Polo, Soccer, and Basketball teams competed against members of the Alumni Association in the much-anticipated Alumni Games, with both the Water Polo and Basketball alumni teams

emerging victorious.

With many college-age Marksmen still in town for Winter Break, members from the Classes of 2018 through 2021 came to campus on January 6 to connect with established graduates. Professionals in business and finance, medicine and healthcare, law and government, and technology and entrepreneurship shared their experiences and answered questions. Later that afternoon, four Alumni currently attending college sat on a panel facilitated by the Student Alumni Association to impart their collegiate experiences thus far to current students in Upper School. One of the panelists, Taylor Hopkin ’20, a freshman at Davidson College, is eager to serve younger Marksmen. “While I was a student, I benefitted from advice and instruction given to me by alumni,” Hopkin said. “Now I am in a position to pass along my own advice and instruction.”

A few days later, volunteers from the Classes ending in 2 and 7 came to campus to begin planning their upcoming April Reunions. Alumni in Reunion years are excited and ready to re-engage with the St. Mark’s Community and their classmates in person after a prolonged hiatus. This enthusiasm has been palpable since the early stages of the 2022 Reunion planning process and continues to grow as plans solidify.

(top left) Alumni Soccer Game

(bottom left) Alumni Basketball Game

(top right and bottom right) College-Age Marksmen Day