Once every year, dozens of tables are set out on the Quad for an alumni cookout. Marksmen young and old eat burgers and talk with friends about current and old times, alumni flock to the campus that built so many core memories to celebrate class reunions, new constructions and the St. Mark’s brotherhood during alumni weekend.
April 24-26 is the school’s Alumni Weekend. Twelve graduating classes are celebrating reunions, ranging from the Class of 1965 to 2020. Several events are taking place both on and off campus that will bring classes and alumni together.
“We always kick off the weekend with an alumni golf tournament at the Dallas Cowboys Golf Club,” Director of Alumni Relations Jack Mallick said. “It’s a great casual way to kick off Alumni Weekend.”
Alumni take this weekend as an opportunity to return to the school to reminisce and talk to their former classmates about their time at here.
They often get to relive their days here, a special alumni chapel is held as well as an alumni cookout on Friday. On Saturday, there is a formal dinner that is held in the Great Hall.
Awards are handed out to alumni, including the Lee Smith Courage and Honor Award, which will be presented to Colonol Cedric Lee who graduated in the Class of 1996. Colonel Lee is the highest ranking U.S. Military Official in St. Mark’s history.
The Alumni and Development team also take this opportunity to recognize faculty and staff who are retiring or are celebrating milestones during their time here. Nancy Marmion and Doc Browning are both being celebrated for their 40th year here at St. Mark’s.
This event not only strengthens the already concrete bond between Marksmen, but also serves as a crucial building block for the current school community.
Much of the donations given to the St. Mark’s fund comes from alumni, especially those who are returning to campus to celebrate a class reunion which is crucial in sustaining the culture that makes the school so special.
“St. Mark’s is a non-profit entity,” Director of Development Tim Crouch said. “We draw in funding and tuition to better benefit our students and faculty’s campus life. It’s so important to keep alumnus engaged to make sure that St. Mark’s continues to be the staple of our students lives that it has been for years.”