Courage, Honor, and Homecoming

For a comprehensive overview of the weekend’s highlights, please visit the Alumni Weekend 2025 webpage.

More than 1,200 alumni and community members came home to campus the weekend of April 24–26 to celebrate Alumni Weekend 2025. Over three memorable days, alumni reconnected with the place and people that helped guide them on their paths to manhood, sharing stories, laughter, and new memories.
 
While speaking at the Spring Alumni Dinner, Jamie Rogers ’85, Alumni Association President, said, “Every person in this room embodies the lifelong dedication that we all share in furthering the mission of St. Mark’s. This commitment to our alma mater is something that our community has come to expect, but certainly never takes for granted. Whether you’re a recent graduate or a Golden Lion, Alumni Weekend offers us a chance to return to the place that shaped us into the men we are today.”
 
The weekend began with the Alumni Golf Tournament held at Cowboys Golf Club in Grapevine. Despite some rain, the tournament was once again sold out as more than 120 alumni teed up in friendly competition for the Ivan Irwin, Jr. ’50 Cup.
 
On Friday, Marksmen representing eight decades returned to St. Mark’s to experience daily life on campus. Alums joined the Lower School for a special Alumni Chapel, with Tony Ruggeri ’00 serving as homilist. Later in the day, the Middle School and Upper School boys heard from 2025 Lee S. Smith ’65 Courage & Honor Award recipient Colonel (COL) Cedric G. Lee ’96 in special assemblies where he spoke about his life as a Marksman and his career as a Soldier.
 
On Friday evening, guests gathered in the Great Hall for the 27th annual Spring Alumni Dinner. The Alumni Association honored several alumni and faculty, beginning with the three finalists for the Ralph B. Rogers Alumni Award: Dr. Zuming Feng, The Suzanne and Patrick McGee Family Master Teaching Chair in Mathematics; Janet Lin, Gene and Alice Oltrogge Master Teaching Chair and Chinese teacher; and Teri Broom, Ackerman Family Master Teaching Chair in Lower School.

Charles Branch ’10 received the Young Alumni Service Citation and Alan Schoellkopf, Jr. ’91 received the Alumni Service Medal. Retiring faculty members Thomas Eckel, Chief Technology Officer; Angela Hendricks, piano teacher; Suzanne Townsend, Chief Financial Officer; Scott Gonzalez, English and humanities teacher; and David Baker, Director of Admission & Financial Aid, were recognized. Additionally, Doc Browning and Nancy Marmion were each recognized for 40 years of service.

Following the recognition of faculty and staff, the evening turned to honor the selfless work of COL Cedric G. Lee ’96, who was named the third recipient of the Lee S. Smith ’65 Courage & Honor Award. COL Lee was recognized for his career spent in the United States Army serving the nation for more than two decades.
 
“The strength of your character, comporting yourself with honor, treating others with dignity and respect – those things are paramount,” said COL Lee. “And you learn that here at St. Mark’s.”
 
On Saturday, alumni and their families enjoyed food trucks, bounce houses, face painting, and campus tours, along with planetarium shows and makerspace demonstrations in the Winn Science Center. The weekend concluded that evening as alumni classes with years ending in ‘5’ and ‘0’, as well as the parents of the Class of 2020, gathered across Dallas for their reunion parties. 
 
“Alumni Weekend offers our community the chance to reconnect with our brothers and the place that shaped us into the men we are today,” said Jack Mallick ’14, Ahlberg & Ribman Family Director of Alumni Relations. “It is always so gratifying to see alumni back on campus sharing stories with the boys and their fellow classmates about our shared experiences. The Weekend is a product of countless hours of service and dedication from alumni volunteers and our faculty and staff. Whether you regularly visit, or it is your first time back on campus in several years, St. Mark’s is always home.”