Alumni Return to Mentor Students

On Thursday, November 19, 2019, the Student Alumni Association welcomed eleven Alumni Mentors back to campus as they shared their professional experiences with Upper School students. The annual Mentoring Discussions featured roundtable conversations focused on four industries: Business & Finance, Tech & Entrepreneurship, Medicine & Health Care, and Law & Government.

“In addition to simply learning more about the presented fields, these panels are really important and beneficial for the students to attend because it’s an opportunity to hear from alumni who have shared the same experiences as us,” said Matthew Raroque ’20, Student Alumni Association Co-President. “With this connection and ability to relate on such a deep level, the alumni offered really valuable and applicable advice that we can integrate into our own St. Mark’s paths.”

Students were invited to ask questions and received invaluable insight, including advice on internships, interview skills, and a glimpse into their daily responsibilities. Among each discussion, a common theme emerged: all alumni mentors encouraged the students to leverage the ever-expanding Marksmen network for insight into specific career choices and how to prepare for those future interactions accordingly.

The Alumni Board’s Mentor & Networking Committee works throughout the year to connect students with alumni mentors to guide them both as professionals and as men. This spring, the Alumni Association’s Mentoring & Networking Committee, chaired by Parag Vaidya ’00, will return to campus to share advice on interview skills, resume building, things employers look for during the hiring process, and how to achieve success in a professional work environment.

The four professional mentorship discussion groups included:

Medicine and Health Care
Lowell Ku ’89: Reproductive Endocrinology, Infertility & Surgery, Dallas IVF
Zev Shulkin ’98: Oculoplastics, Orbit, Pediatric Ophthalmology at Shulkin Eye Associates

Tech and Entrepreneurship
B.A. Cullum ’99, Vice President, Aspect Investors
Jake Wagner ’00: Co-CEO, Republic Property Group
Parag Vaidya ’00: Managing Director, Authentic Gem Imports

Law and Government
Jonathan Erwin ’92: Managing Director & Founder, Sabalo Financial, LLC
Nathan Fay ’92: Attorney, Caliber Collision
Joe Zopolsky ’92: Attorney at Law, Glast, Phillips & Murray, P.C.

Business & Finance
Jamie Helwig: President, J.S. Helwig & Son, LLC
Ben Vig ’89: CFA, RoundRock Capital
Allen White ’97: Founder and Chief Investment Officer, Orchid Lane Capital

If you are interested in serving as an Alumni Mentor, please contact Alex Eshelbrenner ’04 at 214-346-8274 or eshelbrennera@smtexas.org.
 
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St. Mark’s School of Texas

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Dallas, Texas 75230
214-346-8000

About Us

St. Mark’s School of Texas is a private, nonsectarian college-preparatory boys’ day school for students in grades 1 through 12, located in Dallas, Texas. St. Mark’s aims to prepare young men to assume leadership and responsibility in a competitive and changing world.

St. Mark’s does not discriminate in the administration of its admission and education policies on the basis of race, color, religion, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin.