For many families, graduation is a time to reflect on what St. Mark’s has meant to them. For Helen and Ryan Bowles ’90, parents of Gavin ’25 and Xander ’22, their youngest son’s upcoming graduation sparked a meaningful conversation.

“It was a great opportunity, as our family is wrapping up our time at St. Mark’s, for us to talk about the impact the School has made on us as a family and the opportunity we have to impact future families’ experiences decades from now, even centuries from now,” Ryan said.

He and Helen chose to join the Terrill Society by including St. Mark’s in their estate plans.

The Menter B. Terrill Society was established in 1998 to recognize and thank alumni, parents, faculty, and friends who have included St. Mark’s in their long-term estate planning. Today, more than 120 member families help ensure that future generations of students will benefit from the opportunities the School provides.

In recognition of the growth and impact of the Terrill Society, the Alumni Board appointed Ryan as its inaugural Terrill Society Chair to help educate community members about long-range philanthropic planning. 

In this capacity, Ryan aims to help fellow community members avoid common misperceptions about legacy giving, introducing multiple options for people to consider. Supporters can create legacy gifts through a traditional will, charitable trust, or deferred charitable gift annuity, but donors can also simply name St. Mark’s as a full or partial beneficiary of a retirement account like an IRA, 401(k), or 403(b). If inclined, St. Mark’s can be designated as a beneficiary of a life insurance policy, or checking, savings, or brokerage account.

Another mistaken belief is that a contribution must be monumental to be significant. “Before learning about the Terrill Society, I was always under the preconception that a planned gift, just by its nature, had lots of zeros after it, and it just doesn’t have to,” Ryan said. “The dollar amount can be much more modest if the donor wants it to be and planned gift amounts vary greatly. The significance of the gift is the meaning behind it and the opportunity to lock arms with other community members committed to the long-term future of the School and its mission.” 

Legacy giving exists in harmony with the St. Mark’s tradition of paying it forward, and Ryan credits St. Mark’s with intentionally helping Marksmen understand “the power and the responsibility” of giving back to their communities. 

“The School is doing an incredible job of instilling philanthropy into Marksmen,” he said. “To see the boys grasp that selflessness is great. We should be proud that we’re sending guys out into the world with that mindset. The Terrill Society is an extension of how our actions will echo for years to come.”