93 St. Markers Graduate at 159th Prize Day

Photograph of the Class of 2024 by Adam Richins

St. Mark's School's 159th Prize Day on Saturday, June 8, marked the conclusion of the 2023-2024 academic year. Ninety-three VI Form students graduated from St. Mark's in a ceremony under the tent on Belmont FIeld. Alexander Ward ’08 delivered the keynote address, and Yumna Syed ’24 was the valedictorian.

“You have worked hard and well to get to this point, and you have richly earned the respect and congratulations of all of us here," Head of School John C. Warren ’74 said during his opening remarks to the graduates.

“Class of 2024, you are poised to lead lives of consequence, that is, to make a difference to others in whatever ways fit with your interests and personalities,” Mr. Warren added. “Focusing on something larger than yourself is, surely, the path to the deepest happiness. Finding that happiness, leading that life of consequence, is what I wish for each one of you.”

Mr. Warren then continued to offer special thanks to departing faculty members, including those who are retiring after dedicated service to the School: Head Chaplain, religion teacher, and Barlow endowed chairholder Barbara Talcott, as well as Director of Global Citizenship Laura Appell-Warren. Prizes and awards were presented next, beginning with the George Howell Kidder Faculty Prize and the Class of 1961 Fred Burr Staff Prize.

The George Howell Kidder Faculty Prize is awarded by the head of school, on the advice of faculty, staff, and student leaders, to a member of the faculty who has contributed to St. Mark's above and beyond the ordinary and who has shown the same love of learning, compassion, and commitment to excellence which marked George Howell Kidder's life. Computer science teacher Pat Loranger was this year's recipient.

The Class of 1961 Fred Burr Staff Prize was established by the Class of 1961 on the occasion of their 40th reunion to honor one of their teachers, Fred Burr, and his emphasis on the contribution staff make to the quality of the education provided by St. Mark's. Fred Burr considered himself one—like so many staff members—who enthusiastically support the work of faculty and students while working outside the limelight. The Burr Prize is awarded by the head of school, on the advice of faculty, of staff and of student leaders, to a member of the staff who exemplifies these qualities. Facilities team member Tracy Hill was this year's recipient.

Mr. Warren followed these presentations with the student awards, concluding with the Founder's Medal, which honors the School's founder, Joseph Burnett, and is endowed in memory of Brigadier General Richard Townsend Henshaw, Jr., of the Class of 1930. It is awarded to the member of the graduating class with the highest academic standing over the last three years of their St. Mark's career. This year the Founder's Medal was awarded to Erin Alexandra Mody Rasmussen. A full list of award recipients appears below.

Following the presentation of prizes and awards, Alex Ward ’08 delivered the keynote address. Reflecting on his 18 years at St. Mark’s, as a former faculty child who was raised on campus, Ward said: “St. Mark’s, at the end of the day, is a home, and it’s yours just as much as it is mine.”

“If I were to dip into providing life advice, I’d say that it’s hard to build anything without a solid foundation,” he continued. “Count yourselves among the most fortunate to have such sturdiness beneath your feet. Don’t let it erode.”

“And no matter where you go or what you do, you will always be welcome here, and you will someday have the privilege to welcome others to this place—the place you grew up, the place you lived, with the family you made.”

At St. Mark's, the valedictorian is chosen by the VI Form class. In her valedictory address, Yumna Syed '24 used the metaphor of a fig tree and offered this advice to members of the graduating class: “Push yourself to try new things. Talk to new people. Join clubs. You never know what figs might grow. You may find a new interest in an unsuspecting place.”

Trustee Tarah Donaghue Breed ’00 then welcomed the Class of 2024 to the Alumni Association before Rev. Barbara Talcott concluded the ceremony with a benediction.

Watch the Prize Day livestream recording here.

View the Prize Day photo gallery on SmugMug here.

Watch the June 7 Baccalaureate address to the Class of 2024 from Carl Corazzini here.

Prizes and Award Recipients:

The Brantwood Prize celebrates the strong bond that has existed for close to a century between St. Mark's School and Brantwood Camp. This prize is awarded each year to the St. Markers who have done the most for Brantwood. This year, the Brantwood Prize was awarded to Peicheng (Peter) Yu and Rory Hutchins.

The John A. Carey Prize is given in recognition of and appreciation for the 36 years of loving service John Carey gave to this School. It is given to that student who has contributed the most to the visual arts at St. Mark's and who has excelled in more than one art form. This year, the Carey Prize was awarded to Jihu Choi.

The Carleton Burr Rand Prize is given in memory of Carleton Burr Rand, Class of 1946, and is awarded for excellence in journalism. This year, the Rand Prize was awarded to Jonathan Hernández and Jiaqi (Jackie) Huang.

The Coleman Prize in English, endowed by Joseph G. Coleman Jr., Class of 1899, is awarded to that student, who, in the judgment of the English Department, has submitted the outstanding essay during this academic year. The winner of this year's Coleman Prize was Shiang-Hua (Ariel) Cheng.

The William Otis Smith Prize for English Verse is given in memory of a member of the Class of 1907 and is awarded to that student who, in the judgment of the English Department, has submitted the outstanding verse during the past year. This year, the Smith Prize was awarded to Jihu Choi.

The Redmond Prize for English Narrative, presented in memory of Henry S. Redmond, Class of 1923, is awarded to the student who, in the judgment of the English Department, has submitted the outstanding piece of narrative during this academic year. This year's Redmond Prize was awarded to Erin Rasmussen.

The Frederick A. Cammann ’47 Music Prize is awarded to that student who demonstrates the most talent in musical theory and composition. This year it was awarded to Chengting (David) Xie.

The J. Stanley Sheppard Music Prize is given in recognition of Stan Sheppard's 34 years of faculty service to the music program at St. Mark's and is awarded to that student who has contributed the most to the musical life of the School during the current year. This year, the Sheppard Music Prize was awarded to Erin Rasmussen.

The Walter Irving Badger Prize in Dramatics is given in memory of Walter Badger's 13 years of service to the St. Mark's drama program and is awarded to the member of the VI Form who, during their St. Mark's career, has contributed the most to drama at the School. This year's Badger Prize was awarded to Diane Kwon.

The Frederick R. Avis and Anna M. Pliscz Science Prizes honor two revered St. Mark's biology teachers whose love of teaching and learning set examples for both colleagues and students. The Avis-Pliscz Science prizes are awarded to two students who, through curiosity, determination, passion, and practical application of ideas, have acquired a deeper understanding of particular scientific processes. This year's Avis-Pliscz Science Prizes were awarded to Katelyn Yang and Taras Yaitskyi.

The Philip Gallatin Cammann '14 STEM Prize is awarded to that student who has most successfully pursued breadth and depth of study in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics courses. This year the Cammann STEM prize was awarded to Hyeonji (Tiffany) Ahn.

The Edward A. Taft ’69 Computer Science Prize is awarded to that student who by interest, curiosity, original thought, and practical application of ideas has acquired a deeper understanding of the field of computer science. This year the Taft Computer Science Prize was awarded to Hyeonji (Tiffany) Ahn.

The John Suydam Mathematics Prize is given in memory of a member of the Class of 1904 who taught mathematics at St. Mark's for many years. It is awarded to that VI Former who has done the best work in mathematics, having also studied physics. This year the Suydam Mathematics Prize was awarded to Sunoo Jeong.

The Roy Irving Murray Prize for Excellence in Sacred Studies is given in memory of a St. Mark's chaplain from the 1920s and 1930s. This year it was awarded to Andrew Lamprea.

The H. Casimir De Rham Prize for Excellence in French is given in honor of a member of the Class of 1914. This year it was awarded to Zhicheng (Daniel) Song.

The Peter Bryce Appleton Prize for Excellence in Spanish was given by Francis Appleton, of the Class of 1935, in honor of Peter Bryce Appleton, a member of the class of 1961. This year the Appleton Spanish Prize was awarded to Xinyuan (Yolanda) Zhou.

The Chinese Language Prize is awarded to the student who has demonstrated extraordinary aptitude and passion for the study of Chinese during their career at St. Mark's. This year the Chinese Prize was awarded to Ian Cho.

The Henry P. Kidder Prize for Excellence in Latin is given in memory of a member of the Class of 1914. Henry Kidder is also the grandson of the founder of St. Mark's School. This year the Kidder Latin Prize was awarded to Xinyu (Catherine) Zhang.

The Morris H. Morgan Prize for Excellence in Greek is given in memory of a member of the Class of 1877 who was for many years a professor of Greek at Harvard. This year, the Morgan Greek Prize was awarded to Madeline Bean.

The Frederic A. Flichtner Prize for Excellence in History is given in memory of a member of the faculty for 35 years. This year, it was awarded to Steven Zhang.

The George Hall Burnett Prize in History is given to commemorate the graduation in 1902 of a grandson of the founder. It is awarded on the basis of a special essay in American history. This year, the Burnett Prize in History was presented to Daniel Guo.

The Ely Prize in Public Speaking, originally given by a member of the Class of 1892 in memory of his mother, is presented to the student who gave the best speech in the Global Seminar Public Speaking Competition. This year's Ely Prize was awarded to Dylan Capodilupo.

The Shen Prize is awarded to the winner of a public speaking contest among Advanced United States History students on the topic of democracy. The prize is given by Y.L. Shen in honor of his daughters, Ing-ie (Ava) Shen of the Class of 1988, and Ing-Chuan (Judy) Shen of the Class of 1989. This year's Shen Prize was awarded to Hannah Cha.

The Daniel B. Fearing Athletic Prizes, named for a member of the Class of 1878, are awarded to the two VI Form students who best combine athletic ability with good spirit, good team play, and sportsmanship. The prize was established to reward both the winners' contribution to the success of their teams and their wholesome and positive effect on the athletic life of the School. This year's Fearing Prizes were presented to Judy Rodolakis and Andrew Gibbons.

The John and Elizabeth Munroe Prize, first given in 1949 in memory of a member of the Class of 1902, was renamed in 1990 to include his wife, a distinguished and inspiring figure in the field of social work. The prize is awarded each year, by vote of the faculty, to the underformer who has shown the greatest promise of intellectual leadership and who by their example has best fulfilled the ideals of St. Mark's School. This year's John and Elizabeth Munroe Prize was presented to Ian Cho.

The Charles Willard Bigelow Prize is given in memory of a member of the Class of 1891. It is awarded for promise of character by vote of the faculty to the V Former who, throughout their St. Mark's career, has shown unusual determination in all their undertakings and who has continuously been willing to go beyond the call of duty to get the job done. This year, the Bigelow Prize went to Antoinette (Netty) Andrews.

The Head Monitor Prize is presented to the two Head Monitors in recognition of exemplary devoted service to St. Mark's. Both in their public roles and behind the scenes, they have been outstanding leaders. This year's Head Monitors were Judy Rodolakis and Calvin Beard.

The St. Mark's Prize for Experiential Learning, selected by vote of the faculty, goes to that VI Former who has demonstrated, through action and reflection, a particular passion for applying knowledge gained in St. Mark's classrooms to challenges existing in the larger world beyond our campus The recipient of the St. Mark's Prize for Experiential Learning was Maisianne Pierce.

The Bishop J. Clark Grew ’58 Community and Equity Prize, a new prize for 2024, is given in honor of a member of the Class of 1958 and former faculty member and Trustee who has worked steadfastly throughout his personal and professional life for social justice. Awarded by faculty vote, it is bestowed upon the VI Former who, in keeping with the School’s Episcopal values, has exemplified extraordinary leadership of—and a remarkable commitment to—the ideals of community and equity, and whose unwavering dedication and contributions have resulted in a lasting impact on the St. Mark’s community. This year’s Grew Prize was awarded to Anaya Strong.

 The Association of St. Mark's School Prize is awarded by vote of the faculty to that VI Former who best represents the ideals of St. Mark's School and who, through their service to the broader community beyond the St. Mark's campus, enriches both their own life and the life of the greater School. This year's Association of St. Mark's School Prize went to Yumna Syed.

The Harold Hayes Prize, named for a member of the Class of 1907, is awarded by vote of the faculty to the member of the graduating class who has been of greatest service to the School. This year's Hayes Prize went to Jonathan Hernández.

The Henry Nichols Ervin Scholarship is named for a member of the Class of 1936 who was killed in World War II. It is awarded by vote of the faculty to that student who best exemplifies the character of Henry Ervin who, while at St. Mark's, at Brantwood, at Harvard, and in service to his country, seldom missed an opportunity to do a kindness or lend a hand. This year, the Ervin Scholarship was awarded to Andrew Gibbons.

The Pierson F. Melcher Prize is given in honor of the founding headmaster of the Southborough School and is awarded by the St. Mark's faculty “to that student who through clarity of expression, effectiveness of logic, and sense of community well-being best exemplifies the tradition and spirit of the New England town meeting.” This year's Melcher prize was awarded to Angelica Duarte.

The Douglas H. T. Bradlee Scholarship is named for a member of the Class of 1946 who was killed in the Korean War. It is awarded by vote of the faculty to that student who best exemplifies the qualities of Douglas Bradlee. In the words of his headmaster, what was special “was not so much (Douglas Bradlee's) keen mind or his frankness or his...physical courage or even his firm forthright moral courage; it was his spiritual strength.” This year, the Bradlee Scholarship was awarded to Jacob Cifuentes.

The William Townsend White Scholarship is named for a member of the Class of 1886. It is awarded by vote of the faculty to a deserving student based upon academic achievement. This year, the White Scholarship was awarded to Taras Yaitskyi.

The William G. Thayer Scholarship Fund Prizes were established by the alumni to honor the Thayers' first 25 years of service to St. Mark's. They are awarded each year to those students in each form with the highest academic average for the year. The recipients of this year's Thayer Prizes were Jiaqi (Jackie) Huang (VI Form), Seunghyeon (Karry) Kim and Gregory Li (V Form), Xinyu (Catherine) Zhang (IV Form), and Eunsoo (Lily) Oh (III Form).

The Dr. and Mrs. William Thayer Scholarship is awarded to the student, not in the graduating class, with the highest academic standing in the School. This year's recipient was Xinyu (Catherine) Zhang.

The Founder's Medal honors the School's founder, Joseph Burnett, and is endowed in memory of Brigadier General Richard Townsend Henshaw, Jr., of the Class of 1930. It is awarded to the member of the graduating class with the highest academic standing over the last three years of their St. Mark's career. The recipient of this year's Founder's Medal was Erin Alexandra Mody Rasmussen.

 

 

Full text of Alex Ward's Prize Day Address:

 

Mr. Warren, trustees, faculty, students, staff, parents, family, friends, and most importantly, the Class of 2024––thank you so much for inviting me to come back and address you all today.

I'm a reporter, so I believe in full transparency and telling you the truth up front. So here it goes: I was surprised by the request to speak at such a momentous occasion, and it’s partly because of something that happened just a few feet from this tent.

I took geometry my IV Form year, and I was struggling. I had just gotten a handle on numbers, and then they threw me a curveball in the form of adding letters to equations. Letters.

For a while, I genuinely thought the answer to “Find X” was circling it along the hypotenuse. And while I don’t know what it does or what it’s for, the only complicated math thing I remember is the quadratic formula, because it was taught to me in the style of “Row, Row, Row Your Boat.”

I give you that backstory so you don’t think I’m crazy for what happened next.

The teacher, Dr. Tanton, brought his dog in one day and placed a bowl of treats on his desk. To start the class, he said, “If any of you eat a Pupperoni stick, you can take the class off.”

Well...

As he and my classmates chuckled, I sprang out of my chair and dashed to the bowl. I wolfed down the sticky, surprisingly peppery treat like it was a Fourth of July hot dog eating contest. It took me longer than I’m proud of to realize it was an obvious joke.

Tanton, looking horrified while holding in a laugh, said, “Alex, wash out your mouth and come back to class.”

So not only did I fail to earn a free period, but I had caused my friends to look at me the same way they looked at the dining hall’s chicken which, even when fully cooked, still somehow gives off “raw vibes.”

All this to say: I know I’m supposed to use this speech to talk about the future, what comes next after you leave Southborough. But I’m not sure I’m the most distinguished person for that assignment.

I do feel qualified to talk about something else: This place, St. Mark’s, and what it might mean to you after this ceremony.

St. Mark’s was my home for 18 years. I spent my childhood here, learning my please and thank-yous and how to ride a bike on West Campus’ hills. In that time I watched my mom teach generations of Spanish classes to say “Tengo 14 años”––not “anos”––and that there is an obnoxious way to pronounce “Barcelona.”

So I know two things: First, the Kleenex I need whenever “Stick Season’s” Noah Kahan sings about New England. And second, that you’re asking yourself the exact same question I did on this day: When can I get outta here?!

Believe me, I get it. If your experience was anything like mine, senioritis kicked in about four months ago, when that college admissions letter was a golden ticket to stop studying and double down on playing video games.

You hung out with friends just a little longer in the common room. You stretched out your lunches and dinners, surveying the dining hall from that raised floor. It might only have been two steps, but at that point in your St. Mark’s career, it felt like you’d climbed a mountain.

And let’s not forget that you survived a pandemic, navigated a tricky political climate, and you attended a school so intimate, with everyone so involved in your life, that if you fell down the stairs, everyone would know by the time you reached the bottom.

Heck, you’re the only class I know with a valedictorian who may or may not still be hypnotized!

So the impulse to want your graduation speaker to shut up already so you can celebrate isn’t just something I understand, it’s also something I felt when I sat where you are now.

But here’s something else I bet you’ve started feeling, a resilient, persistent notion you just can’t shake.

This school, with all its prestige and problems, will forever be part of who you are.

You may not have spent a The Holdovers-like existence at St. Mark’s like I did, but you too grew up here.

Yes, it’s where you learned what subjects you loved and ones you’d eat dog food to avoid. But it’s also where a hallway conversation unveiled a classmate’s humanity; where a teammate’s graciousness after beating Groton inspired you; where a dorm head acted as a parent in a time of need; where even the shortest romance, despite the heartbreak, taught you to care for another.

Boarder or day student, here in this place you lived together, worked together, laughed together, cried together, strived together––were together.

St. Mark’s, at the end of the day, is a home, and it’s yours just as much as it is mine.

Over the years, I’ve had the good fortune to see many classes come and go. All of them, including my Class of 2008, were full of people aching to jump in the car, leave for another town, state, or country, ready for their real lives to begin.

Some of them, and I suspect some of you, genuinely didn’t enjoy their time here. Fair enough––no place is perfect, and no two experiences are the same. Please know that we see you.

But...I also saw a lot of wantaways come back on the very next Groton Day, and then nearly all of them for their five-year reunion. Some are willing to get lunch with me whenever I’m in their city, including a former classmate in Seoul, South Korea who showed me his favorite dumpling place––making him partly responsible for this pear-shaped gentleman before you.

And I think the reason why, for all of it, is deceptively simple: They lived here, just like you really lived here.

Whether they thrived or survived at this school, they moved on with the confidence that whatever they did in life, wherever they went, St. Mark’s was where they left it, a time capsule preserving memories of when everything was possible.

This place still reminds them of a time when they weren’t the final versions of themselves; before life came at them fast; before they took big risks; before they trusted their gut and moral compass to do the right thing; before they stepped out of their comfort zone; before their world expanded in vibrant ways.

Despite all I just said, let me be clear: I desperately wanted out of here 16 years ago. I was excited to move to D.C., meet new people in college, learn about the world and get better at writing.

That last bit wasn’t so easy. A politics professor once gave me an F on a paper about the Supreme Court. Honestly, the grade was fair, as I wrote all 20 pages mere hours before handing it in.

It was so bad she even asked: “Is English your first language?”

The feedback was brutal, but the point remained: I needed to do better at writing on deadline.

So I practiced the craft, and over time got good enough to get hired in journalism.

Now, this kid from Southborough gets to cover the White House and travel with presidents, watching history unfold and having the privilege of engaging in our democracy by reporting what I see back to you.

I even wrote a book about it. And, in a twist, was named a Pulitzer Prize finalist for Supreme Court coverage.

But on my Prize Day, I wasn’t envisioning such a career. My thoughts were elsewhere.

They were about whether I’d ever see a certain classmate again; if a teacher that inspired me would be here when I got back; if a secret crush would ever find out how I felt; if the staff, from the front desk to the training room, would smile when I walked in; if the weekend van drivers still bumped Kendrick on the way to the mall; if my coaches remembered that I ran at slow speeds but played with a big heart; and if the headmaster would still let me impersonate how he talks with his hands.

But there was another thought: if I ever got the chance to speak at a Prize Day, I would not offer platitudes about your futures––no guy at a podium, standing between you and your freedom, could know what you’re about to face––but instead speak about what I know.

And what I know is this: I’m as proud as ever to call St. Mark’s home, and that’s because you are a part of its story as much as it’s a part of yours.

If I were to dip into providing life advice, I’d say that it’s hard to build anything without a solid foundation. Count yourselves among the most fortunate to have such sturdiness beneath your feet. Don’t let it erode.

And no matter where you go or what you do, you will always be welcome here, and you will someday have the privilege to welcome others to this place—the place you grew up, the place you lived, with the family you made.

Make sure, before you leave here today, with that well-earned diploma in hand, to take a breath, look around, and reflect on that remarkable fact.

Congratulations once again, Class of 2024, on all you’ve achieved and on all that’s to come.

We'll be right here.

Thank you.

 

 

Full text of Yumna Syed's Valedictory Address:

Good morning everyone, and congratulations to the Class of 2024! Each one of us here today has had a unique and special journey at St. Mark’s, so I want to take a brief moment to reflect and feel proud of our accomplishments.

Looking back, we cannot forget the people who supported us through it all. Family, friends, advisors, teachers, coaches, and everyone who played even a seemingly minor role. You all are why we get to be seated here today, so thank you.

I certainly know I would not be here without my support system. To my family. To all the friends I have made here. To my advisor, Mrs. McBride. To Mr. Corazzini’s III Form TGS class, where I learned I actually wasn’t scared of public speaking. Thank you.

I urge the Class of 2024 today to find your support system and thank them, personally.

These past few weeks, I’ve found myself looking back to our freshman year. It seems bizarre to me that just four years ago we were getting to know each other six feet apart while masked at all times. That just four years ago, we were sitting at lunch with friends trying to yell jokes over the plexiglass dividers.

While four years should not feel like a long time, it does to me. Because as I reflect, I am unable to recognize the person I was when I got on my first Zoom class or arrived on campus for the first time. I look back and see a 14-year-old girl with braces and glasses who had no idea what was coming in the next few years. She didn’t quite know who she was. And I’m sure that was the case for the majority of us. But now as we sit here, ready to move forward, we are no longer those people. Our time at St. Mark’s has changed us.

To better imagine the transformation we have experienced, I would like to share a quote from one of my favorite novels, The Bell Jar, with you all. I believe it applies to both our past at St. Mark’s and our future beyond St. Mark’s.

“I saw my life branching out before me like the green fig tree in the story. From the tip of every branch, like a fat purple fig, a wonderful future beckoned and winked. One fig was a husband and a happy home and children, and another fig was a famous poet and another fig was a brilliant professor… and above these figs were many more figs I couldn’t quite make out.”

You may be wondering: how does a fig tree apply to our lives? As we began our time at St. Mark’s, some of us may have had interests and passions that allowed us to think the future was lined up. But for the most part, we had a lot to learn. As new students at St. Mark’s, this is where we began growing our fig trees, individually and collectively. 

My fig tree, for example, was relatively bare as I entered St. Mark’s. I stepped onto campus with no idea of what I wanted to do or who I was.

Thankfully, I convinced myself to try new things. My freshman year I signed up for computer science with Mr. Friedman. As much as I struggled at first, I ended up loving it. I also signed up for Latin. I admit, I only wanted to take it because I saw that you could get to wear a laurel wreath on Prize Day. But seriously, over the past four years, my passion for classics and computer science continued to develop.

But my fig tree is just one example. In front of me here, there is an orchard of fig trees that have grown in so many different ways.

And our trees have not grown in perfect conditions; it took a while for the roots to grow. Our beginnings as a class were quite tough. As I mentioned, COVID heavily affected our years here. We spent minimal time in classes during freshman year. And not to mention our class missed the huge bonding opportunity that is Brantwood. But despite all this, we were still able to persevere through it. Our persistence through challenges has been extremely evident in our chapel talks this year.

A large portion of the talks this year centered around seeking refuge in different activities. One example would be music. Our class has so many talented musicians, and quite a few of us performed as a part of our chapel talks. Some of us spoke about finding tranquility in athletics. Though our class had such a wide variety of talks, there was a clear theme of vulnerability and resilience. We had to endure so many challenges during our freshman year, and I believe that we’ve come out the other end stronger. Ever since freshman year, we have consistently participated in the wellness opportunities offered here. Whether that be hosting workshops or attending mindfulness walks. I like to think this started because of our III Form check-ins with Mr. Corazzini over Zoom.

Our collective experiences as a class have impacted the way our fig trees have grown. But still, we have been able to grow our own, individual, figs. Not one of our trees is identical to another.

And this is due to the structured culture St. Mark’s has offered us. We are constantly trying new things—but not exactly by will. The required courses, the scheduled community block events, the afternoon commitments: all of these can feel taxing. At one point or another, we surely have complained about these numerous expectations. I’ve no doubt been frustrated at having zero free blocks during Thursday schedules. But if we reflect now, I am more than positive that we can each find a new interest that had stemmed from a once annoying requirement.

The fact that we have been given the opportunity to engage in all kinds of potential interests is the reason we have been able to nurture new figs constantly.

Flash forward to today, we have no idea what our future holds for us. But one thing is for sure, there are so many possibilities. In other words, our fig trees are flourishing. Though, now we are faced with a new problem. What do we do with our trees now? With all these passions we have, how are we supposed to pick one?

The answer is simple: don’t pick one. Our lives are going to take us in several different directions. What we once saw as our dream job may become a gateway to finding our true calling. Every fig is just as important as the other and that makes us who we are.

I understand that, sometimes, it feels like we have to sum ourselves up to be just one thing. But we are all so complex and to focus on one fig in a tree would be to diminish our potential. As important as it is to continue to nurture our current figs, it is just as important to grow new ones.

In the last few days of school, a peer in my Greek class turned to Dr. Harwood and asked; “What is one piece of advice you have for us as we leave St. Mark’s?” Dr. Harwood responded with two words: “Join in.”

After seeing our confused faces, she explained. When we leave St. Mark’s, there will no longer be required courses, scheduled community block events, or afternoon commitments. For the most part, we won’t be forced to explore interests anymore. We are on our own.

To “join in” means to make an intentional effort to keep growing our fig trees. Because St. Mark’s was just the beginning. We have so much ahead of us, and if we stop growing now, we’d be missing out on so much.

So as we embark on the next chapter of our lives, “join in.” Push yourself to try new things. Talk to new people. Join clubs. You never know what figs might grow. You may find a new interest in an unsuspecting place.

So, Class of 2024, as we move past St. Mark’s, may our fig trees never stop growing. Once again, congratulations. Thank you.