Why I’m Lucky to Have Found St. Mark’s
December 2025
By Neil Cifuentes
Director of Global Citizenship
Spanish, History & Social Sciences Faculty
What distinguishes a boarding school education is not simply what happens in the classroom, but what happens around it.
I often say I’m lucky to have found St. Mark’s. Before arriving here, I worked in higher education at St. Lawrence University as the Coordinator of Student-Athlete Support and an assistant coach for men’s and women’s soccer. I loved the university environment—it was intellectually alive, diverse, and enriching—but my professional world was largely centered on athletics.
In the summer of 2007, I took a leap to St. Mark’s, an independent secondary boarding school, and it remains one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I found the same academic energy I valued in higher education: curious students, driven colleagues, and daily conversations that stretch your thinking. What’s different, and transformative, is the depth of relationships and the breadth of impact.
At a boarding school, we don’t just teach. We coach, advise, and live in community with students. We see them in classrooms, on fields, in dorms, and around dinner tables. That proximity creates trust, accelerates growth, and allows us to support the whole student. It’s deeply fulfilling work because you witness the results firsthand. Confidence is built, skills are strengthened, and choices are clarified up close and in real time.
St. Mark’s has also allowed me to pursue my passions. I continue to coach at a high level in a competitive league, and I teach Spanish and Advanced Studies in Global Citizenship, drawing on my undergraduate majors in Spanish and Government. Through the Global Citizenship Program, I’ve led more than 15 travel programs, helped create three partner exchanges, and visited 12 countries, supported by generous professional development opportunities. It’s rare to find a role where you can teach, coach, mentor, travel, and continue learning all in one place.
In short, St. Mark’s offers the intellectual community I loved in higher education, paired with the added power of immersive, residential education. You engage with students in multiple dimensions, see your influence every day, and continue to grow as both an educator and a person. For me, it has been an outstanding place to thrive.
