Spartans Celebrate 75 Years with $17M Aquatic Center and New Road Unveiling

It was a historical day for  St. Stephen’s as families, students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends joined together with pride and Spartan spirit to mark new beginnings and honor the past.

St. Stephen’s made history with a grand Spartan 75th anniversary celebration and dedication on Friday, September 19, 2025. The Spartan community gathered on campus to officially cut the ribbon for the remarkable $17 million St. Stephen’s Aquatic Center and new roadway called the Spartan Loop. 

The ceremonies, which started with hundreds parading up the Spartan Loop together to the aquatic center, featured remarks from Head of School Chris Gunnin, the Rt. Rev. Kai Ryan, chair of the St. Stephen’s Board of Trustees and honorary campaign chair, and Jonathan Quander ’89, executive chair on the board of trustees.

These additions enhance aquatic programming, elevate Spartan athletics, and open the door to year-round meets, expanded water polo opportunities and meaningful partnerships. The projects are the first to be completed as part of the school’s transformative comprehensive campaign. 

Spartan pride and school spirit were evident at the student pep rally and traditional block party sponsored by the Parents’ Association. The community enjoyed food trucks, surprise giveaways, Spartan merch, face painting, games, a dunk tank, karaoke and more. For the first time, there was a special alumni tent where alums stopped by and picked up merch, connected with the alumni team and caught up with friends and fellow Spartans. 

The energetic event set the stage for what proved to be a thrilling evening of varsity competitions. The Spartan Field Hockey, Girls Volleyball and Football teams all secured big wins on our home turf.

The talented Apollo Percussion drumline put in long hours in the heat, keeping the energy high and Spartan fans entertained at the pep rally, dedications and football game. The Madrigals also delivered a beautiful National Anthem performance on Denius Field ahead of the Varsity Football game kickoff. Let’s keep the Spartan spirit alive all year long!

The St. Stephen’s Aquatic Center & Comprehensive Campaign
The transformative St. Stephen’s Aquatic Center project is funded through a generous $17 million gift from the Still Water Foundation and is part of St. Stephen’s bold comprehensive campaign that is launching this fall. The campaign aims to enhance every aspect of campus life — from new and improved facilities to bolstered endowments that support faculty financial aid and scholarships, programs and curriculum. To date, the Spartan community has generously committed over $57 million to the campaign.

To learn more about the campaign for St. Stephen’s, contact April Speck-Ewer, Director of Advancement, at aspeckewer@sstx.org, 512.327.1213 x 118 or Alison Chang, Comprehensive Campaign Director, at achang@sstx.org, 512.327.1213 x 108.

Read more about the progress of the Aquatic Center over the last year:
Celebrating the Groundbreaking for the Aquatic Center
St. Stephen’s World Class Aquatic Center Nears Completion
Learn More about St. Stephen’s Year-Round Academies