Parent, alumni and grandparent volunteers team up to raise $2M to fuel the programs and people that make St. Stephen’s extraordinary.

On Thursday, October 1, 2026, parent, grandparent and alumni volunteers gathered on campus for a celebratory kickoff breakfast and training session to launch the 2026–27 Annual Fund. Running through July 31, 2027, this year’s effort serves as a cornerstone priority of Lasting Impact: The Campaign for St. Stephen’s — the $85 million campaign designed to shape the school’s next 75 years of excellence through the collective commitment of “Every Year. Every Spartan.”

The Annual Fund directly supports the day-to-day life of every student, teacher and program across our 374-acre campus. Contributions to this year’s goal of $2 million go to work immediately to support exceptional faculty and staff, fund vibrant arts and athletics, power class retreats, maintain facilities and bolster financial aid to strengthen our whole community.

Following the kickoff breakfast, volunteers participated in training to prepare for outreach in the coming weeks. Parent Chairs Meredith McDaniel ’92 and Patrick Chang P ’28, ’30 are leading parent-volunteers to encourage broad participation across every grade level. Grandparent Chairs Trish Smith and Marty Sampson GP ’29, ’29, ’29 are guiding efforts to engage fellow grandparents in supporting the school’s mission. Alumni Chair Lou Mabley ’86, P ’26, ’23, ’19  will encourage alumni engagement as we build connections and inspire philanthropic support among graduates across generations.

St. Stephen’s faculty and staff have already begun setting an inspirational example for the community through their early participation and commitment to the school, led by Faculty and Staff Co-Chairs Michael Oberle P  ’17, ’17 and Lindsay Hearn Brustein.

As the school’s highest annual fundraising priority and a central component of Lasting Impact, every Annual Fund gift counts toward the campaign total. These gifts advance broader school goals alongside capital and endowment initiatives, including the new Science and Technology Center, Student Support Center, and Chapel renovation and expansion.

“We’ve studied these projects. We know what a transformative impact each of them will have in our community,” said Head of School Chris Gunnin. “It’s really exciting, and it’s really ambitious. It’s going to require the entire community to step forward and support the school for us to be successful.”

An Annual Fund parent volunteer or a member of the Advancement team will be in touch with Spartan families in the coming weeks to discuss opportunities to support the school this year.

For questions about the Annual Fund or how to get involved, please contact Jackie Robertson, Director of Annual Giving, at jrobertson@sstx.org or 512.327.1213 x133.

Every Year. Every Spartan.