by Maribeth FitzGerald’25
On Friday, January 19th, students and faculty gathered in the Class of ‘45 Hall to commemorate and celebrate the installation of Mrs. Lohwater and Mr. Caligione as holders of endowed chairs. These honors recognize the exceptional contributions of these recipients as teachers, dorm parents, and coaches. They embody the qualities and follow the mission of St. Mark's, serving as role models to other faculty and students. As Mr. Warren mentioned during the ceremony, “Any of us who know and have observed and have been taught by Rob and Lindsey know that they amply demonstrate these attributes in everything they do every day.”
Mr. Caligione, St. Mark’s alumnus of the Class of 2004, was awarded the Bill and Peg Barber chair as a tribute to William Wyatt Barber Jr. and his wife, Peg. Barber was head of school from 1948-1968, after graduating in 1928. Mr. Corazzini introduced Mr. Caligione with anecdotes from their long friendship, emphasizing Mr. Caligione’s selflessness as he constantly thinks of others before himself: “He’s excited to educate. He knows he can make an impact and his only purpose is to serve others.” Throughout his time at St. Mark's, Mr. Caligione has taught United States History, Advanced United States History, Advanced Government, Micro and Macroeconomics, and Global Seminars in the classroom and has coached Varsity Boys’ Cross Country, Varsity Baseball, and Thirds Boys’ Basketball. His impact on students is profound—Ian Moore (Class of 2021) states that “Mr. C was always helpful...He’s really easy to talk to and has your best interest at heart. It felt as though we were just peers having a friendly talk.” Mr. Caligione included three takeaways for students in his acceptance speech—seeking mentors, finding joy in what you do, and practicing gratitude. He concluded by taking his own advice and thanking St. Mark’s for all it has provided him with over the years—as a student, teacher, and coach.
Following was Mrs. Lohwater’s installment of the Founder’s Chair. In honor of Joseph Burnett, Mac Gallagher (Class of 1961) described the history of our school, our founder, and the award. Since she arrived in 2010, Mrs. Lohwater has served as a Biology teacher, the director of the Taft STEM fellowship, and our sustainability coordinator. Mr. Palmer, a colleague of Lohwater, took to the podium to introduce Mrs. Lohwater and her achievements in her 14 years here. He remarks, “I have learned so much from working with her, and I have grown so much myself as a teacher and person.” Mr. Palmer also included student insights, remarking how “Ms. Lohwater is honestly like a mother figure here. She is always willing to check on me and just listen, as well as push me when I need it...She’s always been someone I’m comfortable talking to about anything, school-related or not.”
In her recipient speech, Mrs. Lohwater mentioned various teachers who stuck out to her throughout her educational journey and emphasized the impact of educators on their students’ lives from her own experiences. She shared videos from previous students telling stories of teachers at St. Mark’s that changed their lives. Mrs. Lohwater closed off by saying, “I can’t let this speech go without mentioning all of you. So this is for you, the students. Of course, you might imagine that teaching all of you—curious, motivated, kind, passionate students—is a joy. And it is, it is an absolute joy. You make me want to be a better teacher every single day—to create an environment where you feel supported to achieve your full potential.” The ceremony concluded with Mr. Warren awarding Mrs. Lohwater with the Founder’s Chair.