Making their mark abroad

The following article was printed in the spring 2023 issue of The Pride alumni magazine. 

For some alums, their life’s journey has taken them far beyond 10600 Preston Rd. to fascinating places across the globe. From Singapore to Israel, Afghanistan to the United Kingdom and everywhere in between, the first steps they took years before have led them to living abroad. Here are three Marksmen whose professional careers have taken them to all corners of the world.


A MISSION OF BREAKING BREAD

As an Army officer, the past 20 years have kept Colonel Cedric G. Lee ’96 especially busy with overseas missions and assignments. But, his experience abroad started with the opportunity to study in the United Kingdom and Spain while attending St. Mark’s. This initiated a lifelong journey of developing his emotional intelligence and ability to effectively work alongside people outside our borders.

“These experiences shaped my love for travel and, more importantly, a passion for connecting deeply with cultures and people beyond my comfort zone,” Lee said.

Lee graduated from West Point in 2000 earning a commission in the Air Defense Artillery. His military service has taken him across the globe, including Korea, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Germany, Belgium, Israel, Poland, Turkey, Singapore and Afghanistan. The experiences across a broad range of cultures and people have
shaped his perspective on living in a world that’s becoming more interdependent.

“In an increasingly globalized and technologically advanced world, it is imperative to develop and master the soft skills of personal and strategic empathy,” Lee said. “Shaking someone’s hand, breaking bread and having tea often produced better mission outcomes than any electronic correspondence or more kinetic means of influencing.”

While Lee’s military career offered him opportunities around the globe, one Marksmen’s passion for medicine prompted his return to the British Commonwealth.


A CLEARER VIEW

Dr. Anthony M. O’Driscoll ’78 already had an international perspective when arriving at St. Mark’s in the 11th grade, being born and raised in South Africa. His family had hosted an American student the year before, which sparked his interest in the experience. O’Driscoll was paired with St. Mark’s as part of a student-exchange program.

“St. Mark’s had won the water polo state championships the previous year and with my water polo and swimming interests that was a lucky pairing for me, offering me a chance to maintain my swimming ambitions and to promote St. Mark’s in local and national meets,” O’Driscoll said.

He fondly remembers meeting his classmates for the first time and being treated like an adult by then-headmaster Ted Whatley and teachers.

After St. Mark’s, O’Driscoll attended college and medical training in South Africa and England, then worked in Canada before ultimately specializing as a retinal surgeon near Birmingham, England.

“I remember being introduced to the concept of ‘delayed gratification' at St. Mark’s, such that efforts now bring rewards later,” O’Driscoll said. “Medical school required long hours, internship took over one’s life and specializing as a retinal surgeon all required focus and delayed gratification, an ally of resilience I feel I gained from my time at St. Mark’s.”

O’Driscoll maintains regular contact with classmates via email and a group Facebook page. He has plans to attend the 45th reunion for the Class of 1978 this April during Alumni Weekend.

For some, the reason for working internationally can be more about the opportunity than the destination. One Marksman has lived in several Asian countries while establishing his career.


NAVIGATING WITH CONFIDENCE

The summer after graduating from The University of Texas at Austin, Tim Zee ’84 found himself in Hong Kong with a goal.

“I packed up and moved that summer with the hopes, dreams and ambitions of starting my career in finance,” Zee said. “After a couple of months, numerous applications and almost an equal number of rejection letters, I found my first job in corporate finance with Bank of America. St. Mark’s instilled the confidence to do all this on my own.”

With an eye on graduate school, Zee’s journey abroad was highly strategic.

“It gave me something extraordinary and different to write on my business school application than simply following the herd, for example, to New York,” Zee said. “It enhanced and broadened my experience by working overseas on my own initiative, which ultimately helped me secure a seat at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University in Evanston.”

After graduating from Northwestern, Zee took a position with GE Capital back in Hong Kong.

“One of the more remarkable aspects of this experience was the fact that there were several St. Mark’s alumni from various classes such as Jim Bass ’77, Rick Waechter ’80 and Chip Kaye ’82, who were all working together 8,107 miles away from our amazing 40 acres at 10600.”

After several more career moves back to the states and overseas, Zee ended up in Singapore in 2011 for familial reasons and an opportunity in private equity. In 2022 Zee opened his own private investment firm TZ Equity Partners.

“It has been a remarkable 39 years since my journey from St. Mark’s to Singapore,” Zee said. “I fully credit St. Mark’s for preparing me to work hard and more importantly, to persevere through career and life challenges with integrity, fortitude and unquestionable character.”


Read more incredible stories from the St. Mark's community in the latest issue of The Pride magazine...