Two Marksmen Named Presidential Scholars 

Each year, the Department of Education selects 161 of the nearly 4 million graduating seniors to be named United States Presidential Scholars. This year, two of those Scholars are Marksmen: Alex Pan ’24 and Patrick Flanagan ’24

“We are incredibly proud of Alex and Patrick for their well-deserved recognition as United States Presidential Scholars,” said David W. Dini, Eugene McDermott Headmaster. “It is a credit to not only their hard work and dedication but also to the care, support, and guidance of their teachers and families.” 

Alex was named a 2024 U.S. Presidential Scholar for his academic achievement, personal characteristics, and leadership and service activities, as determined by the Commission on Presidential Scholars. Patrick was named a 2024 U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts after advancing in the photography category of the YoungArts competition. St. Mark’s is one of only eight schools in the nation — and the only school in Texas — with more than one Presidential Scholar this year. 

   
“Alex and Patrick have exemplified the best of academics and the arts,” said Veronica Guzman Pulido, Al G. Hill, Jr. ’63 Director of College Counseling. “We are fortunate to have the chance to work with such a high-achieving group of students who will immediately impact any community they join.” 

Alex Pan has distinguished himself in and outside of the classroom throughout his St. Mark’s career. His selection as an academic Presidential Scholar is all the more impressive considering that only one young man and one young woman are selected from each state, in addition to 15 at-large candidates — making Texas an especially competitive state. In addition to his academic achievements, Alex was also selected for his leadership outside of the classroom, including being president of the Biology Club, editor-in-chief of the Scientific Marksman, researching as an intern with UT Southwestern, volunteering to transcribe primary source documents for the Smithsonian Institution, and competing as a nationally-ranked fencer — in addition to outstanding academic scores and achievements.

In December 2023, Patrick Flanagan, Hudson Brown ’24, and Lukas Palys ’25 were named “Winners of Distinction” in the national YoungArts competition, the exclusive nominating body for the Presidential Scholar in the Arts. These three traveled to the National YoungArts Week in Miami for an intensive weeklong program with world-renowned artists and teachers. Of the roughly 700 eligible students who attended YoungArts Week, only 20, including Patrick, were eventually named U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts. YoungArts is sponsored by The National Foundation for the Advancement of Artists.

 

Five Marksmen have been named U.S. Presidential Scholars in the past five years: Alex Pan ’24, Patrick Flanagan ’24, Tomek Marczewski ’22, Ryan McCord ’20, and Kyle Smith ’19.