For Mary (Smith) Marsh `16, Gonzaga Prep became the foundation for confidence, purpose, and faith, all made possible through the generosity of others. Her story reflects how Fair Share opens doors not just for one student, but for entire families.
For Mary Marsh, Gonzaga Prep wasn’t just a school, it was a blessing made possible by the generosity of others. “When I was accepted to Prep, I was accepted and given a scholarship, which allowed me to attend,” she says. “After me, my three sisters were also given scholarships to Prep. Without Fair Share and the generous donors, none of us would have been able to attend.”
That support didn’t just change Mary’s life, it changed her entire family’s. Fair Share meant that all four of the Smith girls have been able to grow through Prep. “Prep didn’t just educate us; it gave us confidence, community, and purpose.”
As a student, Mary spoke at one of Prep’s Financial Aid luncheons, offering a glimpse into the heart of a young woman shaped by gratitude and faith. “At this point in my life, I don’t know what I want to be when I grow up or where I want to go to school,” she told donors and guests. “But I know that God is going to put me where I need to be. I hope I become someone my little sisters can look up to. I hope I remember to live in the moment and to be happy with the now, because what happens is going to happen — and it’s all part of God’s plan for me.”
Even then, Mary recognized how much her family had sacrificed to give her and her sisters a Jesuit education. “My parents don’t have to send us to Prep,” she said. “If we went to public school, my mom could stay home with the babies, they could get a new car, my dad could retire when he’s supposed to. Instead, they’re being people for others and sacrificing for us.” She also spoke of the support from her friends, neighbors, and Spokane’s National Guard community, who stepped in to help when times were tight. “They’ve done so much for our family, it’s unbelievable,” she said.
From the moment she started as a freshman Mary never questioned her belonging. “The Prep community immediately welcomed me with open arms and worked to get me involved in everything,” she remembers. And everything is no exaggeration. She joined Food Drive Committee, Team Magis, and Blue Crew (now Pup Pack), student council, Ancilla, Key Club, and both the track and basketball teams.”
Ancilla, the girls service club that was started when the school became coed, had a profound impact on Mary, “I remember looking up to those upperclasswomen in their khaki skirts and button-up shirts, carrying themselves with poise and purpose as they helped advance Prep’s mission.” Through open houses, luncheons, and countless school and community events, Ancilla offered the chance to represent Gonzaga Prep as capable, compassionate young women. “No matter the service project, Ancilla taught us to represent the Profile of the Graduate in a way only we could, as women.”
Mary earned her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Carroll College, followed by a master’s in Early Childhood Education from the American College of Education. She taught kindergarten for four years before taking time to raise her daughter, Augusta. Today, she works part-time for the athletic department at Pullman High School as game manager and coaches track and field in the spring.
Her Prep coaches, Chad Chambers and the late Joe Feryn, remain among her greatest influences. “They taught me that I’m stronger than I think I am, that I matter, and how to be brave when things get hard,” she says. Coach Feryn’s “quote of the day” before every meet became a tradition she now carries on with her own team.
To the girls at Prep today, she shares the same message she’s lived out since her days as a student. “Be yourself and take every opportunity Prep offers you,” she says. “Don’t pass up chances because you’re worried what your friends will think. The world is good at telling young women that they’re not enough, but we are.”
