St. Pats
Let the Revelry Begin
Snake pits. Coronation. Parade. Concert. These are some of the cornerstone events behind Missouri S&T's longest-standing and most loved tradition. Dating back to March 17, 1908, St. Pat's has stood the test of time, developing into one of the largest celebrations of St. Pat's in the world. A hallmark celebration that reflects the spirit, leadership, and pride of our campus and local community, St. Pat's is a two-week celebration that bridges the gap between S&T and Rolla and provides an outlet for students to express themselves.
Learn more about how S&T celebrates its heritage, history, and future through the St. Pat's celebration.
History of the St. Pat's Celebration
At Missouri S&T, no tradition is as enduring or defining as St. Pat’s. Our beloved celebration began in 1908 at the Missouri School of Mines. Our students, desperate to create a ceremony of their own to rival those at Mizzou, created their own celebration and declared March 17, 1908, as a holiday for the school. George Menefee, the first-ever St. Patrick, was anointed by his peers and, after a confrontation with faculty and staff, dubbed the MSM director Dr. Lewis E. Young as the first Honorary Knight of Saint Patrick, the Patron Saint of Engineers. And thus, the St. Patrick’s Day celebration was born. Over the years, different components were added to the celebration, and over time, it was molded into the tradition Rolla is synonymous with.
What started as a secret rebellion and a revolution against the faculty turned into S&T's most notable feature. More than a century later, S&T's celebration is at its strongest, and our community looks forward to welcoming alumni and special guests from all over the world that come home to celebrate their roots.
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2026 Court of St. Patrick
The 2026 Court of St. Patrick - From left to right, top to bottom: Kaden Dunn (Guard), Kal-el Songer (2nd Masterguard), Chancellor Dehghani, Maura Braunel (St. Pat), Hank Ross (1st Masterguard), Carter Taylor (Herald), Blair Van Biber (Page), Eber Perdomo Paz (Trumpeter)
Members of the 2026 Court of St. Patrick:
St. Patrick: Maura Braunel, a senior in geological engineering from St. Louis.
First Masterguard: Hank Ross, a senior in mechanical engineering from Bentonville, Arkansas.
Second Masterguard: Kal-El Songer, a junior in computer science from Robertsville, Missouri
Guard: Kaden Dunn, a junior in mechanical engineering from Fort Madison, Iowa
Herald: Carter Taylor, a junior in mechanical engineering from Saint Paul, Missouri
Page: Blair Van Biber, a senior in mining engineering from Lee’s Summit, Missouri
Trumpeter: Eber Perdomo Paz, a junior in mechanical engineering from Independence, Missouri.
St. Pat's Events
Learn more about the individual events that make up the St. Pat's celebration
- Concert
- Coronation
- Court Arrival and Grand Procession
- Follies
- Gonzo & Games
- Gonzo Gives Back
- Grateful Board
- Parade
- Snake Invasion
- Street Painting
Concert
The culmination of the St. Pat's celebration. Hosted on the lawn by the Welcome Center and the Rolla Building, St. Pat's hosts a large outdoor concert free to all students and employees of S&T and low cost to Rolla community members. The St. Pat's concert is a great way to wrap up festivities and features an opener and headliner from up-and-coming and established artists.
Coronation
Coronation is a celebration of those that comprise the Court of St. Patrick and his guests. Typically held in Leach Theatre, coronation welcomes the Court, honors the year's eight Honorary Knights as chosen by the St. Pat's Board, and knights all student queens and knights.
Court Arrival and Grand Procession
Held on the last day of follies, Court Arrival is a mini parade that welcomes the Court of St. Patrick to campus. Court members ride the original minecart used in early celebrations over a century ago and are greeted on Pine Street by members of the Rolla community before proceeding onto campus and hosting the final round of follies.
Grand Procession is the St. Pat's Board's reveal of the Court of St. Patrick to the S&T campus. Once the Court has been elected and confirmed, the Herald announces the Court as court members enter into a room full of students to witness the newest Court for the first time.
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Follies
Follies is a three-day event held at the Puck outside of Toomey Hall. Led by the Follies chair of the Pat's Board, organizations participating for points come together to tell jokes, share stories, and compete in mini games designed to provide a fun release from the stress of midterms. Jokes and stories are voted on by the Court and receive the approval or disapproval of St. Patrick himself.
Gonzo & Games
Gonzo & Games is a two-day event held at Schuman Park. Gonzo features food trucks, inflatables, lawn games, athletic competitions, and a beer garden for those that are 21+. Gonzo also hosts cudgel judging, where an independent judging panel ranks the large decorated trees known as cudgels that are designed for display on campus.
Gonzo Gives Back
Gonzo Gives Back is a service event held for organizations and students competing in the St. Pat's celebration for points. The St. Pat's Board connects with local philanthropies and sends volunteers to a variety of places to give back to the community through activities such as trash collection, working in food pantries, and tutoring children, among many other opportunities.
Grateful Board
Grateful Board is one of the ways that the St. Pat's Board gives back to the Rolla community. Known as GB, the event is hosted in downtown Rolla and is free entry to all community members, featuring food trucks, lawn games, and a local band that plays cover music from the band the Grateful Dead and other similar artists.
Parade
The parade is held in downtown Rolla on Pine Street on the final day of the celebration. Students and alumni gather on Pine Street in the early hours of the morning to flood the street with green paint before lining up to participate in the parade. The parade is led by the Court of St. Patrick in their wagon as they showcase the honorary knights, the Queen of Love & Beauty, S&T student organizations, and local businesses.
Snake Invasion
Snake Invasion is the first event of the celebration and is a great way for students to immerse themselves in the tradition. Held on the lawn outside of Toomey and Parker halls, students enter into a fenced-in area known as the snake pits, where they pay homage to all past years of the celebration, answer questions related to St. Patrick's Day, the celebration, and the St. Pat's Board. Students honor tradition by hitting a plastic snake with a shillelagh or walking stick and diving into the mud, and then bite the head off of their snake to drive the despicable snakes out of Rolla just as St. Patrick drove them out of Ireland. Competing organizations compile their snake heads, with the organization owning the most snake heads receiving the most points.
Street Painting
Pine Street is painted green during every Pat's parade, but that doesn't happen on its own. Every year on parade day, in the early hours of the morning before Rolla awakens and the revelry begins, alumni of the St. Pat's Board head to Pine Street and paint it green from end to end using mops and barrels. This is a time for Pat's alumni to connect and reminisce while honoring their most beloved tradition. After the parade, the paint easily washes away and Pine Street waits until the next celebration to be painted green once again.
Be sure to visit the St. Pat's Historical Gallery to see photos of past St. Pat's celebration!
Queens & Knights
Every year, the St. Pat's Board provides students with the opportunity of becoming Queens or Knights of St. Patrick. Student Queens and Knights candidates represent a campus organization and interview with members of the St. Pat's Board for the honor to be recognized in either the Queen's or Knight's Court.
Members of the 2026 Queen's Court:
- Queen of Love and Beauty - Riley McBride, a senior in engineering management from Saint Charles, Missouri, representing the Fraternal Order of Leaders
- Princess of Peace and Happiness – Isabella Ferrante, a senior in civil engineering and architectural engineering from Kansas City, Missouri, representing Panhellenic Council
- Countess of Courage and Valor – Grace Williams, a senior in civil engineering from St. Louis, Missouri, representing Beta Sigma Psi
- Duchess of Divinity and Elegance – Molly Herbig, a senior in nuclear engineering from Plano, Illinois, representing Chi Omega.
- Lady of Honor and Devotion – Bridget Matteson, a junior in aerospace engineering from St. Louis, Missouri, representing Delta Sigma Phi.
Members of the 2026 Knights court:
- Prince of Pride and Hope – Ryan Zimmerman, a senior in aerospace engineering from O’Fallon, Illinois, representing Fraternal Order of Leaders
- Count of Charm and Humility – Paige Brush, a junior in environmental engineering from Ballwin, Missouri, representing Zeta Tau Alpha
- Duke of Dominion and Strength – James Fletcher, a junior in electrical engineering and education from Northmoor, Missouri, representing the Residence Hall Association.
- Lord of Loyalty and Embrace – Autumn Watson, a senior in engineering management from Independence, Missouri, representing Chi Omega.
The 2026 Queens and Knights of St. Patrick - From left to right: Autumn Watson, James Fletcher, Paige Brush, Ryan Zimmerman, Maura Braunel (St. Pat), Riley McBride, Isabella Ferrante, Grace Williams, Molly Herbig, Bridget Matteson
Honorary Knights
In addition to Queens and Student Knights, the St. Pat's Board also celebrates community members and S&T stakeholders as Honorary Knights of St. Patrick in recognition of their support of the St. Pat's Board, the celebration, and S&T. Nominations for Honorary Knight candidates are submitted to the St. Pat's Board both from within the Board's members and from S&T offices and executive leadership. Candidates are voted on by the Board's senior and junior representatives for their support and achievements and the top eight Honorary Knight candidates are honored.
Members of the 2026 Honorary Knights' class:
Dan Bailey
2026 Honorary Knight
About Dan
Dan Bailey is vice president and director of engineered projects at Cogent. He earned a bachelor’s degree in geological engineering and a master’s degree in engineering management, both from Missouri S&T, in 2003 and 2005, respectively. Bailey was a student knight of St. Patrick during his time at S&T, current President of the Miner Alumni Association, a member of the MS&T Board of Trustees and has been inducted into the Mines & Metallurgy Academy as well as the Academy of Miner Athletics.
During Bailey’s time at Cogent, it has grown from a 40-person company to one of the largest employee-owned companies in the United States in the wastewater and oil and gas industries.
Bailey and his wife, Wendy Bailey, have two children, Wynn and Marion.
Dr. David Borrok
2026 Honorary Knight
About Dr. Borrok
Dr. David Borrok is the vice provost and dean of the College of Engineering and Computing (CEC) at Missouri S&T. He earned a bachelor’s degree in geology and geophysics from Missouri S&T in 1995, a master’s degree in geology from the University of Michigan in 1997, and a Ph. D. in civil engineering and geological sciences from the University of Notre Dame in 2005.
Borrok has published over 60 peer-reviewed journal articles and served as a primary or co-primary investigator for over $12 million in funded research projects. At Missouri S&T, he has previously served as the department chair for earth sciences and engineering and as the CEC’s associate dean for research. He served as the Gulf Oil Foundation Professor from 2017 to 2021, and continues to serve as a professor in the earth sciences and engineering department, and is a member of the Mines and Metallurgy Academy.
Borrok and his wife, Peggy Borrok, have three children, David Jr., Quinn, and Anabell.
Aimee Campbell
2026 Honorary Knight
About Aimee
Aimee Campbell is the tourism director of the Rolla Chamber of Commerce. She played a key role in the successful effort to increase the local motel tax to 5%, creating sustainable funding for expanding tourism and event support in the city.
Campbell has revitalized VisitRolla’s branding and marketing efforts, including modernizing the visitor’s guide and expanding social media engagement. She has collaborated with the St. Pat’s Board as a tourism and marketing partner to promote events around the celebration and strengthen community participation.
Campbell and her husband, Josh Campbell, have two children, Mack Campbell and Kate Titlow.
Sarah Jones
2026 Honorary Knight
About Sarah
Sarah Jones is the director of donor relations for University Advancement at Missouri S&T. She earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Drury University in 2013, and a master’s in business administration from Missouri S&T in 2022.
In her role, Jones leads the donor relations team and oversees strategic communications, special events and stewardship initiatives for University Advancement. Her leadership has brought both regional and national recognition to the division’s special events and publications. She has partnered with the St. Pat’s board for 10 years and has contributed to both the Miner Alumni Association’s St. Pat’s celebrations and the Honorary Knights Dinner.
Jones and her husband, Collin Jones, also an S&T alumus, have one child, Isla.
Lazos Makridis
2026 Honorary Knight
About Lazos
Lazos Makridis is the owner of Alex’s Pizza in downtown Rolla. Originally from Koukos, Greece, he moved to Rolla in 1979 in to build a life rooted in family, hospitality and service.
In 1986, Makridis and his wife, Ellie, purchased Alex’s Pizza after having worked at the restaurant for several years. Under their leadership, it has become a cornerstone of the community.
Makridis has embraced Rolla’s St. Patrick’s Day celebrations as an opportunity to bring people together, welcoming in the post-parade crowds every year. A dedicated wall inside Alex’s Pizza honors this tradition, displaying photographs of the St. Pat’s Court taken at the restaurant throughout the years.
Jeff Rigsby
2026 Honorary Knight
About Jeff
Jeff Rigsby is a custodian at Missouri S&T, well-known to students as “Mr. Clean.”
A Rolla native, he worked for Schwan’s and managed an army surplus store before joining the university. He was voted Custodian of the Year in 2019 by students in Thomas Jefferson Residence Hall, and Custodian of the Year for the university the following year.
Rigsby’s partner is Julie Sanders, and he has one daughter, Ryann.
Amber Stienbarger
2026 Honorary Knight
About Amber
Amber Stienbarger is the executive director of CASA of South Central Missouri. A Rolla native, she worked at Missouri S&T for over a decade before joining CASA.
At CASA, Stienbarger leads more than 150 volunteers who serve as court-appointed special advocates for children in foster care across four counties. She has worked to grow volunteer engagement and increase awareness of the needs of vulnerable children across the 25th Circuit. Stienbarger has worked to build community partnerships, in support of CASA, and is especially grateful for the continued support of Missouri S&T students from the Fraternal Order of Leaders, the Panhellenic Council and the Interfraternity Council.
Stienbarger and her husband, Steve, have four children, Corey, Austin, Kaylie, and Kylie.
Kathryn Walker
2026 Honorary Knight
About Kathryn
Kathryn Walker is the managing director at OpenAir Equity Partners. She earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from South Dakota State University in 1981, and a master’s degree in engineering management from Missouri S&T in 1982.
Walker is the chair of the Kummer Missouri S&T Foundation Board. She has served on the Engineering Advisory Board and Career Development Council and has been a member of the Board of Trustees since 2008, serving as board president from 2018 to 2020. Walker is an Alumni Achievement Award recipient and was inducted into the Women in Science and Engineering Hall of Fame.
Walker and her husband, Mark, also a Missouri S&T graduate, established the Kathy and Mark Walker Endowed Scholarship.
St. Pat's Board
In 1930, the student organization St. Pat's Board was formed to foster and oversee the celebration. Unlike other campus traditions and celebrations that are primarily staff-led, St. Pat’s is organized by students, for students, and run by student-led St. Pat’s Board. Serving terms of 26 months, students on the Pat's Board design, implement, and carry out every aspect of the celebration and bring their vision for it to life with one goal in mind: to make each celebration the Best Ever.
The St. Pat's Board is comprised of student leaders from a variety of academic degrees and years. Junior representatives take on committee positions supporting the games and ceremonies related to the celebration, while senior representatives hold positions that are integral to the Board's operations. The executive board oversees all aspects of the celebration and the Board. Members of the Pat's Board are recognizable by their signature green letterman jackets featuring a shamrock on the left side of the jacket.
Contact Us
Learn more about the St. Pat's tradition by emailing involvement@mst.edu.
Email green@mst.edu to inquire about joining the St. Pat's Board.
Follow Student Involvement