Brookfield Central Class of 2015
Sean Markey is a 2015 Lancer graduate who pursued his dream of completing a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail this year and through his journey worked to raise awareness and funds for mental health and suicide prevention.
Markey began his education at Hillside Elementary before attending Wisconsin Hills Middle School and Brookfield Central High School. Throughout his time at Central, he was actively involved in Cross Country; Jazz, Pep, and Marching Band; Tennis; Track and Field; Key Club; and he founded the ultimate frisbee club FrisBC. Sean thanked Jeff Gryzwa (Science), Jason Gillette (Band), and Ronn Blaha (Math) for their inspiration, encouragement, and involvement in the pursuits of their students.
“The friends and connections I made, opportunities for college-level courses and preparation, and involvement in a large assortment of extracurricular activities made my Elmbrook experience exceptional,” reflected Markey. Following his graduation from BC in 2015, Sean attended the University of Wisconsin - Madison where he studied Geological Engineering. The summer of his junior year, he worked in a summer intern position as a Field Engineer for Terracon assisting with the Foxconn construction project. In 2019, Sean graduated with a double Bachelor of Science in Geological Engineering and Geophysics, as well as a Environmental Studies Certificate.
After college, Sean embarked on a backpacking journey around Europe for 2 months during which he spent time in Italy, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, Switzerland, Hungary and more. Upon returning to the US, he began working as a Field Engineer for RRC Consulting Company in Austin, TX. His team specialized in geotechnical investigations for Wind and Solar farms across the nation and Sean travelled across the country working outdoors on various wind and solar projects. After a year, Markey decided to take a leave of absence to pursue his dream of hiking the Appalachian Trail! On March 26, 2021, Sean took his first step on the trail and began his trip alone with the intent of raising awareness for Mental Health and funds for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP).
Sean’s thru hike took him 2,193 miles from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mount Katahdin in Maine and after 6 months, he finished his journey on September 8, 2021. Upon completion of his trip, he returned to RRC in Texas. Throughout his hike he raised an incredible total of $29,235 for AFSP.
You can read Sean’s updates from his journey by clicking here.
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