A Family Legacy at Gulliver That Continues to Grow
For Manolo Zubiria ‘95 P ‘31 ‘33, Gulliver is not simply part of his past – it continues to shape his present, and now his children’s future.
An alumnus of the Class of 1995, Manolo grew up surrounded by Gulliver. With all five of his siblings also attending the school, it was a constant presence in family life long before he became a parent himself. Today, that legacy continues through two of his four children: Manuel in seventh grade and Alexa in fifth grade.
He speaks about Gulliver with deep pride – not only for the education he received, but for teachers and coaches who helped shape him as a student-athlete, and the lasting influence it had on who he became.
“A lot of what I apply today in my career, I learned it in the classroom, on the field, in practice, at games, and in the locker room,” he shared. “Along with my teachers, my coaches were instrumental in shaping me as a young man, and the bond I had with my teammates taught me some of the most important values that I live by today – teamwork, respect, discipline, character and hard work.”
Over the course of a distinguished international career in sports management, Manolo has helped lead some of the world’s most complex and celebrated sporting events, culminating in his role as Chief Tournament Officer for the FIFA World Cup 2026 getting underway this week in various host cities across the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
Yet even as his professional life expanded onto the global stage, his connection to Gulliver remains grounded in the formative experiences he had here. Having lived in multiple countries, Manolo and his family decided to return to Miami to be close to Gulliver. “We chose Gulliver for our kids because we wanted them to get the best possible education, to be surrounded by the teachers and students that the school is known for,” he said. “What Gulliver offers, I have not seen in any of the other four countries that my kids have lived in already at such a young age. So, choosing Gulliver was an easy decision.”
In making that important family decision, Manolo reflects on his pride as a Legacy family. He said, “I always felt a strong connection to Gulliver since graduating in 1995, and so to now see two of my four children attending fills me with a lot of joy, because I know they are in one of the best schools in the country, if not the best, and they are being exposed to so many different things on a regular basis.”
As he returns to campus today and sees how Gulliver has evolved since his years as a student, he feels an even deeper appreciation for the experience his children are inheriting – and excitement for what lies ahead beyond the school’s Centennial. That commitment to Gulliver’s future is reflected in his role on the Centennial Committee, helping support storytelling and history-preserving efforts while advancing The Next 100 campaign.
He imagines his children remaining connected to Gulliver well beyond their student years, as engaged alumni – and perhaps someday parents themselves – continuing to shape the community in their own ways.
