Alexander Maravas ’94

Alex died Jan. 5th, 2026, in Thessaloniki, Greece, after a three-year struggle with cancer. 

Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, Alex moved to Thessaloniki at 5, where he attended Anatolia High School. Known for being a brilliant student within the mechanical and aerospace engineering major, Alex also loved history and literature. He dined at Terrace and served as president of the Greek Students Association. A talented intramural basketball player (he dunked in intramural basketball games), he was a key member of the legendary championship winning “Air Zorba” team of Greek undergraduate and graduate students in the mid-1990s. 

Following Princeton, Alex earned a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Imperial College, London. After completing his military service, he worked for nearly two decades at Egnatia Odos, a project management company responsible for the construction of the Northern Greece highway of the same name. During this time, he also completed his Ph.D. in civil engineering at the National Technical University of Athens (Metsoveio). He later joined Elliniko Metro, where he was an integral designer of the recently constructed Thessaloniki Metro. 

He will be remembered by his classmates for his generosity, kindness, and gentle demeanor. 

Alex was a wonderful husband, father, and friend. He is survived by his wife, Vasiliki (Vilia) Polyzou, and their three children, Elena, Anthi, and Andronikos. The Class of 1994 extends its deepest sympathies to Alex’s family.