Mark Donahue, a standout athlete at Brother Rice High School, excelled in both football and track. As a member of the 1972 second-place Catholic League football team and the 1974 first-place Catholic League track and field team, he was named to the All-Catholic League team and earned second-team All-State honors in football.

At the University of Michigan, Donahue made an immediate impact as an offensive guard, becoming a two-time consensus All-American in 1976 and 1977. He remains one of the finest pulling guards in Michigan football history. After graduating with a degree in Social Studies, he was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 11th round of the 1978 NFL Draft, playing offensive guard for the team in 1978 and 1979.

Following his football career, Donahue transitioned to the insurance industry, becoming a Vice President at WellPoint Inc., the largest health insurance company in the U.S. He remains actively involved with Brother Rice High School as Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors and is a member of both the Brother Rice Hall of Fame and the Chicago Catholic League Hall of Fame. Mark and his wife Kathy, married since 1978, have two sons, Tim and Mike.