A. J. Gordon Scholars
Cultivating the Curiosity and Character of Emerging Scholars and Leaders
Since 1983, The A. J. Gordon Scholars program has been cultivating the individual curiosity and initiative of earnest, globally-minded undergraduate Christian scholars. Character and influence are formed through growing knowledge, understanding, and experience in each scholar’s chosen areas of study and interest. This program fosters imagination, creativity, personal and community engagement, and professional influence for faithful citizenship.
Over the course of your four years at Gordon, you will join in A. J. retreats, attend workshops, establish mentoring relationships, participate in community asset projects and engage in additional Gordon College Honors & Scholars programming.
Student Spotlight
"I started my time at Gordon not entirely knowing in what direction I wanted to take my variety of interests which included education, music, and ministry; however, I knew that Gordon was a place that would cover all my bases. Participating in my education classes and many different conversations with many amazing people, I realized that teaching is my call. In my study abroad experience to Costa Rica, an experience that help form my worldview, I discovered how teaching and the relationships I form with the children can be a ministry in and of itself. Also, being a part of the A.J. program has helped me throughout this process. It has equipped me with the people and also with the confidence to say yes to the things that are scary, knowing that they will help me grow."
— Jillian Pontz Elementary Education major; Spanish and Special Education minor
Program Details
As Gordon's heritage scholars program, the four-year A. J. Gordon Scholars Program is designed to foster imagination, creativity, personal and community engagement, and professional influence for faithful citizenship.
Your Four-Year Experience
| Academic Year | Program Details |
|---|---|
Year 1 | Build – unpack the program's five foundations and craft personal and professional development plans |
Year 2 | Explore – leadership, spiritual disciplines and calling |
Year 3 | Develop – projects and personal academic and professional experiences |
Year 4 | Capstone – complete and present scholarship in an area of academic or professional focus |
Highlights
- $3,000 annual scholarship
- Close cohorts
- Seminars, retreats, and social experiences
- Individualized coaching
- Individualized learning plan
- Preparation for servant-leadership through practical experiences in community engagement
Qualifications
- Be a high school senior
- Minimum GPA of 3.75
- Demonstrate sincere academic curiosity and initiative in one or more areas of interest
- Demonstrate a desire to take initiative in serving or leading others in groups or communities
Scholarship Requirement
In order to remain eligible for this scholarship, students must maintain a Gordon 3.3 GPA and active engagement with program components year to year.
What does an A. J. Gordon Scholar do?
To thrive as an undergraduate scholar in your chosen area of study, you connect your natural strengths and curiosities to the things that deeply call to you to explore, to understand and then solve or create.
- Research, partnered with college faculty and Boston area companies
- Pursue creative study away and missions programs around the world
- Accomplish academic honors in their chosen disciplines
- Active leaders in athletics, music, theater, residence life and in other campus and local ministries while at Gordon
- Prepare for a lifetime of faithful influence and leadership by gaining practical experience on campus
How is this Scholars program different?
It is highly individualized. The A. J. Gordon Scholars program was created for emerging scholars like you, driven to pursue your God-given curiosity with your emerging talents in whichever areas of learning and professional development you are being called.
Unlike traditional honors programs packed with additional course requirements, the A. J. Gordon Scholars program is focused on enhancing your own focused curriculum to better serve your unique opportunities at Gordon.
Planning incorporates:
- Curricular honors options
- Scholarship or research
- Internships
- Campus engagement in athletics, music, theater, missions, ministry, or other areas, and, by developing a practical community asset project with your small group or other campus partners
What are the significant experiences in the program?
From our welcome program in the first year to the final celebration together, the A. J. experience is inclusive. While pursuing individualized plans, A. J.'s together form an unconventional gathering of students eager to support, challenge and celebrate each other’s progress.
Your cohort. You will enter your first year with 12-18 other curiously driven students who share your strong commitment to Christ, love of learning, and desire to impact the world. Alongside your studies in year one, your cohort will enjoy small group fellowship and intentional time of discussion led by seasoned A. J. scholars. Subsequent years offer experiences to deepen relationships within both your own cohort and with the program.
Year One: Building our Foundations
- Program Orientation Retreat
In the first year, A. J. Gordon Scholars share a program orientation retreat the weekend following College Welcome Week. We also begin the process of first-year planning that leads to four-year planning in both academic, personal, and professional development. - Scholars Workshop (GHI 010)
The Scholars Workshop provides a structured seminar for exploring the program’s five foundations: Strength, Curiosity, Learning, Leading and Faith. These building blocks serve as the basis for each scholar's personalized learning plan and give us a common language to explore those plans together. - COR 107 The Great Conversation
A. J. Gordon Scholars will also take a special honors section of COR 107 The Great Conversation, a first-year seminar and writing course required for all Gordon students.
Years Two through Four: Planned Success
- Second Year Retreat
In the second-year, A. J. Gordon Scholars share a weekend retreat exploring leadership, spiritual disciplines, and calling. - Community Asset Projects
Based on shared interests or established needs, scholars are encouraged (as individuals or in teams) to build community partnerships and influence the Gordon community through a focused project. You have a chance to learn the practices of project development and management, teamwork, collaboration, community networking, and advocacy. Projects are a practical learning experience and a means to serve our campus community. Previous projects include:- Church Finder: An Area Church Database
- The Princemere Academic Journal
- Trade Fairly Initiative
- Smooth Health Initiative
- Room for personalized academic and professional experiences.
- Rather than additional courses, we leave maximum room for you to plan a full portfolio of courses, honors programs, study-away experiences, internships, research, and campus engagement in music, theater, athletics, ministry, and mission. You can’t do everything, but you can plan carefully for which commitments are the best complements to your goals.
- Leadership through influence that comes from experience
Leadership is not defined by a title, but by the character and influence that is shaped through experience. A. J. Gordon Scholars take initiative, we get involved – in our learning, with our commitments, with our community. We lead where we find a community or group that has need. - *Research, Theses and Professional Capstones
A. J. Gordon Scholars are strongly encouraged to complete a culminating scholarly or professional capstone, Honors Thesis, or internship by graduation, which is often built into the personal learning plan. This is broadly defined to allow creative paths that fit each Scholar’s development journey.