Margaret C. Wright Memorial Alumni Award

Gordon is pleased to announce the Margaret C. Wright Memorial Alumni Award. This award is in honor of Gordon alumna Margaret Wright, who graduated in 2017 with dual licensure in Early Childhood and English as a Second Language. The award honors her legacy as a Christ-follower and passion as a young kindergarten teacher at the Cornerstone Schools of Washington, D.C. Margaret lived out her love for Jesus as she sought to educate all children to reach their potential no matter where she was teaching.

The Wright Alumni Award will recognize the work of a Gordon graduate who strives to live out his/her faith in Jesus while teaching in underserved communities, providing $10,000 to the alum and $10,000 to the school where he or she teaches. As a way to inspire future educators, the award will also sponsor the winner to return to Gordon’s campus to share her/his work with the Gordon community.

To apply for Margaret C. Wright Memorial Alumni Award, please use the link below:

START APPLICATION

Applications are due by March 1 at 11:59 p.m. EST. The award will be distributed annually to the recipient at the Gordon College Homecoming Awards ceremony.

Award requirements

If selected, you will complete the following:

The awardee will return to Gordon’s campus during the upcoming fall semester to share their experiences with Gordon College Education Department students.
The awardee will attend Gordon College’s Homecoming Awards to receive the award publically. The event is usually held in late September/early October.
The awardee will receive a one-time travel reimbursement of up to $500.
The awardee will work with the College’s Advancement Office for donor stewardship.

2024 Margaret C. Wright Memorial Alumni Award was awarded to Kimberlee Thorburn '07, '16M

Kimberlee Thorburn has heard many valuable nuggets of wisdom during her career as a teacher. One piece of advice that stands out is this: As a teacher she needs to be a “solid object” in her students’ lives. For many students, especially in underserved areas like the one where Thorburn works, life can be chaotic. Having a teacher who is steady, predictable and safe can be a grounding force of good in their lives.

As a Christian teaching in the Lynn, MA, public school system, Thorburn seeks not to merely be a solid object, but to draw her strength from Christ, the Solid Rock, and to reflect that to her students each day, as well as to her foster children. Her integrity, tenacity and leadership have won her the 2024 Wright Award, established in remembrance of Margaret Wright ’17 to honor a Gordon graduate making a difference in an underserved area through education.

For inquiries or questions on the award, please email [email protected].