AN EDUCATION THAT WORKS
LIVES WORTH LEADING速
VICTORY ISN’T ABOUT WINNING. IT’S ABOUT FINISHING WELL. In the waning moments of his life on the night of February 1, 1895, Adoniram Judson Gordon—pastor, visionary, and the founder of the college that bears his name— was tended by family and members of his congregation. During the course of the evening, one of his physicians asked him, “Dr. Gordon, do you have a good word for us tonight?” With a clear voice that belied his fading strength, Gordon replied: “Victory.” It was Gordon’s last word—and it serves as an inspiring legacy for the College. The sum of a Christian’s life is measured in more than career success and temporal standards of accomplishment. At Gordon, we stretch the mind, deepen the faith and elevate the contribution our graduates will make in their churches, communities and organizations around the globe. Like A. J. Gordon, our charge is to embrace a life worth leading, one in which God-given abilities and opportunities are combined with an experience and education that works—to make a positive difference in the world through various vocations or callings. This, in essence, is the expected outcome of the Gordon College mission—to graduate men and women distinguished by intellectual maturity and Christian character, committed to lives of service and prepared for leadership worldwide.
THE LIFE OF A. J. GORDON, INCLUDING THE ACCOUNT ABOVE OF HIS LAST MOMENTS, IS CHRONICLED IN SCOTT GIBSON’S BIOGRAPHY, A. J. GORDON: AMERICAN PREMILLENIALIST
GORDON’S VICTORY PROMISE Gordon College provides a multifaceted, intentionally integrated educational experience. Programs and opportunities foster a student’s development in four vital areas drawn directly from the College’s mission, inspired by our founder—and fundamental to Christian faithfulness and lifelong achievement. Our promise is to offer your student the ability by graduation to complete at least one foundational opportunity in each of these four areas of development: intellectual maturity, Christian character, lives dedicated to service, and preparation for leadership worldwide.
A PROMISE FULFILLED Gordon graduates are prepared for the workforce, and it shows. Below is just a sampling of the organizations where Gordon alumni make a difference:
Apple, Inc. Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Deloitte Department of Health and Human Services Ernst & Young, L.L.P. ESPN
Fidelity Investments Genzyme Harvard University Hewlett-Packard Houghton Mifflin IBM Corporation Putnam Investments
Raytheon State Street Bank The Boston Project Ministries Tufts Floating Hospital for Children World Vision Wycliffe Bible Translators Yale University
Intellectual Maturity
At Gordon, a thoughtful biblical context supports a robust liberal arts education and allows for rigorous learning, critical engagement with ideas, and respect for those whose views differ. As iron sharpens iron, a student’s intellectual mettle is tested through engagement, investigation and application. FOUNDATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES:
• ORIGINAL RESEARCH Work closely with Gordon faculty to conduct original research or complete a creative project
• THOUGHT LEADERSHIP Through events and small-group discussions, engage with one of more than 125 well-known business, church or thought leaders who come to campus each year
• ONE-TO-ONE MENTORING Benefit from one-to-one mentoring in one of Gordon’s many structured programs involving a member of the faculty or staff
• PROFESSIONAL REVIEW Complete a semester or year-long academic project that includes peer or professional review
Launching Researchers in Biology Ming Zheng, Biology Professor Because of his expertise in the field of in vitro embryogenesis, Dr. Ming Zheng often advises students interested in cell and developmental biology. Over the past three years, seven students launched research projects on microspore embryogenesis in his lab. As students begin independent research, Dr. Zheng assigns reading, helps them with research design, and asks important questions: “What don’t you understand?” “What more do you want to learn?” As he explains, “I help them narrow it down to a meaningful project, with the type of advising you get in grad school.”
From these research experiences, students not only gain valuable skills as working scientists, but are prepared to launch their professional careers. Kiersten Bieren ’16 and Roland Griggs ’15 co-authored a research paper that was published in a peer-reviewed journal, Advances in Bioscience and Biotechnology. Daniel Adam ’13 presented his research at the Annual Conference of the American Society of Plant Biologists. John Yoon ’14 now works on biomedical research at Duke University. Daniel Kim ’14 conducts research at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Margot Lee ’15 is launching her career at Roche Life Science.
Education is transformation, and at Gordon, we take it personally. Intentional programming through Chapel and Convocation, close connections with faculty, small classes, shared meals, communal worship—these are just some of the ways we facilitate spiritual formation in the lives of students. FOUNDATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES:
• BONDS OF FELLOWSHIP Participate in regular devotional, worship and prayer gatherings in residence halls
• DEEPER WORSHIP Connect with friends at Catacombs, an intimate, weekly student-run worship experience
• SPECIAL SERVICES Take part in immersive opportunities like DEEP FAITH week and weekend retreats sponsored by the Chapel Office and the Center for Student Development
• DISCIPLING RELATIONSHIP Develop a discipling relationship with an older Christian peer, or a member of the faculty or staff
Deep Faith Loving God with Heart and Mind Christian maturity comes through challenges, moments for spiritual reflection, and opportunities for inward transformation. Each winter, Gordon focuses students’ minds and hearts on spiritual renewal with a “focus week” called DEEP FAITH, which began in 2012 and featured Michael Ramsden of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries. 2013: Fuller Seminary’s Richard Mouw spoke about over-intellectualizing faith, and our need to contribute to the fullness of God’s creation. Dr. Clive Calver, who was one of the first civilians on the scene of the elementary school shooting in Newtown,
Connecticut, helped students grapple with the question: Why does God allow such catastrophes to occur? 2014: Christianity Today editor Andy Crouch explored themes of power, injustice, and idolatry. “I find at Gordon an amazing combination of engagement in the community and engagement in ideas,” he said afterward. 2015: Ken Shigematsu, senior pastor of Tenth Church in Vancouver, B.C., and author of God in My Everything, encouraged our community to remember our identity in Christ first and foremost.
Christian Character
Lives of Service
In the words of A. J. Gordon, “Service overflows from us.” As an institution, Gordon values the importance of being a good neighbor—locally and globally—and facilitates dozens of annual service and mission opportunities for students.
FOUNDATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES:
• SERVICE LEARNING Serve our neighbors and those in need through one of Gordon’s two dozen church, non-profit or community partnerships in the greater Boston area
• STUDENT LEADERSHIP Serve as a student leader through an athletics or residence life program or as part of the Gordon College Student Association (GCSA)
• MISSIONS TRIP Join one of 15 to 18 Gordon missions trips around the country and world
• SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP Participate in an entrepreneurial opportunity that advances the common good, locally or in a global location
No Rest for Servant (Leaders) Marybeth Conlon ’12 Winter break can be a time to rest and recover after a long semester. But each year, quite a few Gordon students cut their hibernation short to serve others in nations around the world.
And students have assisted with daycare and after-school projects to support the 174 Trust, a group seeking reconciliation in North Belfast, Northern Ireland—where political tensions still run high.
In Haiti, working with the faith-based nonprofit Partners in Development (PID), Gordon students help local masons build homes, while learning about Haitian culture and PID’s broader development work.
Year round, there are Gordon students overseas. Marybeth Conlon ’12 (pictured here with Ugandan children) did her social work practicum during a semester abroad with the Uganda Studies Program—and also participated in a summer missions trip to Swaziland during her college years. Such cross-cultural experiences are opportunities for individuals to grow in their knowledge of God, the world, themselves and others.
In Tijuana, Mexico, Gordon volunteers provide everything from Bible lessons to manual labor in partnership with local churches and orphanages.
Gordon recognizes that every student has the capacity to lead—not necessarily through power and position—but by example. Students are prepared for positions of responsibility as a natural extension of their commitment to service and excellence, which are hallmarks of lasting success. FOUNDATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES:
• GLOBAL EXPOSURE Study, work or research abroad in one of 350 programs lasting a few weeks or a full year
• REAL WORLD EXPERIENCES Pursue a domestic or international College-facilitated internship (more than 300 are completed annually)
• LEARNING BY LEADING Participate in one of dozens of leadership development opportunities on campus
• NETWORK FOR SUCCESS Build a network by graduation with at least one professional in the student’s major or area of career interest, facilitated by the Office of Career Services
Internships for Life When Allana Notaro ’15 (pictured), Peter Kang ’14, Jessica Rabe ’14 and Nathan Calandra ’14 arrived in Brazil in summer 2013 for intensive internships with a technology firm, their first challenge was to find out what would be useful to their temporary colleagues—who ranged from computer scientists to financial specialists. After brainstorming with managers, the interns spent two weeks assessing the company’s website and use of social media. Later, they coordinated a TEDx talk, assisted with a budget report, and created a presentation on “Big Data.”
During a trip to Brazil that summer, President Lindsay visited them. “I was struck by how far they had come in just a few short weeks,” he says. “Through immersion in actual workplaces, students gain a sense of the day-to-day realities of colleagues and deadlines.” Nearly 310 Gordon students participated in College-facilitated internships last year. Each year, Gordon is increasing the number of internships and the range of fields in which they take place.
Leadership Worldwide
CAREER SERVICES Our Career Services Office provides students with an intensely personal bridge from the college world to the professional and post-graduate world. Here students can attend free seminars, meet face-to-face to ask questions, and receive one-on-one training in effective strategies for job and graduate school searches. Career advising remains available beyond graduation. If a student is unable to secure a job within three months of graduating, Gordon will provide a semester of free Career Services support, including introductions to at least one professional contact or network within the student’s chosen professional field. • Academic advising
• Graduate school planning and resources
• Assessments to explore interests, skills and personality
• Resume and cover letter development
• Internship and co-op advising
• Online job and internship postings
• Interview preparation and mock interviews
• Cooperative education placement
95%
of graduates surveyed from the Class of 2013 are employed (nearly three-quarters in full-time work, and the balance in part-time or self-employment), or pursuing an advanced degree.
TOP
3
MAJORS FOR THE CLASS OF 2013 Psychology Business Administration English
65% of Gordon graduates aspire to pursue an advanced degree in the future.
William Park ’95 FINANCIAL SERVICES • SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
Bill Park served with State Street Bank and Trust Company for two decades. He started in its Boston office, and in 2005 became Korea branch manager; at 33, he was the youngest country manager in the firm’s history. Most recently, as a senior managing director he expanded the size and scope of the office, helping Korea to become one of the most important markets for State Street. As Asia-Pacific chair of State Street’s Global Giving Campaign, Bill led the Korea office to partner with Yeomyung School, an alternative middle and high school in Seoul that helps North Korean teenage refugees adjust to life in South Korea, resume their studies, and prepare for university. “I’ve had the great fortune of being an entrepreneur while working in a large global company,” he says. “Developing others to become better leaders is one of the most rewarding aspects of my career.”
Melissa (Barrow) ’05 and Jake ’04 Kircher YOUTH MINISTRY, CO-AUTHORS • NEW CANAAN, CT
“Marriage can be messy, and marriage while serving in ministry is extra messy,” admit Melissa and Jake Kircher, who ought to know: they’ve been married nine years, have two children, and Jake has been a youth pastor since graduating from Gordon. Their 2013 book, 99 Thoughts on Marriage and Ministry: Prioritizing the “HolyMess” of Matrimony (Group Publishing) drew on their own experience. Melissa is the author of three young adult novels, The War Inside and The Grey Horizon (two books in a trilogy), and Dream On. Jake serves at Grace Community Church in New Canaan, Connecticut, and is deeply involved in supporting and advocating for youth pastors, many of whom, he says, are in their 20s and bivocational: in other words, likely to be overworked, underpaid, and at risk of burning out. Jake also is the author of Teaching Teenagers in a Post-Christian World and THINK, a four-volume curriculum designed to help students explore and own their own beliefs; both are published by the Youth Cartel. The Kirchers write about relationships and marriage at www.holymessofmarriage.com, and at Relevant magazine. You can also follow them on Twitter @marriageismessy. Melissa’s website: www.mkircher.com
MISSION FULFILLED 14%
83%
MADE THE RIGHT CHOICE—OPINIONS OF ALUMNI SURVEYED ONE YEAR AFTER GRADUATION
Dissatisfied - 3%
“My experience at Gordon College was truly a blessing. It was a time of growth, learning and discovery that I could not have found anywhere else. It has helped me learn what it means to have a life worth leading anywhere that I go.”
Very dissatisfied - 0%
—Ana Pereira ’13
Very satisfied/Satisfied - 83% Somewhat satisfied - 14%
A Perfect Setting For Transformation Gordon has given my children the chance to mature in their faith and expand the boundaries of their intellect and their abilities. My wife and I know firsthand that their Gordon experience will shape the rest of their lives. Fran Brown ’85, CPA PARENT OF TWO RECENT GORDON GRADUATES, BOBBY ’14 AND LEAH ’15 PARTNER AT CAPINCROUSE LLP
Four Reasons Why Gordon is a Great Value
1 2 3 4
A Global “Hub” Gordon’s location provides a perfect vista to experience the beauty of New England on the ocean, the proximity to major East Coast cities (especially Boston, pictured above) and the potential for global access and opportunity.
One of the Best Gordon was named to the 2016 edition of Princeton Review’s Best 380 Colleges, one of only four CCCU-affiliated Christian colleges included. Only 15% of the 2,500 four-year institutions in the United States are profiled, and inclusion is based on the editors’ high opinion of a college’s outstanding academic programs.
A Safe Place to Thrive Gordon was named the safest private university in America by stateuniversity.com in a recent ranking, which compares the quality of safety among campuses nationally.
A Gordon Guarantee Throughout each student’s college years, Gordon’s Office of Career Services provides training and resources for an effective launch into the working world. Our promise: if a student is unable to secure a job within three months of graduation, Gordon will provide an additional semester of free Career Services support and will introduce the student to at least one professional contact or network within the student’s chosen professional field.
255 Grapevine Road, Wenham MA 01984-1899 www.gordon.edu