Partners Newsletter Spring 2015

GORDON COLLEGE

PARTNERS

One makes a difference A Quarterly Report for Partners | SPRING 2015

“I love using analytical chemistry to answer agricultural questions.

No matter what I do, I want it to have valuable applications.”

Student Spotlight: Mollie Enright Mollie Enright ’15 is a natural trailblazer. The first in her family to attend a four-year college, this chemistry major spends her spare time researching greener alternatives for extracting lycopene, the bright red pigment found in tomatoes.

Mollie started The Lycopene Project, as she calls it, to examine the difference in lycopene levels between tomatoes grown in greenhouses versus fields. When she encountered the health and

environmental hazards involved in typical lycopene extraction, she changed focus. The Lycopene Project became a green chemistry endeavor with an agricultural flair.

“I don’t want to do science for the sake of science. I want to do science for the sake of people and communities and agriculture,” Mollie says.

She hopes that her research will make it unnecessary for scientists to have to handle hazardous chemicals and will

reduce the environmental impact of lycopene extraction.

Mollie is interested in the big picture—bridging the gap between science and public opinion, between agriculturalists and policy makers. “Gordon has given me that boldness to take charge of what I want to do and to think about: Why I should do it, why does it matter and how can it impact others?”

Mollie (left) with research advisor Dr. Jennifer Noseworthy, assistant professor of biology

A Message from the President Founder A. J. Gordon once said, “You can do more than pray after you have prayed, but you cannot do more than pray until you have prayed.”

Heeding his wise words, and honoring the 125th anniversary of the very school he established, Gordon hosted 125 consecutive hours of prayer last month. Thank you to the many alumni, family and friends of Gordon—including many of you—all over the world who joined us in praying between February 15 and 20.

The 125 hours of prayer coincided with our annual DEEP FAITH week. We were privileged to welcome renowned pastor and author Dr. Ken Shigematsu for a week of spiritual reflection and renewal.

Ken encouraged our community to think deeply about loving God with our hearts, souls, minds and strength.

Your faithful, generous support makes possible these types of transformative experiences for our students—like Mollie, Brendan and Stephanie, who you read about in this issue.

One makes a difference.

With gratitude,

Learning in Class and on the Field For many students, college is about deep exploration, broadened horizons and wrestling with new ideas and information. Brendan Sweeney ’17 is doing all of that—and learning a new sport.

A successful football player in high school, Brendan wanted to continue playing sports even without an official football team at Gordon. So with just a single season of high school lacrosse under his belt, Brendan walked onto the Gordon Men’s Lacrosse team as a defender last year.

“A lot of footwork in football is also important for defense in lacrosse,” he explains. “Getting the stick skills down, that was the hard part.”

Last year, Men’s Lacrosse made it to the Commonwealth Coast Conference play-off games. “This year, we want to do even better and that’s what we’re hoping for,” Brendan says. “Especially with the challenge I faced in coming to Gordon and basically learning a new sport—it’s nice to have that goal to work toward.”

When Brendan is not on the field defending the goal, this political science major is defending his assigned country in a mock United Nations forum. A member of Gordon’s Model UN Club, Brendan recently represented Rwanda in a simulated United Nations forum at the University of Pennsylvania.

Success on the field and in Model UN doesn’t mean sacrifice in the classroom.

Of all his commitments, Brendan says, his academics take priority. “It can be difficult to manage everything, but if you’re disciplined you can do it,” he says.

“Thank you to the Partners who support Gordon and help us pursue our education,” says Brendan. “Without your help it wouldn’t be possible.”

Personalized Career Preparation By the time business major Stephanie Fitzgerald ’14 graduated from Gordon, she had already acquired professional experience in accounting, human resources and investor relations. Thanks to two internships, landed with help from Gordon College Career Services, Stephanie had an edge over other applicants—and a job offer before graduation.

networking events and employment opportunities that matched her skills and interests.

Career Services values this oneon-one interaction with students.

“Our best work is done individually,” Pam says. “We can do quality public programming, but what makes the difference in the lives of particular individuals is how well it relates to them.”

Last year, 318 Gordon students like Stephanie participated in internships around the country and the globe. Through these types of opportunities, Career Services helps students “prepare, and gain confidence that they are prepared, for wherever they’re called after Gordon,” explains Director Pam Lazarakis.

Among the many resources Career Services offers are academic advising, skill assessments, cooperative education placements, graduate school planning, resume and cover letter development, mock interviews, and a comprehensive database of employment opportunities.

Career Services begins connecting with students early. As a sophomore, Stephanie received essential resume building advice— and got on Career Services’ radar, which enabled them to keep in touch with her about

For Stephanie, one of the most valuable resources—in addition to personalized coaching—was Career Services’ annual job fair.

There she connected with the two companies that later offered her internships, one of which resulted in a full-time job.

“They had a lot of confidence in me, having seen my work,” she says. “Internships give you the opportunity to prove yourself.

Because I had a great internship and I worked really hard, it ended up being a job that I love now.”

Stephanie started as an account manager at Breuer & Company just two weeks after graduation.

Like her, 95 percent of graduates surveyed from the Class of 2013 report being employed or pursuing an advanced degree. Career Services works hard to ensure those figures remain strong. “Right there in the ending phrase of Gordon’s mission—‘preparing students for leadership roles worldwide’—that’s the intersection where we work,” says Pam. “Career development is an institutional effort, but we’re on the front lines.”

Left: Aaron Hicks ’16 (left) collaborates with India Boland ’16 (right) Right: Stephanie Fitzgerald ’14

Upcoming Events MARCH 27

Conversation with the President • John Montgomery MARCH 28

Alton C. Bynum Recital Series • Sarita Kwok, violin, and Wei-Yi Yang, piano www.gordon.edu/musicevents

APRIL 20

A Personal Message to My Fellow Gordon Partners

Quasquicentennial Lecture • Seán Patrick Cardinal O’Malley

JAMES RASCH, M.D.

APRIL 24

I am excited and humbled to have an opportunity to become one of the Gordon College Partners. I strongly support Gordon’s legacy, and encourage education that prepares young men and women to serve the world in innovative ways.

Alton C. Bynum Recital Series • Katherine Whyte, soprano, and Jamie Hillman, piano

Last summer my grandson, Nicholas, attended the Rwanda Seminar through Gordon’s Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership (CEL). Nick visited the Rwanda Trading Company, a subsidary of Westrock Coffee Company based in my hometown of Little Rock, Arkansas. Through the entreprenurial vision of a group of Christians, Westrock has helped transform Rwanda’s coffee sector. Nick also met several visionaries behind other key initiatives for Rwanda’s growth in farming, education, missions, micro-finance, law and health care.

www.gordon.edu/musicevents

MAY 16

Commencement www.gordon.edu/Commencement Find details and other upcoming events at www.gordon.edu/calendar

I am excited by the initiatives at Gordon, like CEL, which equip young minds to enrich our world.

Where Partners Are From Our Partners come from places across the United States and around the globe including:

Alaska, Bahamas, Canada, Hong Kong and Republic of Korea

I pray that your partnership with us in the faith may be effective in deepening your understanding of every good thing we share for the sake of Christ. Philemon 1:6 (NIV) 255 Grapevine Road, Wenham MA 01984-1899 www.gordon.edu

LIVES WORTH LEADING®