Celebration of Faithful Leadership 2013

Last night the Danversport Yacht Club reception hall nearly exceeded maximum occupancy as members of the Gordon community gathered for the presentation of the George F. Bennett Leadership Award to Caleb Loring Jr., Joanne Holbrook Patton, Caleb Loring III and Bronwyn E. Loring ’87. The award honors civic leaders who embody wisdom, integrity, a commitment to Christ, a history of serving others and a history of exemplary civic contributions.

The evening featured keynote speaker Andrew Card, Acting Dean of the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University and former chief of staff for President George W. Bush. Mr. Card spoke on the importance of integrating faith and leadership, speaking from his personal experiences with high-stress and character-testing political experiences. Students Ashley Holm ’15 and Jorge Rodriguez ’14 shared their views on leadership and their gratitude toward the generous donors who made their education possible.

Mr. Card shared his gratitude at the invitation to speak to the Gordon community. “Gordon is an institution grounded in faith. In order to contribute in life one must be grounded in faith and Gordon is a college that never loses sight of this.”

Jorge Rodriguez, a biblical studies major from Manchester, CT, shared, “As a Claredon scholar, I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for these generous donors. By speaking tonight, I can show my tremendous gratitude and represent the students who don’t get the chance to interact directly with the donors.”