Accolades keep coming for sponsorship specialist at Mohawk College in Hamilton
Published July 24, 2024 at 9:35 am
A 36-year commitment to post-secondary education in Hamilton has earned a Mohawk College executive a Lifetime Achievement Award by a global non-profit dedicated to educational advancement – the first Canadian so honoured.
Lorna Somers, Mohawk’s Vice-President of Advancement & Alumni Engagement was awarded the E. Burr Gibson Lifetime Achievement Award by The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), an international organization based in Washington, DC.
The award celebrates individuals who, through their professional accomplishments and long-time service, have made a significant and lasting impact on the profession and their colleagues.
This award recognizes Somers’ long career in education – she spent 35 years at McMaster University before joining Mohawk as Executive Director in 2022 – and her tireless promotion of principled development practices in Canada and around the world. In addition to being the first Canadian to earn the award, Somers is also the first person in the world to have received all the organization’s top honours.
“Having a nearly four-decade career, doing gratifying work with people I admire, has been a privilege,” said Somers. “I have had a front-row seat – sometimes even playing a small role – watching ordinary people do extraordinary things through their generosity, vision, and wisdom. Being able to also give back through teaching and writing has been a rare gift and one truly made possible because of CASE.”
Somers has previously been honoured by CASE with the John Lippincott Award (2016), the Frank Ashmore Award (2011) and the CASE Crystal Apple for excellence in teaching and training. The Canadian Association of Gift Planners (CAGP) also presented her with the Friends of CAGP national award (1997) and the CAGP Lorna Somers Legacy Award is named in her honour.
Last year, she received the 2023 Outstanding Achievement Award from the Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education, recognizing her contribution to advancement education and philanthropy in Canada.
During her career Somers has worked to secure more than $500 million in gifts for students, teaching, and research initiatives, including some of the largest charitable gifts in Canadian history. In addition, she has mentored and presented to institutional leaders, faculty, students and advancement staff on six continents and on more than 65 campuses around the world.
“Congratulations to Lorna on this remarkable achievement. Her distinguished career deserves to be recognized and celebrated by CASE, by Mohawk College and by the advancement professionals around the world who Lorna has taught, mentored and advised,” said Mohawk President Paul Armstrong. “We are proud to have Lorna among our executive leadership, bringing her impressive knowledge and experience to the Mohawk College Foundation and Alumni Relations. In what has already been a truly world-class career, Lorna continues to champion students, working with Mohawk College supporters and partners to prepare highly skilled graduates for success and contribution to the community, Canada and the world.”
Somers co-authored Planned Giving for Canadians with Dr. Frank Minton, now in its sixth edition, which is considered required reading for everyone in planned giving and development.
