Mohawk College announced this week that Lorna Somers, Vice President, Advancement & Alumni Engagement, has been honoured with The E. Burr Gibson Lifetime Achievement Award. The award is presented by The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), the global non-profit association dedicated to educational advancement.
According to a press release issued by the college, the award recognizes Somers's 36-year commitment to post-secondary education and her tireless promotion of principled development practices in Canada and around the world. She is the first Canadian advancement professional to receive the E. Burr Gibson Lifetime Achievement Award and the first person in the world to have received all of CASE’s top honours.
“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 Paul Armstrong, president of Mohawk College. “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.”
During her career so far, Somers, a longtime Waterdown resident, has worked with others to secure more than $500 million in gifts for students, teaching, and research initiatives. 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.
She 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. Lorna joined the Mohawk College Foundation in 2022 and has made an immediate impact, championing the college’s strategic priorities and supporting students’ educational journeys.
“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) honoured Lorna 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.
The CASE E. Burr Gibson Lifetime Achievement 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.
