President Tori Murden McClure is one of the 2022 honorees of Peter J. Gomes Award
Spalding University President, Tori Murden McClure, is an honoree of the Peter J. Gomes, STB ’68 Distinguished Alumni Honors given by Harvard Divinity School. This year’s award celebrates outstanding people who connect betterment, learning and compassion to nature.
“Nature has been a balm, a unifier—a source of inspiration, healing, and nourishment—and humans have been advocates, allies, spokespeople, and stewards of the natural world. We seek to honor extraordinary HDS alumnx who have dedicated themselves and their work to honoring this connection.” – Michelle B. Goldhaber, MDiv ’05, the Alumni/Alumnae Council chairperson
It doesn’t come as a surprise to the Spalding community that President McClure was selected, not just because of her extraordinary achievements in nature, but for how she has integrated lessons from nature into her leadership.
What makes this honor especially meaningful is the person for whom the award is named, Peter J. Gomes. Reverend Gomes was not only a distinguished faculty member and spiritual leader at Harvard Divinity School, he was also a mentor of President McClure.
“Peter was a guide in so many aspects of life. While at Harvard Divinity he understood my passion for justice, frustration with inequities, and need to escape to nature to process the balance of those things. His encouragement and guidance were paramount for me when I decided to ski the geographical South Pole.”
Reverend Gomes was an inspirational leader who brought people together from all spectrums. He was a beacon of light in the Harvard Divinity School community unifying people on race, gender and sexual orientation. No honor could be closer to the core mission at Spalding University. Reverend Gomes has left a lasting impact on our president, and his legacy continues in our mission at Spalding, to meet the needs of our times and to be ever more equitable, inclusive, and charitable while doing so.
Award Details
The Alumni/Alumnae Council will recognize the 2022 Gomes Honorees, with a special tribute to 2020 and 2021 award winners, during an event on Friday, May 13.