Donna Corrigan Receives National Honor for Excellence in Residential Life

The September 16 All-School Meeting ended on a high note, when Head of School Katherine Bradley welcomed a special guest to the stage: Susan Baldridge, president of The Association of Boarding Schools (TABS). Baldridge was on hand to present, and surprise, Dean of Residential Life and International Student Advisor Donna Corrigan P07 with a special honor, the Burch Ford Kaleidoscope Award for Excellence in Student & Residential Life.

A national honor, the Burch Ford Kaleidoscope Award recognizes three professionals each year who have exemplified commitment, creativity and excellence in the area of Student and Residential Life. After a loud and long standing ovation from students and faculty,  Baldridge shared some insights from the colleagues who had nominated Corrigan:

“Donna Corrigan is the heart and soul of the Dana Hall School Residential Life Program. What began as a role as a full-time house parent has evolved into a distinguished career dedicated to the holistic development of boarding students. In an environment where 'we've always done it this way' can be a common refrain, Donna remains selflessly committed to best practices. She doesn't just manage a program, she evolves it. When we consider the ideal blueprint for a residential life practitioner, we look for a rare alchemy of empathy, structural wisdom, and tireless dedication. Donna Corrigan does not merely meet these standards, she defines them. To know Donna is to understand that excellence in this field isn't in administrative checkboxes, but found in the quiet, consistent moments of connection that weave a community together. Donna possesses a trio of traits that are essential yet difficult to master. She's profoundly considerate, unfailingly calm, and deeply wise. In an often high-energy and unpredictable environment, Donna serves as an anchor." 

Corrigan has been a member of the Dana Hall community since 1994, spending five years as a House Director before joining the Student Affairs Office and becoming a Dean. Baldridge added, “We call this the Kaleidoscope Award because at their best, boarding school professionals bring together many different individuals in a boarding community and help them form something larger than themselves, something that grows and changes over time, like the people within it do. So Donna, we're going to give you this handmade brass kaleidoscope as an acknowledgment of the many ways that you have helped young people to see new possibilities in themselves and one another. Your model is an inspiration, not just to folks here at Dana Hall, but throughout the TABS community.”

Corrigan also will be celebrated at the annual TABS Conference in Washington, D.C., in early November.