Donna Corrigan, the Dean of Residential Life and International Student Advisor, has been honored nationally with the The Burch Ford Kaleidoscope Award for her commitment to advancing student residential life.
Ms. Corrigan, completely unaware of her nomination, felt much gratitude and joy upon receiving the award. “My first reaction was one of complete shock. I was surprised. But I’ve learned so much over the years from the students that I’ve worked with. So my hope is they have learned as much from me as I have learned from them.”
Susan Baldridge, President of The Association of Boarding Schools (TABS), announced the award at Dana Hall’s All-School Meeting on Wednesday, September 16.
The Burch Ford Kaleidoscope Award is a prestigious national honor given to three professionals each year who have exemplified commitment, creativity and excellence in the area of Student and Residential Life. The award was named in honor of the late Mary Burch Tracy Burch Ford, a pioneering educator who served as the first full-time counselor at Groton School, Dean of Students at Milton Academy, and Head of Miss Porter’s School for 15 years. Recipients receive a handcrafted, engraved kaleidoscope, representing Burch’s unique ability to blend practicality, courage and creativity. To receive this award, one must exemplify vocational spirit and professional commitment and be nominated by one or more colleagues.
Having worked at Dana Hall as a house faculty member since 1994, Ms. Corrigan has served as a witness to change, observing many evolutions within the residential setting.
“I think one of the biggest changes is just learning how to live cohesively in a residential setting where they’re sharing space with other kids and really trying to navigate the global world and the things going on around them. A good portion of our students who board are international students and students of color, where they’re coming from communities that are very different from the residential places here. Helping students navigate the environment and changes, and learning how to live within a residential setting, is what is important to me.”
In Ms. Baldridge’s speech, Ms. Corrigan was especially emphasized as someone who doesn’t accept “we’ve always done it this way” as a reason to maintain a practice.
Ms. Corrigan emphasized the importance of evolving alongside students’ needs. From updating dorm policies and rooming options to refreshing campus activities and procedures, she aims to align with modern standards to best support students’ academic and personal growth.
“What I do find is that as kids board here, they are much more prepared to go off to college and navigate their own individual life, having to meet their needs and advocate for themselves because they’ve had that experience already, particularly in grades nine through twelve.”
One of her specific contributions this year was, along with Dean of Students of the Upper School Wendy Skinner, upgrading the Johnston Patio into a common hangout area, a unique way to utilize a space the school had never used in this way before.
“We upgraded that space because our focus really is community building and relationship building. We saw that that was kind of an underutilized space. So the hope was to upgrade the space and make it more of a neutral hangout space. It would bring students together, build community in ways that are different than just being in individual dorms and so forth.”
Upper School Assistant Dean of Students Mickey Spaulding, Ms. Corrigan’s nominator, believes that no one else is a better fit for the award than her.
“It’s funny because sometimes I’ll be walking my dog in the evening, and I’ll see her office light on, and it makes you feel good to know that she’s here for all of us. And so, when I think of someone who should receive an award like this, it’s Ms. Corrigan. It’s someone that you can always count on, someone who has the best interest of the students and someone who is always going to be there.”
Ms. Spaulding’s nomination covered numerous efforts by Ms. Corrigan, spanning from her welcoming “open door policy” to her protection of cultural heritage on campus through dumpling-making.
“I think I nominated her years ago too. TABS really is a national organization, so there probably are millions of nominations each year, so it’s really special that they combed through all the nominations and identified Ms. Corrigan.”
In her commendation, Ms. Corrigan was called “the heart and soul” of Dana Hall’s Residential Life Program. Known for her calm and composed demeanor, she credits her steady nature to her upbringing. Raised in a family of medical professionals, she learned early on how to remain poised under pressure and communicate with empathy. These qualities make her an anchor for the boarding community, ensuring every student feels supported and heard.
Reflecting on her approach to student discipline and mentorship, Ms. Corrigan emphasizes the power of growth through experience. “I feel like everything about adolescence is learning and growing and developing, and even as adults we make mistakes. Kids make mistakes. It’s not so much about the mistake, but what they learn from the mistake and how they move forward. I also am a strong believer that when you are growing, you have to make mistakes in order to learn.”
At the end of the day, Ms. Corrigan’s biggest goal as the Dean of Residential Life is to make the dorm feel like home. Returning to a dorm room ought to feel like coming home — a place where students can let their guard down, connect with friends, and relax. Ultimately, the dorm environment should allow students to show up as their authentic selves without feeling pulled between different worlds.
“It’s really a home away from home,” she says.