Heritage Summer Program Crafts a Lifestyle of Cultivation

Hands dig into soil, mold clay and prepare a meal. During a new, week-long program at Gordon, high school students from across the country carefully craft profound moments. Through the lens of craftsmanship, discipleship and hospitality, they reflect on the imagery of cultivation: Who has God made me? How is he working through me? What is his purpose for me?

Last summer, Gordon College launched Heritage: Cultivate Your Classical Roots, a summer enrichment program that explores how our identity, creativity and community are rooted in the person of Christ.

“Human flourishing is a phrase that is often quoted in Christian liberal arts circles,” says Program Director Salome Palmer ’21. “It’s the phrase we keep coming back to, the one that captures our greatest hopes—for ourselves and for our communities. It’s a phrase that’s hard to describe—but you know it when you experience it. That’s what we do here at Heritage.”

Hosted on Gordon’s campus in a rhythm of life centered on community and hospitality, the inaugural Heritage cohort last summer discovered college life on the North Shore and developed enduring friendships. Each day began with morning assembly—a time of corporate worship, thanksgiving and Bible study. Mornings were spent in creative workshops and local excursions including creative storytelling, ceramics, navigation and farming.  

Each evening closed with the preparation and enjoyment of a good meal. Partnering with Gordon Dining Services and Bon Appétit, cohorts took turns cooking a feast, setting up and decorating the room, and then cleaning up after one another. Faculty and community guests joined the table to practice the art of thoughtful conversation. 

At the end of the week, many students and staff described Heritage as “the way life should be”—a community excited to learn together, serve together and, above all, grow up in the knowledge of the Lord.

“A liberal arts education goes beyond educating the mind,” says Palmer. “It’s an education of the whole person—our heads, hearts and hands. It’s a posture toward life that celebrates imagination, exploration and integration. We want your child to walk away knowing who they are in Jesus and celebrating in wonder the world he has made.” 

Applications for the Heritage program are now open for this coming summer. Learn more and apply >