A Family Tradition for a Class of '69 Gael
Saint Mary’s feels like an extension of our family, says Greg Gordon. By supporting the Class of '69 Scholarship, he's also helping current students have the same experience.
For Greg Gordon '69, Saint Mary’s College was a family affair.
Gordon and his four brothers – Scott '68, Tim '71, and Tom – attended the College and played rugby. His brother-in-law Mike Johnson '72 and nephew Jay Johnson '17 also graduated from Saint Mary’s. His son Jon Skye '00 played basketball and soccer for Saint Mary’s and graduated with a degree in communication.
“Saint Mary’s feels like an extension of our family,” said Gordon, who enjoyed living on campus every year he attended the College. In addition to playing as a full-back on the rugby team, he played as a safety and wide receiver on the football team, and majored in the Integral Program. He met his wife Mary while he was at Saint Mary’s; the couple was set up on a blind date while she attended nearby Holy Names College, and they got married in the Saint Mary’s Chapel.
Gordon formed close relationships with the Christian Brothers, and would often eat with them in their dining room. “The Christian Brothers made it feel like family. I enjoyed conversations and discussions with the Brothers about Thomas Aquinas and other works we read in the Integral Program.
His favorite classes included biology and math. “Brother Aristophanes taught math, and made us do a Cartesian proof on the ellipse,” he sai, noting that it took him almost an hour to explain the equation and then defend his response. “I’ll never forget that learning experience,” he said. Gordon remained close to his professors, and some of them attended his wedding.
“A private college education is expensive,” said Greg Gordon '69. “I want to help people afford the great education that I received.”
Returning the Favor
In addition to a legacy intention in his will, Gordon generously supports the College with gifts to the Class of '69 Endowed Scholarship Fund, which he and his classmates established to commemorate their 50-year reunion and to support an undergraduate student with financial need. “We raised a significant amount of money that very first day, and then we started calling and writing to our classmates,” he said.
Working with fellow classmates, Gordon helped raise funds from his class and meet the threshold for an endowed scholarship. Supporting scholarships has special meaning for him; he paid for his education by working on campus to supplement a scholarship and grant that he received.
“A private college education is expensive,” said Gordon. “I want to help people afford the great education that I received.”
This drive to help others led him to work with underserved students, including Native Americans, helping them with college applications and vocational planning. He and Mary also organized and ran camps for at-risk youth. After earning his credential from Saint Mary’s, Gordon worked for years in public education as a middle, high school, and continuation school teacher, and prioritized finding creative ways to engage his students.
The Tangible Impact
This year’s recipient of the Class of '69 scholarship, Priya Cheema '25 is a business major with a minor in sports management and economics. She currently is a student manager for the Saint Mary’s baseball team, and her goal is to work for a major league baseball team when she graduates.
Priya Cheema '25 on the Class of '69 Scholarship: "Coming here was the best decision I ever made. I talk to my parents every day about how much I love it. I’m grateful for the scholarship support I’ve received to make my education possible.”
Cheema is the first person in her family to attend college and is in the High Potential Program at Saint Mary’s. “This scholarship helps me a lot because it enables me to invest in my books, which are really expensive,” she said. “A couple of my classes have really expensive textbooks, and these funds mean that I don’t have to worry about their cost.” With that flexibility, Cheema has more options to visit her family in Fresno and to participate in activities on campus.
“I love Saint Mary’s,” said Cheema. “Coming here was the best decision I ever made. I talk to my parents every day about how much I love it. I’m grateful for the scholarship support I’ve received to make my education possible.”
“The Class of '69 scholarship fund is a terrific example of the generosity and commitment of our Saint Mary’s community,” said Patrick Carew, Vice President, Strategic Partnerships and Advancement. “By choosing to support the next generation of Gaels, Greg Gordon and members of the Class of '69 help us achieve our goal of providing a high-quality education for as many students as possible. We are grateful for their dedication to our students.”