Crawford Gordon ’56 Speaker Series

From environmental activists and bestselling book authors to Olympic athletes and Governor Generals, the Crawford Gordon ’56 Speaker Series is an intellectual beacon to the Ridley community.

Ridley College has welcomed illustrious individuals from an array of disciplines as a part of the Crawford Gordon ’56 Speaker Series, including environmental activist David Suzuki, Governor General Michaëlle Jean, and Olympian Jason Dorland ’83, to name a few. Our accomplished speakers delve into their journeys, challenges and triumphs, offering lessons for attendees to glean.

By inviting luminaries from diverse fields to share their insights and expertise, the engaging speaker series fosters thought-provoking discussions that enrich the minds of both students and faculty. Beyond its role as a platform for intellectual discourse, the speaker series is integral in nurturing critical thinking, empathy and understanding.

As our community unites to listen, question and engage with our speakers, the Crawford Gordon ’56 Speaker Series continues to uphold its legacy of inspiring flourishing lives and shaping the leaders of tomorrow.

2026/27 Schedule

The 2026/27 speaker schedule will be announced soon. 

Past Speakers

Explore a selection of our diverse and inspiring speakers from past years of the Crawford Gordon ’56 Speaker Series. 

About Crawford Gordon ’56

Thanks to the vision and generosity of the late Crawford Gordon ’56, former Chair of the Ridley College Board of Governors, the Crawford Gordon ’56 Speaker Series was launched in 2004. 

20 years later, the speaker series continues to attract world-class thought leaders, changemakers, artists and athletes, providing our students the opportunity to engage with big ideas outside their classrooms. By inviting luminaries from diverse fields to share their insights and expertise, this engaging series fosters thought-provoking discussions that enrich the minds of both students and faculty. Beyond its role as a platform for intellectual discourse, the speaker series also has an impact in nurturing critical thinking, empathy and understanding in generations of students at Ridley. 

Ridley College is forever grateful to the late Crawford Gordon ’56 and his surviving family — his wife Eve Gordon and children Crawford Jr. ’03, Chloe ’05 and Parris ’08.