Heather Poisson, ’24, M.A. in Teaching, (left) with Bonnie Torgerson at the awards ceremony in May of 2024.

Reading Time: 16 minutesB onnie Torgerson started her teaching career in her hometown in Iowa. That first year, the only thing in her fourth grade classroom when she first walked in was a picture of George Washington. She has never forgotten how it felt to have no supplies. Since 1995 she has funded the Bonnie Torgerson Teaching Award and Ceremony to celebrate Meredith seniors who are majoring in education and will be walking into their own classrooms.

“I tell that story every year at the award ceremony because it’s the way it really is for teachers,” said Torgerson. “It is very difficult and things are very expensive and salaries aren’t high. So I just feel giving them this gift and letting them decide what they need for their curriculum and the best way to spend it is important.”

The Bonnie Torgerson Teaching Award was originally established in 1995 by Garry and Sally Walton. Garry Walton taught at Meredith in the English department from 1983 until his retirement in 2020. Torgerson taught fourth grade at Penny Road Elementary in Cary and her reputation was stellar. So much so that Sally, a teacher there, requested their oldest son be placed in her class. Their second son followed a few years later and Sally says she always found inspiration in Torgerson’s creative curriculum and tried to integrate it into her classroom. When Torgerson announced she was retiring the Waltons wanted to honor her in some way, but knew a plaque would not do. Torgerson was already an adjunct faculty member at Meredith teaching social studies methods so the Waltons decided they wanted to recognize a graduating Meredith senior each year with the Bonnie Torgerson Award. Funds were raised from Torgerson’s teaching colleagues and the families of her students. The first award was given in May 1996. Sixty-three students have now received the award, which includes their name engraved on a plaque in Ledford Hall and a check to help the student set up their first classroom.

After the initial funds that the Waltons raised were distributed, Torgerson decided to establish an endowment to fund the award and ceremony herself. The criteria remain the same: someone who shows a love of students, is creative, and has a passion for teaching. College supervisors nominate the student teachers and members of the Education Department select the recipients.

“I feel that teachers should be creative and they are and I want them to continue to have the opportunity to be creative. The three students who won this year are extremely creative. I hope they love teaching as I did. I was a teacher for 50 years. I absolutely loved it, and was proud to be an adjunct faculty member at Meredith for 22 years,” said Torgerson.

Donna Kocur, graduate program manager and field placement coordinator, plans all the ceremonies and events in the Education Department. She says the Bonnie Torgerson Award Ceremony is her favorite for many reasons.

“Bonnie and I worked together at Meredith College for many years until her retirement in 2015. Also, family and friends are invited to the ceremony, and Bonnie provides funds for an amazing celebration with delicious food and celebratory cakes. She fills the room with her enthusiasm, dotes on the award winners, gets to know the family and friends who attend, and shares words of encouragement with the award recipients,” said Kocur. “In addition, the history of the award is significant, and I am honored to be able to continue what Garry and Sally Walton started and Bonnie is so grateful for the opportunity to celebrate at Meredith.”

Torgerson’s gift became fully endowed in 2016, allowing students to receive the award forever. In the early 2010s, Torgerson met Astra Ball, director of advancement services, and they developed a relationship because of the gift and because Torgerson never misses the Retired Faculty and Staff Luncheon that Ball coordinates.

“I didn’t know that Bonnie was an educator when I met her, but I probably could have guessed it. Bonnie is what every student needs in a teacher and what every parent wants for their child. She is warm but strong and her laugh is infectious,” said Ball. “I could tell that she had been transformed by her career and it made her want to make the path easier for every young teacher who came after her. Her scholarship provides for the classroom needs and the various other programs she sponsored grow first-year teachers to lifelong career teachers.”

It was important to Torgerson that this award be able to continue long into the future. She feels teachers need to be acknowledged for what a wonderful job they are doing.

“I think teachers are so underrated. They’re so unappreciated and this is my way of patting all teachers on the back and saying ‘You’re doing a great job.’ So when I retired from Meredith I felt it was worth endowing. I just want it to go on. I want the award given to deserving students forever,” said Torgerson. “And it’s not the recognition for me, it’s the recognition that Meredith does a great job educating teachers. They’re always the first ones that principals want to hire.” 

Kocur says education students see the award plaque in Ledford Hall as soon as they begin their education courses. “They are so excited to be selected, especially since families, cooperating teachers, and their education professors attend the celebration. They get an entire evening dedicated to them and the following morning they are recognized at the intern reception in front of their peers.”

Torgerson says she has received so many thank you notes throughout the years and students have kept in touch to let her know how they are doing.

“One student who got the award, came to the ceremony with her list to show me what she was going to spend the money on for her kindergarten classroom,’ said Torgerson. “To see the smiling faces of these young ladies gives me such hope for the future that education is in good hands. They reassure me every time.”