Dr. Gwen Thornton

Dr. Gwen Thornton

Financial Secretary

Dr. Gwen Thornton, LCSW is Associate Professor Emeritus and Chair of the Social Work Department at Virginia State University. For almost 40 years, Dr. Thornton’s remarkable teaching, scholarship, and service involvement has been extensive locally, regionally, and internationally. Prior to joining the faculty of VSU, Dr. Thornton traveled for several years with the Maasi American Organization (MAO) to Kenya, Africa, to promote community health and education in Kenya. She served as a co-leader for the organization and led a delegation of students and community workers in the coordination of service-learning projects in Siana, Kenya. In December 2017, she developed and initiated a faculty-led study abroad program for VSU social work students and traveled to Ghana as part of a two-week global service-learning program. While in Ghana, Dr. Thornton developed relationships with Ghanaian residents and community partners that have remained strong.

The highlight of Dr. Thornton’s lifelong commitment to service occurred during her sabbatical in the fall 2019 semester in Jukwa, a rural community in the Central Region of Ghana. While living in the local community for more than three months, she worked with the Divine Kids Academy (DKA) as an educational consultant for school administrators, training faculty and staff on program development and community development projects. In collaboration with Ghanaian educators and community leaders, she gained first-hand knowledge and experience in understanding the delivery of educational and social services in remote villages in West Africa. Upon her return to the States, she extended the knowledge and skills that she acquired to her community, colleagues, the classroom and her scholarship initiatives. She used her global experiences and new perspectives to encourage community partnerships to support international education and study abroad programs in West Africa. The goal is to encourage and inspire others to become culturally sensitive and knowledgeable individuals with a demonstrated commitment to social, economic, and environmental justice in an increasingly interconnected world.

In 2020, Dr Thornton co-founded the Mimosa International Foundation of America (MIFoA), a 501(c)3 non-profit organization and is currently a Board Member and Chief Finance Officer. Under her leadership, MIFoA has sponsored several educational tours to Ghana that fulfils the vision of our organization “to foster international partnerships through multicultural interpersonal connections and those who are committed to global service”.