Loomis Chaffee Welcomes New Americans in Citizenship Ceremony

American Flag Photo by Samuel Branch on Unsplash

Christopher K. Norton is a New York-based financial professional who has held several positions during his three-decade-long career, including serving as a partner with Goldman Sachs. In addition, Christopher K. Norton is involved with and supports various organizations, including the Loomis Chaffee educational facility.

Based in New England, the institute recently held a citizenship ceremony at its Olcott Center, where it welcomed 49 people as they became naturalized Americans. The special session, held on October 22, was presided over by Judge Alfred Covello, and featured a talk by Dang Phan, a Vietnam-born U.S. citizen.

During the event, Mr. Phan told the story of how his family came to the United States in 1975 during the fall of Saigon, and how he eventually became an American citizen and attend Loomis Chaffee.

In the ceremony, Judge Covello highlighted the fact that, while there are a variety of freedoms that come with being a naturalized citizen, there are also responsibilities, which the 49 new citizens agreed to uphold.

Civic Virtues at the Norton Family Center for the Common Good

After a successful career at Goldman Sachs, Christopher K. Norton retired and devoted himself to philanthropy and service. As part of his efforts, Christopher K. Norton chairs the trustee board for the Loomis Chaffee School, a private institution in Windsor, Connecticut.

The school operates the Norton Family Center for the Common Good, which advocates a diverse, civil society and a sense of global citizenship. In and out of the classroom, students learn to actively promote the common good from local to worldwide levels.

The Freshman Seminar in the Common Good connects social themes to national and global events. With input from upperclassmen, the weekly meetings bring out critical thinking skills and promote responsible engagement with society.

Open to the entire Norton Center community, Dialogues in the Common Good deal with specific topics, often in a town-hall format that helps participants examine their values and opinions.

Additionally, students conceive and direct their own projects, built around current themes and issues. Past initiatives have included sustainability and sexual violence prevention, and have aided organizations such as Amnesty International and the Special Olympics.