Carol Ann Thorne, born on October 31, 1944, grew up in the beautiful farming community of Midland, New Brunswick. Blessed with three siblings, supportive Christian parents, and kindly Christian grandparents, Carol was nurtured not only in a loving family but also by members of the Keirsteadville United Baptist Church, where as a youngster she involved herself in the youth programs offered.
After completing high school, Carol wished to enroll in an x-ray technician program, only available to her through the Ottawa Civic Hospital, but requiring completion of grade 13. In the fall of 1963, Carol enrolled at the United Baptist Bible Training School in Moncton, where she completed grades 13 and 14. AT UBBTS she came under the influence of teacher Samuel Rosselet, who instilled in her a love for languages. After completing her courses, Carol transferred to Gordon College, where she obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in Modern Foreign Languages with a major in French and a minor in German.
During an additional year at Gordon, Carol’s interest was piqued by Wycliffe Bible Translators, leading her to attend the Summer Institute of Linguistics at the University of North Dakota. In 1967, she accepted teaching positions at UBBTS and Harrison Trimble High School. While teaching, she studied at night and in the summer, earning her Bachelor of Education degree in 1972 from the University of New Brunswick.
In June 1972, sensing God’s continued call in her life, Carol left her teaching position at Harrison Trimble High School to enroll in Wycliffe’s six month jungle training camp, a requirement before settlement in French speaking West Africa. Further French language studies then aided the completion of an undergraduate degree at the Sorbonne in Paris, before finally arriving in Cameroon in 1974 to begin translation of the New Testament into the Tikar language.
Masters studies in Paris during her furlough year in 1977 progressed into doctoral studies that were completed at the Sorbonne in 1986. Finishing her portion of the Tikar translation, Carol returned to New Brunswick in 1988 to join the faculty at Atlantic Baptist College to teach Linguistics and French. Further evidence of God’s love and leading in Carol’s life was the gift of marriage to Raymond Thorne in 1994.
Beyond her teaching career, Carol continues to be an instrumental leader within the Alliance Française de Moncton. In 2004, the Ambassador of France to Canada awarded Carol one of his nation’s most prestigious honours, the “Purple Legion,” in recognition of her personal and professional efforts in support of French language and culture. On another front, Carol has given stellar leadership for nearly two decades to planning and overseeing the UBBTS1960-1964 reunion gatherings.
Given to honor an alumnus for exemplary accomplishments and service, and to encourage and challenge other alumni to greater efforts and service, the Distinguished Alumni Award was presented on the 30th day of April, 2010 to Dr. Carol A. Thorne.
