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����Թ�’s College of Education, Health and Human Services (EHHS) has awarded two prestigious, endowed professorships that reaffirm the university’s long-standing commitment to leadership in education while positioning the School of Teaching, Learning and Curriculum Studies (TLC) as a leader in research, external funding and community partnerships within higher education.

Karl Kosko, Ph.D., has been awarded the Rebecca Tolle Professorship for Leadership in Education, with a focus on educational leadership through research and grant development. Lisa Borgerding, Ph.D., has been appointed the Burton W. Gorman Professorship for Leadership in Education, which emphasizes educational leadership through community-engaged research and partnerships.

These appointments formally relaunch the legacy of the Tolle and Gorman endowment as two distinct, complementary professorships that reflect the evolving mission and priorities of the School of TLC.

“This is a meaningful moment for our college and our school,” said Scott Courtney, Ph.D., director of the School of Teaching, Learning and Curriculum Studies and associate professor of mathematics education in EHHS. “By awarding these professorships we are honoring the enduring legacy of the Tolle Gorman family, while strategically investing in faculty whose leadership advances research excellence, external funding and community-engaged scholarship that directly benefits schools and learners.”

Distinct focuses, shared purpose

The Rebecca Tolle Professorship recognizes faculty leadership in educational research and grant development. As its inaugural recipient under the redefined structure, Kosko brings a strong record of externally funded research, interdisciplinary collaboration and scholarly impact tied to teaching and learning. His work aligns with the professorship’s emphasis on strengthening research infrastructure, expanding grant activity and mentoring faculty and graduate students in competitive proposal development, efforts that support the school’s mission and the university’s broader research agenda.

The Burton W. Gorman Professorship centers on community-engaged research and partnerships that connect scholarship to practice. Borgerding’s appointment reflects her leadership in building sustained relationships with P–12 schools, educators and community partners while conducting research that addresses real-world challenges in education. Her work exemplifies the professorship’s commitment to reciprocal partnerships, applied scholarship and community impact, values that have long defined EHHS’s approach to public-serving education.

“These professorships are intentionally designed to be flexible and forward-looking,” Director Courtney said. “One advances our capacity to compete nationally for major grants; the other deepens our engagement with schools and communities. Together, they strengthen TLC’s ability to lead at multiple levels.”

A legacy rooted in ����Թ� State history

The Rebecca Tolle and Burton W. Gorman Endowed Professorship for Leadership endowment was established by the late Joseph Tolle Gorman, former CEO and chairman of TRW, Inc., in memory of his parents, Rebecca Tolle and Burton W. Gorman. Gorman, a 1959 ����Թ� State alumnus, maintained deep ties to the university throughout his life, serving on the ����Թ� Foundation Board, the Centennial Commission and the Campaign Executive Committee.

The endowed professorship was first awarded in 2016 to James Henderson, Ed.D., professor of curriculum and instruction in EHHS. Following Henderson’s retirement, Tim Rasinski, Ph.D., served as the Rebecca Tolle and Burton W. Gorman Chair in Educational Leadership from 2018 through 2023. From fall 2023 through fall 2025, multiple revisions to the agreement were completed to provide greater flexibility, clarify purpose and ultimately allow for the creation of two titled professorships aligned with strategic priorities in research, funding and engagement.

Investing in excellence and impact

Under the revised purpose, distributions from the fund support two prestigious professorships awarded to faculty who demonstrate distinguished achievement in teaching, research and service and who exemplify the mission and values of the School of TLC and ����Թ�.  “These appointments are about more than recognition,” Director Courtney said. “They are about our capacity to lead nationally in educational research, to partner meaningfully with communities and to prepare future educators and leaders in ways that matter.”

With the appointments of Kosko and Borgerding, the College of Education, Health and Human Services honors the vision that launched the Tolle and Gorman endowment nearly a decade ago while charting a renewed path forward that connects tradition, innovation and public purpose at ����Թ�.