Investing in the future of education: Mary Ellen Burris ’68W (EdM)
Investing in the future of education: Mary Ellen Burris ’68W (EdM)
Newly endowed professorship at the Warner School supports early-career faculty
Mary Ellen Burris ’68W (EdM)
A newly endowed professorship at the University of Rochester’s Warner School of Education and Human Development—established by longtime benefactor Mary Ellen Burris ’68W (EdM)—will provide vital, ongoing support for early-career faculty. The gift, made during For Ever Better: The Campaign for the University of Rochester, reflects Burris’s enduring commitment to empowering future educational leaders.
“We are extremely grateful to Mary Ellen for her vision and generosity,” says Melissa Sturge-Apple, interim dean of the Warner School. “Federal funding for higher education has become increasingly limited, particularly for early-career scholars. Her investment supports individual faculty and strengthens Warner’s academic mission and long-term impact.”
Yu Jung Han ’22W (PhD), assistant professor at the Warner School, has been named the inaugural holder of the new Mary Ellen Burris professorship. Han’s research explores emerging technologies, interest-driven learning, and second language acquisition. Sturge-Apple adds that Han’s work “shows remarkable promise and could lead to field-defining contributions in educational research.”
A gift made at the right time
Endowed professorships are among higher education’s most powerful forms of philanthropic support. They provide stable, perpetual funding that allows faculty to pursue innovative research, teach and mentor students, and contribute meaningfully to their respective fields. For early-career scholars, such support can be transformative, especially at a time when universities are grappling with tighter budgets and increased demands.
Burris says the decision to establish the professorship right now was intentional. “I believe in giving while living,” she says. “I didn’t want to wait, and I look forward to following Professor Han’s work. Supporting Warner like this is my way of giving back to a place that gave so much to me.”
As a longtime executive at Wegmans Food Markets—where she retired in 2020 as senior vice president for consumer affairs—Burris has been dedicated to education and principle-driven leadership. Her decision to support early-career faculty was also shaped by her understanding of current challenges in the research landscape.
“I’ve seen what’s happening with federal research funding,” she says. “There’s a real need to support young faculty. It made me want to jump in with both feet.”
A lifelong champion of education
Burris’s connection to education runs deep. Her father was a high school principal, and her mother was a town librarian. After earning her master’s degree from Warner, Burris led consumer education initiatives at Wegmans that helped shape public understanding of food safety and nutrition.
“I’ve always felt a deep connection to Warner and the University of Rochester,” she says. “By supporting early career faculty, we’re not just helping one person—we’re investing in ideas, students, and future leaders.”
This newest gift builds on a long legacy of philanthropy. Burris previously established Warner’s first endowed deanship, two professorships—one to be funded through her estate—and an endowed scholarship. In 2023, she made a significant commitment to the University’s Saunders Center for Orthopaedics and Physical Performance, naming the Mary Ellen Burris Auditorium, supporting the teaching and training that happens within it.
A lifelong champion of education
Burris’s connection to education runs deep. Her father was a high school principal, and her mother was a town librarian. After earning her master’s degree from Warner, Burris led consumer education initiatives at Wegmans that helped shape public understanding of food safety and nutrition.
“I’ve always felt a deep connection to Warner and the University of Rochester,” she says. “By supporting early career faculty, we’re not just helping one person—we’re investing in ideas, students, and future leaders.”
This newest gift builds on a long legacy of philanthropy. Burris previously established Warner’s first endowed deanship, two professorships—one to be funded through her estate—and an endowed scholarship. In 2023, she made a significant commitment to the University’s Saunders Center for Orthopaedics and Physical Performance, naming the Mary Ellen Burris Auditorium, supporting the teaching and training that happens within it.
A lifelong champion of education
Burris’s connection to education runs deep. Her father was a high school principal, and her mother was a town librarian. After earning her master’s degree from Warner, Burris led consumer education initiatives at Wegmans that helped shape public understanding of food safety and nutrition.
“I’ve always felt a deep connection to Warner and the University of Rochester,” she says. “By supporting early career faculty, we’re not just helping one person—we’re investing in ideas, students, and future leaders.”
This newest gift builds on a long legacy of philanthropy. Burris previously established Warner’s first endowed deanship, two professorships—one to be funded through her estate—and an endowed scholarship. In 2023, she made a significant commitment to the University’s Saunders Center for Orthopaedics and Physical Performance, naming the Mary Ellen Burris Auditorium, supporting the teaching and training that happens within it.
A lasting impact at Warner and beyond
Burris’s deep engagement with Warner extends well beyond her gifts. She has served on the school’s National Council since its founding in 2008, and she was instrumental in supporting the creation of LeChase Hall, where the Mary Ellen Burris Conference Room is named in her honor. She is a founding member of the Advocacy Council that was established to help launch the Warner School’s Center for Urban Education Success. Additionally, she is a supporter of the past East High School partnership and a member of several University leadership groups, including the Women’s Network, the George Eastman Circle, and the Wilson Society.
At Warner, the new professorship underscores a broader commitment to fostering innovation and academic excellence at every level. “Our junior faculty bring energy, creativity, and new ideas to the table,” adds Sturge-Apple. “This gift helps us support them in meaningful and lasting ways.”
For Burris, that alignment of values—between Warner, the University, and her own beliefs—is what inspires her continued involvement.
“I was fortunate to work at Wegmans for many years, where values came first,” she says. “The University is the same. We share the kind of values that matter. Mark Twain said, ‘Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest.’ That’s what I try to live by.”
Learn more about Mary Ellen Burris’s transformational philanthropy and her 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award from Warner.
For Brilliant Minds
Endowed professorships like this are critical to the success of the Warner School and the University of Rochester. To learn how you can make a difference, contact Preston Faulkner ’08W (MS), executive director for Warner Advancement.
— Kristine Kappel Thompson, November 2025