Burns Scholarships established for McPherson, Neodesha students
By Dirk Mcbratney, ESU Media Relations
Friday, January 23, 2009
Linda Lattin Burns and her husband, Robert Burns, have established two scholarships at Emporia State University. The scholarships are targeted to students of the Burns’ respective home high schools and counties and distributed based on the students’ financial need and grade point average. The Burns have a long history with Emporia State University.
Robert Burns, involved with the Quivira creative writing organization, earned a 1958 BSE in English. After a three-year tour of duty with the U.S. Navy, he returned to ESU for a 1965 master of arts degree in English. Linda, then Linda Lattin, earned a BSE in 1964 and a master of science degree in English in 1965.
The two met in their graduate programs and taught at the high school level in Kansas, then moved to teach at the university level in Missouri.
Linda Burns taught at the University of Missouri, Columbia, until they were married and joined the English department at Southeast Missouri State University. Both gained professional honors, and Robert served as chairman of the department and associate dean of the division.
Linda Burns credits ESU with forming her approach to education.
“We were both education majors and stayed with it,” said Burns. “Being at Emporia set the stage for the rest of our professional careers. We have a lot of fond memories.”
Burns explained that the scholarship’s focus on high GPA and financial need reflects the situation she and Robert faced at ESU. Both were bright students from low-income families.
“We couldn’t have gone unless we had some support. This is just a way to pay back — or to pay forward,” Burns said.
The couple established a scholarship in the English program at SMSU with contributions from colleagues and friends and retired in 2001. Now, the Burns have established a scholarship to aid students with needs at their own alma mater.
For more information on this scholarship or about supporting ESU, contact the ESU Foundation at 341-5440 or sacfound@emporia.edu, or visit www.emporia.edu/saf.
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