A $2 million endowment from Cornell alumni Rebecca “Becky” Quinn Morgan ’60 and James C. Morgan ’60, MBA ’63, will launch a new Director’s Innovation Fund at Cornell’s Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research (BCTR). The fund will support early-stage community-engaged research, expanding the center’s capacity to pursue cutting-edge initiatives.
Housed within the College of Human Ecology, the BCTR brings together a range of programs focused on youth development, public health, and applied research—including 4-H, Act for Youth, and the Program for Research on Youth Development and Engagement (PRYDE).
Supporting innovation in community research
The newly endowed fund gives the center’s leadership rare flexibility to invest in emerging opportunities that align with its mission of community-engaged science. Anthony Burrow, director of the BCTR, called it a game-changer for programming, training, and outreach.
“This support enables us to strategically expand any aspect of our research,” Burrow said. “It gives us the ability to act on opportunities as they arise—something that’s both rare and incredibly valuable.”
The Morgans’ gift builds on their long legacy of support for Cornell. In 2001, they endowed the college’s deanship, and more recently, they funded the Morgan Engaged Faculty Fellowship, currently held by Denise Green ’07.
Advancing the science of purpose
The gift also supports the Purpose Science and Innovation Exchange (PSiX), a new BCTR initiative led by Burrow. PSiX explores how cultivating a sense of purpose in young people can enhance well-being. It partners with youth-focused organizations to apply findings in real-world settings.
Becky Morgan said her continued support for the center stems from witnessing its impact firsthand. “I’m pleased to support engaged learning and translational research more broadly through this endowment,” she said. “I’m confident that Tony and future directors will leverage it to foster innovative work with lasting significance.”
Ensuring long-term impact
Rachel Dunifon, the Rebecca Q. and James C. Morgan Dean of the College of Human Ecology, said the fund ensures that the BCTR will remain at the forefront of impactful research.
“This endowment will empower future directors to maintain the center’s leadership in community-based science,” she said.
With this gift, the Bronfenbrenner Center deepens its role as a national model for community-engaged research—building solutions with, not just for, the communities it serves.
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