STEPHENVILLE, Texas \u2014 A signing event today marked the establishment of two endowments for the Tarleton State University College of Education: the David Gilbreath and Tony Henson Distinguished Department Chair in Educational Leadership and Technology Support Endowment, and the David Gilbreath and Tony Henson Counseling and Educational Leadership Scholarship Endowment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Gilbreath and Henson\u2019s planned gift, currently valued at $2.5 million, will fund the two endowments, one supporting faculty and programmatic needs in the Department of Educational Leadership and Technology, and the other providing scholarships for graduate students pursuing degrees in counseling and educational leadership. The commitment represents the largest single gift in the College of Education\u2019s history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“David Gilbreath and Tony Henson\u2019s extraordinary gift will strengthen the College of Education in ways that will be felt for generations,” said Dr. Lesley Leach, Dean of the College of Education. “Their commitment reflects a deep belief in the power of education, counseling, and leadership to change lives, not only for individual students, but for schools and communities across Central Texas. We are honored to steward this gift in a way that reflects their legacy and expands opportunities for the future counselors, educational leaders, and faculty who will carry this important work forward.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Gilbreath, a Tarleton State alumnus, earned his bachelor\u2019s degree in elementary education in 1976 and later completed a master\u2019s degree with an emphasis in counseling. Over a 42-year career, he served in roles ranging from classroom teacher to programs director and instructional leader in Central Texas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Henson earned his Master of Education degree from Tarleton State in 1991 and built a career that included teaching and leadership roles in multiple school districts, followed by more than 25 years as an educational diagnostician and special education administrator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“David and Tony have dedicated their lives to education, and this gift reflects their enduring commitment to student success and academic excellence,” said Tony Vidmar, Vice President for Institutional Advancement and Executive Director of the Tarleton State University Foundation. “Their generosity will have a lasting impact on our students and the future of education.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They have spent decades supporting public education and student achievement, and their planned gift reflects a shared passion for learning, mentorship and expanding opportunities for future educators, with income from the scholarship endowment distributed annually to qualified graduate students to help prepare highly skilled professionals in education.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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