Endowed professorship in literacy established at the College of Education

Carol Lee Robertson

To give back. To reconnect. To serve others. These are a few of the reasons behind a donor’s gift to the University of Kentucky College of Education.

In the spring of 1999, Fort Mitchell, Kentucky native Carol Lee Robertson established the first endowed professorship at the College of Education. The Carol Lee Robertson Endowed Professorship in Literacy is a gift intended to bring to the University of Kentucky a national leader in the field of literacy. The professor who fills the position will support all aspects of literacy and learning – from the prevention of low level adult literacy to the development of effective literacy programs for school children. This individual will provide assistance to teachers, counselors, and others who are helping raise literacy standards across the state and nation.

Robertson credits her mother for her life-long interest in reading. “I was blessed with a mother who read to me and who instilled a love for reading at an early age,” she said.

While attending the University of Kentucky, Robertson said she received a quality education, built lasting relationships, and had many personal mentors. She has been delighted to reconnect with the college and give something back to the state and University she loves.

“A strong College of Education is the cornerstone of any great university,” Robertson said. “My interest in literacy, matched with the need in Kentucky, presented an opportunity for me to become involved in a meaningful way.”

Robertson is a long-time resident of Houston, Texas, where her husband, Ken, is a senior vice-president at Exxon.