A Lifetime of Service, A Future of Opportunity

“KU feels like home,” these words capture a journey shaped by both career and family. For Dr. Steve Warren and Dr. Eva Horn, the University of Kansas has been a home and a strong foundation for their life’s work. 

Their story is one of scholarship, service, family, and lasting Jayhawk pride. With 28 and 22 years of service to the university, respectively, they continue their strong ties to KU by giving back. Recently, they established a fund in support of graduate student development and travel in the Department of Speech-Language-Hearing: Sciences and Disorders, Department of Special Education and the Life Span Institute. At a time when graduate students face increasing financial pressures, support for professional development can make the difference between simply completing a degree and fully launching a career. Their legacy will help carry the next generation of scholars forward while opening doors for students who follow in their footsteps.

Steve Warren’s connection to KU began as a student, where he earned all three of his degrees from the University of Kansas. It took time for him to discover what he wanted to do but once he did, he knew KU was the right place to pursue it. As an undergraduate, he was introduced to groundbreaking research focused on supporting children with developmental delays and learning needs. At KU, he found mentors, purpose, and the work that would become his life’s mission. “As an undergraduate at KU, I was introduced to the cutting-edge research and development work being conducted around supporting individuals, particularly very young children with developmental delays and learning issues,” Steve shared. 

After completing his education, Warren joined Vanderbilt University, where he served as a faculty member and investigator from 1982 to 2000. Then he found his way back to KU as the Director of the Schiefelbusch Institute for Life Span Studies which, in his words, was a dream job. He later became Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Studies in 2007 before returning to teaching and research as a professor for the Speech-Language-Hearing department and investigator in the Life Span Institute. He retired in 2022 after 28 years of dedication. Throughout each role, he helped strengthen KU’s national reputation for research, innovation, and graduate education, while helping shape a culture of learning that continues to impact students and faculty today.

Eva Horn’s path was non-linear and provided a different but equally important foundation. While Warren moved quickly once he found his direction, Horn’s journey was shaped by years of hands-on work in schools and with families. She originally saw herself as a teacher first and making a direct impact in the classroom. Over time, those experiences showed her that she could create even broader changes through research, service, and advocacy. She said KU always stood apart because it felt like a public university with a clear mission to serve the state, its students, and its communities, which deeply aligned with her own values. “I am especially proud of the connections I forged with teachers, schools, state agency personnel, and advocacy groups across the state,” Horn commented. 

Horn earned her bachelor’s degree in special education and elementary education from George Peabody College, a master’s degree in special education from Northern Illinois University, and a PhD in Human Development with an emphasis in Special Education from Vanderbilt University. Her career focused on preparing educators, improving early childhood outcomes, and strengthening systems of support for children with developmental delays and their families. She built meaningful partnerships with schools, state agencies, and advocacy groups across Kansas, extending KU’s impact into communities throughout the state. Through her teaching, mentorship, and research, generations of students, educators, and families have felt the impact of her work. 

Their professional paths became personal at Vanderbilt, where they met through research and collaboration before marrying in 1988. Nearly four decades later, their partnership remains one of shared purpose, mutual support, and commitment to helping others succeed. When looking back, they both recognize the one thing that anchored them. 

“It was that partnership,” Horn said. “We understood what the expectations, what the ups and downs, and the pressures were for each of us.” They supported one another through long nights, leadership roles, research demands, and family life. Their success was never just individual. It was shared.

That Jayhawk connection now spans generations. The family’s ties to KU continue through their children and grandchildren, with two daughters who are KU alumnae and a granddaughter currently a student on the Hill. The family legacy continues in crimson and blue. As Horn proudly shared, “I count myself fully a Jayhawk.”

Their recent gift reflects the same values that defined their careers: investing in people, creating opportunities, and strengthening the future. Graduate education is shaped not only by coursework, but by experiences, mentorship, and professional connections. Conference travel, collaboration, and access to networks can be transformational for students beginning their careers. By supporting those opportunities, they are helping future Jayhawks grow as scholars, researchers, clinicians, and leaders. More than a financial contribution, their gift reflects a belief in what made their own journeys possible, mentorship, access, and community. It is an investment in students who will one day lead classrooms, clinics, research labs, and communities of their own.

Their story is also a reminder to all alumni and friends of the department that giving back can create lasting impact. Every investment in students helps strengthen the future of the field and the future of KU. Their example shows that philanthropy is not reserved for a select few. Every gift, of every size, can create opportunity for students and strengthen the future of KU. Steve Warren and Eva Horn have already given the university decades of leadership and service. Now, their generosity ensures that future generations of Jayhawks can thrive. 

More than a financial contribution, their gift reflects a belief in what made their own journeys possible. Steve and Eva remarked, “There is still so much more to learn and work to accomplish to implement this science. We both believe that young professionals who come behind us will continue to move the fields forward.” It is their hope that this gift will carry forward a legacy of knowledge, dedication, and opportunity for generations of Jayhawks to come by continuing the work they have spent a lifetime building.

By Michaela Edwards 4/28/26