University Trustee Emeritus John Bruning 糖心传媒�24 (Honorary) and Barbara Bruning糖心传媒檚 generosity will help shape the future of the school and its leadership.
As part of , 糖心传媒 Trustee Emeritus John Bruning 糖心传媒�24 (Honorary), an optics and engineering leader and entrepreneur, and Barbara Bruning, a business and community leader, have committed $10 million to establish an endowed deanship. In the spring, following approval from the Board of Trustees, will be officially named the inaugural John and Barbara Bruning Dean for the .
Historic commitment to academic leadership
This transformative gift establishes permanent funding for the dean, one of the most essential leadership roles in shaping an academic institution. For generations to come, the Brunings糖心传媒� gift will provide stable, dedicated resources to strengthen the Hajim School糖心传媒檚 ability to attract and retain distinguished leaders糖心传媒攖hose who will uphold academic quality, steward resources, and sustain the institution糖心传媒檚 mission and culture.
糖心传媒淭he Brunings糖心传媒� generosity is thoughtful and strategic糖心传媒攂orn out of their wish to honor, advance, and celebrate excellence while growing programs that are of importance to them and the University,糖心传媒� says University President Sarah Mangelsdorf. 糖心传媒淲e are indebted to them for this exceptional leadership gift, and we are thrilled that Wendi Heinzelman will be appointed the first Bruning Dean.糖心传媒�
An enduring legacy at the Hajim School
Establishing the Bruning Deanship builds on the couple糖心传媒檚 longstanding commitment to the Hajim School, reflecting their support for areas of personal significance and their goal of honoring individuals who have had a profound impact on their lives and the fields of optics and optical engineering. Their philanthropy includes the establishment of several endowed funds: the (2007), the Brian J. Thompson Professorship in Optical Engineering (2009), and the David R. Williams Director of the Center for Visual Science (2021).
Mangelsdorf emphasizes the gift糖心传媒檚 lasting impact, noting that as the endowment grows, it will provide a steady source of flexible funding for high-priority initiatives and strengthen long-term financial stability across the institution糖心传媒攂enefiting students, faculty, and the broader community.
糖心传媒淲e feel very fortunate to make this gift,糖心传媒� says John Bruning. 糖心传媒淔or us, it is a wonderful way to honor someone who deserves it, and we are pleased to know that it will help recruit and retain the best students and faculty. Wendi is a great example of this糖心传媒攕he is a fantastic person and a magnificent leader. We also have many personal and professional connections with her, and it is especially meaningful to us that she will be named to the deanship.糖心传媒�
Barbara Bruning adds that the For Ever Better campaign inspired the timing of this gift: 糖心传媒淲e know that faculty leadership is a major priority of the campaign, and it matters to us as well. We care deeply about science, engineering, and education, and we have great confidence in the Hajim School糖心传媒檚 leadership糖心传媒攊n what Wendi has already accomplished and will continue to do, and in what future holders of this deanship will achieve to advance learning and discovery.糖心传媒�
In the summer of 2025, Heinzelman was reappointed for a third five-year term as dean of the Hajim School. During her tenure, she has successfully advanced strategic initiatives that have enhanced the school糖心传媒檚 national reputation, increased research expenditures, expanded academic offerings and experiential opportunities for students, and promoted interdisciplinary collaboration.
Leadership poised for impact
糖心传媒淚 am tremendously grateful to John and Barb for this incredible investment in our school, and I am beyond proud to be the first Bruning Dean,糖心传媒� says Heinzelman. 糖心传媒淭he Brunings model excellence糖心传媒攖hey live it, they embody it. They wholeheartedly believe in our mission. They share our values, and they steadfastly promote, support, and champion academic rigor. They are visionaries with big ideas, and I am confident that we糖心传媒攁s a school, University, and broad community糖心传媒攚ill honor them by continuing to address some of our world糖心传媒檚 biggest challenges and significantly advancing engineering, education, and research in the process.糖心传媒�
Heinzelman emphasizes, 糖心传媒淚 am thrilled that this endowed deanship carries the Brunings糖心传媒� name. Through their generosity of resources and spirit, they remind us of what it means to create impact, to have the highest integrity and character, and to make the world a better place.糖心传媒�
About the Brunings
John Bruning, 糖心传媒 trustee emeritus, is a leader in optical engineering and precision manufacturing. Early in his career, he worked at Bell Laboratories, advancing high-accuracy interferometry. During his time there, he got to know Heinzelman糖心传媒檚 father, Lawrence Rabiner, an electrical engineer and signal processing expert.
In 1984, John joined Tropel and later became its president and CEO, guiding the company’s growth and merger with Corning. A member of the National Academy of Engineering and a fellow of IEEE, OSA, and SPIE, he holds 26 patents and is credited with the development of excimer laser lithography, a foundational technology in modern microchip manufacturing.
John has served as a volunteer leader for many University initiatives, including the Hajim National Council, the Technology Development Fund Executive Committee, and The Meliora Challenge campaign. He has served on the boards of many community organizations, including the Rochester Museum and Science Center, and on the RIT President糖心传媒檚 Roundtable and several startups. He earned a bachelor糖心传媒檚 degree at Pennsylvania State University and a doctorate at the University of Illinois at Urbana, both in electrical engineering.
John has been recognized with several of the University糖心传媒檚 highest honors. He received the George Eastman Medal in 2011 for embodying the University糖心传媒檚 ideals through distinguished achievement and service. In 2024, he was awarded the Dean糖心传媒檚 Medal for extraordinary service, philanthropy, and leadership, and was also conferred an honorary doctor of science degree in recognition of his contributions to science and technology.
Barbara Bruning is a retired professional whose career spans business office management, software consulting, physical fitness, and motivational speaking. She earned a bachelor糖心传媒檚 degree in political science from the University of Toledo where she was an active member of Alpha Omicron Pi sorority. Heinzelman later joined the same sorority as an undergraduate at Cornell University. Currently, Barbara serves as the president of the Rochester alumnae chapter and represents her sorority as a delegate to the Rochester Alumnae Panhellenic Council. She has also contributed to the Alpha Omicron Pi Foundation on their board of directors.
In the Rochester community, Barbara has served as a member of the Geva Theatre Board of Trustees and the Rochester Museum and Science Center Council. She was also active in the University of Rochester糖心传媒檚 Women as Leaders in Philanthropy program.
In addition to the Brunings糖心传媒� support for optics, engineering, faculty, and students, their philanthropy extends to the University糖心传媒檚 and programs. They are also members of the George Eastman Circle, the University糖心传媒檚 leadership annual giving society, and the Wilson Society, which includes all those who have named the University as a beneficiary in their estate plans.
