Lock Haven State College alumna creates scholarship to support women's wrestling student-athletes and STEM majors

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. (09/10/2026) — For 1979 Lock Haven State College alumna Bonnie L. Gorsic, education was never something she took for granted.

As a first-generation college student from the Harrisburg area, Gorsic knew that earning a degree would require hard work. She started working at age 16 and continued throughout high school and college, often working 8 to 10 hours a week during the academic year and 60 to 80 hours a week during the summer.

Her first choice was to attend college out of state, but it wasn't affordable. So, Gorsic took a chance on Lock Haven and that experience opened a world of possibilities for her. More than four decades later, Gorsic is paying that opportunity forward through the Bonnie L. Gorsic and Joseph R. Gorsic Sr. Scholarship.

Endowed through the Lock Haven University Foundation (LHUF), Gorsic's gift provides crucial support to Lock Haven women's wrestling student-athletes, with preference given to wrestlers majoring in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) - students whose grit, determination and work ethic reflect qualities she sees in herself.

Upon arriving at Lock Haven, Gorsic hoped to continue playing field hockey. She played field hockey and basketball in high school and was drawn by Lock Haven's esteemed field hockey reputation and its friendly campus atmosphere.

Although she never made the team, Gorsic quickly found a home at The Haven. She became involved in the Eagle Eye student newspaper, chorus, marching band, the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society and Tau Beta Sigma honorary band sorority. She began in color guard and eventually moved into percussion, playing bass drum, cymbals and gong. She eventually became chapter president of Tau Beta Sigma and later served as a district president.

She also found mentors who encouraged her academically, including band director Dr. Florentino Caimi; Dr. Mary Pursell, who took a particular interest in Gorsic as a student; and Dr. Alan Crosby, a demanding chemistry professor whom Gorsic greatly respected and helped her earn the department's Organic Chemistry Award. She also earned the Principles of Chemistry Award and two biology awards.

Looking back, Gorsic remembers Lock Haven as a place where determination could open countless doors of opportunity.

"It was a time and place at the university where if you were hardworking and willing to learn, you could do anything," she said.

That belief became a foundation for the rest of Gorsic's life. After graduating, she entered the workforce rather than immediately pursuing the doctorate she had been encouraged to pursue.
Her career eventually took her to California and Rockwell International, where she spent eight years working on NASA's space shuttle program.

She worked on software and helped prepare the shuttle for flight. She experienced the excitement of being part of one of the most ambitious technological endeavors in human history, as well as the profound tragedy of the Challenger disaster.

She later earned a master's degree from Stanford University and continued building a career in research and development, commercial aviation, military programs and advanced technology. She became an associate technical fellow and eventually a technical fellow - an achievement reached by only a small percentage of engineers.

When she retired in 2024, Gorsic was working as a software safety engineer in the aerospace industry, with her final assignment involving a satellite program.

Through all of her professional accomplishments, Gorsic describes her career less in terms of titles and accolades and more in terms of the impact she made and what she learned along the way. That willingness to learn and make a difference - and to take what she calls "intelligent risks" - helped define not only her career, but her life. It also shaped the way she views the students she now supports.

Gorsic's connection to Lock Haven wrestling began while she was a student. A sorority "little sister" was dating a wrestler, and Gorsic attended matches in Thomas Fieldhouse.

"It was packed," she remembered. "I couldn't believe the energy. I didn't know such things existed."

Her interest continued after graduation. While earning her master's degree at Stanford, she attended wrestling matches and would watch the NCAA Division I wrestling championships on TV - Including in 1997 when Lock Haven's Cary Kolat '03 won the 142-lb national title.

But what ultimately drew Bonnie to support Lock Haven women's wrestling wasn't the competition. It was the wrestlers' work ethic, discipline and willingness to push through adversity - qualities that Bonnie has always valued throughout her life; qualities that she sees boldly embodied by Lock Haven women wrestlers.

Her commitment to supporting students through LHUF is part of a larger desire to make her time and resources useful.

In retirement, she remains active in her church and advocates for causes she cares deeply about, including libraries, social issues, environmental issues and animal welfare. That same philosophy drives her philanthropy.

Gorsic worries that rising costs are making higher education inaccessible for too many people. She wants to help students who may not come from wealthy backgrounds but possess the skills and determination to create a better future for themselves.
"I think it's important to know," she said, "especially when you're older, 'What difference did I make?' "

For Gorsic, that question isn't about recognition; it's about impact. She wants to make sure that she uses her time, talent and resources to do something meaningful, and believes that by supporting Lock Haven students, she is helping provide the same kind of opportunity that changed her own life's trajectory.

Gorsic came to Lock Haven as a young woman focused on earning a college degree. She worked for that opportunity. She embraced every chance to learn. She took risks, overcame disappointments and built an extraordinary career; now, she is paying that opportunity forward in an incredibly meaningful way for the next generation of Bald Eagles at The Haven.

"Bonnie's generosity is an investment in far more than scholarships - it is an investment in people and in the future of The Haven," said Ashley Koser, LHUF executive director. "We are incredibly grateful for her belief in our students, and her commitment to ensuring Lock Haven remains a place where students can work hard, take their own chances and build extraordinary futures."

"She understands firsthand what an education can make possible for hardworking students, and she is now helping ensure that opportunity remains within reach for others," Koser added. "That is truly a legacy worth celebrating."

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