by Stephanie Afful, STP President
September 1, 2025

Dr. James (Jim) H. Korn, former Division 2 president and beloved Professor Emeritus at Saint Louis University, passed away on July 17, 2025. Jim was a staunch advocate for teacher training, research ethics, and one of the driving forces behind not only the creation of the Fund for Excellence (FFE) but also fundraising, serving as the FFE’s executive secretary. The FFE continues to support our teaching excellence awards today.

Jim served as a professor at Saint Louis University for over 30 years, where he helped establish the university’s teaching and learning center. I was fortunate to have Dr. Korn in a graduate seminar on the Teaching of Psychology. One of my favorite memories from that class was an early assignment: we were asked to develop our teaching philosophies through creative poster presentations. As a crafty gal, I was here for it, but I remember some of my classmates were less thrilled to hunt down craft supplies. True to his reflective nature, Jim revised the assignment for the next cohort based on our feedback—a small but meaningful example of his responsiveness and care.

In graduate school, we are still trying to figure out “what we wanted to be when we grew up”… a researcher or a teacher? Dr. Korn really created safe space for us to explore these roles and was the first to introduce us to the idea of a scholar-teacher. My own love of teaching and involvement in STP is, in large part, due to his influence.

I had the honor of following in Jim’s footsteps as President of Division 2, nearly four decades after his own term. Even after his retirement and my graduation, Jim continued to mentor me. As a gesture of profound respect, he gave me his teaching book library and his graduation regalia.

I have been re-acquainting myself with the books and found notes to me (see pictures) and handwritten notes in margins and highlighting—such a small and personal memento. Commencement is always an emotional time, but wearing his regalia makes it even more meaningful.

While preparing his obituary (forthcoming in Teaching of Psychology), I reached out to several STP and SLU colleagues. I knew what Jim meant to me, but it’s been a joy to learn what he meant to so many others. Common themes emerged: Jim was authentic, generous, and fun—he loved to dance at conferences—and he taught us not only to be good teachers, but to be good humans.

Our last correspondence earlier this year was about a social media post from SLU celebrating my presidency and referencing Jim’s historical term. In fact, SLU has produced four STP presidents—a legacy that speaks to the culture of mentorship and excellence Jim helped foster. He was proud—proud that his students were continuing his work, advocating for teaching, and mentoring the next generation.

Jim reminds us that teaching is truly a privilege. If you feel so inclined, you can also donate to our Fund for Excellence, to continue his legacy of promoting teaching excellence. Let this also serve as a gentle reminder: even in the hustle of a busy semester, take a moment to check in on your people—and thank your mentors.

Read past letters from the STP President