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Main Content The Hawkins Family Scholarship

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Earl W. Hawkins, Class of 1969 (1941-2014)
Lynda Jones Hawkins, Class of 1966
Charles W. Hawkins, Class of 1991
JudiAnn Hawkins-Pond, Class of 1992

This scholarship is awarded to a Junior or Senior education major with financial need. The fund honors members of the Hawkins family who attended Emory & Henry College.

 

Lynda Hawkins (E&H ’66) says that, as an alumnus, Earl Hawkins (E&H ’69) had two goals for “giving back” to Emory & Henry; a more meaningful recognition of members of the E&H Sports Hall of Fame, and finding a way to help a young person attend his beloved alma mater. He always remembered the help he and his children received as students.

Earl died of pancreatic cancer before either goal was completely achieved, but in 2014, Earl and Lynda made the initial gift toward the establishment of an endowed scholarship. In 2016 the endowment was fully funded, and together with their children, also E&H alumni, the scholarship was officially launched. Earl and Lynda chose to provide scholarship funds to students preparing to teach because they themselves spent a lifetime of service in the field of education and understood the value of financial help for students with this career goal.

Lynda also made sure that Earl’s wishes for the Sports Hall of Fame were realized, and, in his memory, she sponsored a digital kiosk located in the athletic department that showcases all members of the E&H Sports Hall of Fame.

All four Hawkins alumni made names for themselves at Emory & Henry long before their family ever made a transformative donation. Earl and Lynda served on the E&H Parents Council, and Lynda served as a member of the Board of Trustees and also as president of the E&H Alumni Board. A member of Phi Pi Alpha fraternity, Earl created a collegiate athletic career that was the thing of legends. He played multiple sports, but was especially known as a standout in football who went on to be drafted by the Detroit Lions. Long past his professional career, he attained legendary status again as a softball player. During his lifetime he was inducted into numerous athletic halls of fame, including the Emory & Henry Sports Hall of Fame. As a student, Lynda served as editor of the college yearbook, was elected Homecoming Queen, and was a member of Kappa Phi Alpha sorority. JudiAnn Hawkins-Pond (E&H ’92) was also a member of Kappa Phi Alpha sorority and Chuck Hawkins (’91) was a member of Beta Lambda Zeta and played baseball at Emory & Henry.

The endowment they established carries their names and their stories into the next generation – while also offering financial aid assistance to many families pursuing a dream of education.

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Earl, JudiAnn, Lynda, and Chuck Hawkins in 1988 at an on-campus luncheon at Emory & Henry that welcomed new students with E&H alu...
Earl, JudiAnn, Lynda, and Chuck Hawkins in 1988 at an on-campus luncheon at Emory & Henry that welcomed new students with E&H alumni family members.

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