UTH

Focused philanthropy: One family targets meaningful impact

Ralph and Susan Hawkins
Ralph and Susan Hawkins are set to make a lasting impact on pediatric health through an estate plan with UTHealth Houston School of Public Health.

Looking at the world’s problems can sometimes feel overwhelming, which is why Ralph and Susan Hawkins designated a focus for their philanthropic giving.

“The world is so huge, and there are so many children and families in need everywhere,” says Susan. “You can get lost in that great need, so we try to narrow our target. There’s need right here in our own backyard.”

The couple has chosen to concentrate their philanthropy on children and students, supporting health, education, and financial assistance.

“When I was going through school, I saw other students really struggling,” Ralph says. “I don’t like to see people suffer, so it’s part of my responsibility to give back. We have always supported scholarships, fellowships, and the work being done by faculty.”

Longstanding supporters of UTHealth Houston, their giving started after their college graduations with small donations to their alma maters, and they have since been growing their annual contributions—and plan to continue doing so. Their estate plans include faculty support for pediatric population health research at the School of Public Health, where Ralph earned a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree in 1976.

“My older sister had a lot of health issues when she was young,” says Ralph. “I remember spending a lot of time in hospitals, specifically in waiting rooms. That probably led to my interest in helping children—and in health care.”

“We have been fortunate that our children and grandchildren have been healthy, but that’s not the case for many others,” adds Susan. “We feel it’s important to help in that area.”

Ralph built a successful career combining two seemingly unrelated fields—health care and architecture. He earned two graduate degrees simultaneously—an MPH from the School of Public Health and a master’s degree in architecture from Rice University—completing them both in two and a half years. Ralph then contributed to building a thriving health care architecture practice at HKS Architects, now one of the nation’s largest architectural firms with 29 offices spanning the globe. He eventually became president, and by the time he retired in 2015, the business had grown from approximately 350 employees to more than 1,500.

Ralph was passionate about learning the latest in health care delivery and designing an architectural environment to house those services.

“A health care facility is a building that envelops a range of emotions—from the birth of a child to the death of a loved one—and we were tasked with designing buildings that would work for all of it,” Ralph says.

He and his wife created the Hawkins Family Fund to carry forward their philanthropic vision.

“We always taught our two daughters that from what we receive, it’s important to give back,” says Ralph. The whole family meets regularly to decide together which programs to support each year.

“The spirit of giving brings gifts back to you,” says Susan. “It feels rewarding to give. Our daughters feel that way, too. They’ve seen us give all their lives, and now they think that’s just what you do. This legacy will continue.”

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