Dr. Robert Hawkins Memorial Scholarship
Scholarship Sponsored by John Philip Sousa Foundation
Award Overview
There will be one $1,000 scholarship awarded in the coming year. The award is endowed by Betty Jo and Kathy Schmidt in memory of Dr. Robert Hawkins and in honor of Kathryn Morris Hawkins. It recognizes the Hawkins family's long-standing contributions to music and music education. Details about application and eligibility are not provided in the source material.
Description: An endowed scholarship established to commemorate Dr. Robert Hawkins and Kathryn Morris Hawkins; funded by Betty Jo and Kathy Schmidt.
Award Value: One scholarship of $1,000.00 will be awarded.
- Single $1,000 scholarship to be awarded next year
- Endowed in memory of Dr. Robert Hawkins and in honor of Kathryn Morris Hawkins
- No application or eligibility details provided in the source
Endowment and Purpose
The endowment was created by Betty Jo and Kathy Schmidt to honor the professional and personal legacy of Dr. Robert Hawkins and his wife Kathryn Morris Hawkins. The fund serves to memorialize their impact on music performance and education rather than to designate a specific program or department within an institution. This gift continues a pattern of scholarships and recruitment efforts associated with Hawkins’ career. The exact administrative details and recipient criteria for the award are not specified in the source.
- Created to honor the Hawkins’ contributions to music and education
- Established by Betty Jo and Kathy Schmidt
- Administrative and eligibility specifics are not provided
Biography of Dr. Robert Hawkins
Robert Hawkins was born in 1919 in Sullivan, Indiana, and entered Indiana State University in 1937 as a Harold Bright Scholarship recipient for clarinet performance and student conducting. After serving as Director of the Indiana State Marching Band, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1942 and returned after an honorable discharge in 1945. He completed a Master of Music two years later and earned a PhD from Columbia University in 1951, then served as Professor of Music and Director of Bands at Western State College in Gunnison, Colorado. In 1967 he moved to Morehead State University, where he conducted university marching and symphony bands and directed the Daniel Boone Forest Music Camp.
History of the Award: In 1967 Dr. Hawkins brought the Kathy Schmidt Memorial Scholarship with him to Morehead State University; that program honored an outstanding music student from Western State College and helped recruit and support numerous talented music majors at Morehead.
- Born 1919; Harold Bright Scholarship recipient at Indiana State (1937)
- Director of Indiana State Marching Band; U.S. Navy service during WWII
- Earned a PhD from Columbia University (1951) and led bands at Western State College and Morehead State University
Honors and Legacy
Dr. Hawkins enjoyed a distinguished career as a conductor, educator, arranger, and recording artist. He guest-conducted ensembles such as the Boston Pops, the U.S. Navy Band, and the UCLA Symphonic Band, and he published three books of arrangements and transcriptions for marching band and orchestra. He also conducted orchestral recordings for Century Records Company, many featuring his own transcriptions. His recognitions include being named one of the Ten Outstanding Band Directors by The School Musician Magazine in 1972, a Citation of Excellence from the National Band Association in 1975, and posthumous induction into the Band Directors Hall of Fame at Troy State University in 1989.
Legacy: Kathryn Morris Hawkins was a lifelong partner in his work, and together their contributions are commemorated by the scholarship endowment.
- Guest conductor for major ensembles and author of three arrangement/transcription books
- Recorded orchestral works for Century Records Company
- Multiple honors: 1972 Ten Outstanding Band Directors, 1975 Citation of Excellence, 1989 Hall of Fame induction