Texas Tech University

Dean Hawkins Memorial Scholarship

Dean Earl Hawkins

The Dean Hawkins Memorial Scholarship was established in 2018 by an anonymous donor through the Community Foundation of Abilene to support students in the Davis College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources.

Dean Earl Hawkins of Canyon, Texas, passed away on February 27, 2018 after a valiant fight against brain cancer. He was born in Groom, Texas on October 2, 1961 to Glenda Lee and Jerry Milo Hawkins. He grew up in Clarendon, Texas.

He was a graduate of Clarendon High School, Clarendon College, and Texas Tech University where he earned his B.S. degree in Animal Science and his M.S. in Animal Breeding (Physiology of Reproduction). He went on to earn a Ph.D. in Physiology of Reproduction and Growth from Texas A&M and completed an NIH Post-Doctoral fellowship at Colorado State University. He was awarded a Distinguished Alumni Award from the TTU Davis College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources in 2012.

In 1992, he began his career as a professor in Animal Science at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, N.M. He married Jaye Erin Bearden on July 22, 1995 and they remained in Las Cruces until 2009 when he joined West Texas A&M University (WT) in Canyon, Texas as the Department Head of Agricultural Sciences. In 2015, he became the Dean of the College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences at WT.

Throughout his years, he was the recipient of many honors beginning with the Boy Scouts God and Country Award and achieving the rank of Eagle Scout. He also received the Western section, American Society of Animal Science (ASAS), Young Scientist Award. He served as a board member for the ASAS and was a reproductive consultant for several ranches in Arizona, Wyoming, Mexico, and New Mexico. He traveled widely for his work; he went to Mexico often, gave a speech in Dubai and also traveled to China.

Dean found his work at WT and NMSU very fulfilling. He was proud of all the things his students, faculty, staff and administrative teams accomplished during his tenure. Most recently, he was honored to have had a role in acquiring funding for the new WTAMU Agriculture Complex that opened Fall of 2018. However, his most valued role as a university professor and administrator was the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of students. At NMSU, Dean was advisor to 12 undergraduate student researchers, 16 graduate students and 4 Ph.D. students.

Above all, Dean valued faith, family and friends. He adored his family and was always telling them how proud he was of each one of them. Raising his beautiful twin daughters, Hannah and Callie, with his wife, Jaye, was his greatest and most treasured personal accomplishment. He was an outstanding father and husband.

Dean was preceded in death by his father, Jerry Milo Hawkins; maternal grandparents, Pete and Opal Borden; and paternal grandparents, Spud and Vera Hawkins.

Dean is survived by his wife, Jaye Erin Hawkins; twin daughters, Hannah Bryce Hawkins and Callie Dean Hawkins; his mom Glenda Hawkins; brother, Doug Hawkins and wife, Daphne; three nephews, Brayden, Brigg and Josh Hawkins; his aunt Regina Wootten, uncle Jack Hawkins (Ann), aunt Gwen Cochran (Wendell) and several cousins.

To support this scholarship, please visit The Dean Hawkins Memorial Scholarship gift page. 

Contact

Alex Yack
Alex.Yack@ttu.edu
Senior Director of Development
806.742.2802

Matt Williams
matt.williams@ttu.edu
Associate Director of Development
806.742.2802

Tanner Rex
tanner.rex@ttu.edu
Assistant Director of Development
806.742.2802