Campus Life

Carol And Karl Hopkins Set Up Endowment For The Corps

Carol and Karl Hopkins ’89 have created an endowed gift to the Corps of Cadets for a language and culture program.
By Linda Edwards, Texas A&M University International Center April 29, 2010

TAMU foundationCarol and Karl Hopkins ’89 have created an endowed gift to the Corps of Cadets for a language and culture program as well as a two-year scholarship program for a member of the corps interested in pursuing a mechanical engineering degree. This $150,000 endowment which began in 2009 is set to be completed over a five year period with scholarship funding available in 2016 and is a major contribution to Operation Sprit and Mind, a capital campaign through the Texas A&M Foundation to raise scholarships.

Texas A&M President R. Bowen Loftin sees this endowment as an outstanding opportunity for the Corps of Cadets and meets a university priority for expanding students’ international experiences.

“This generous gift from the Hopkins to provide a scholarship toward a mechanical engineering degree and opportunities in culture, language and study abroad is very exciting for our cadets,” Loftin said. “The opportunity to study abroad will broaden the scope of education for these young men and women that will truly prepare them for the roles they will play upon graduation.”

Hopkins graduated from Texas A&M in 1989 with a bachelor of arts in history, and was part of the first class of students to visit the university’s Santa Chiara Study Center in Italy in 1989. During the 20th anniversary celebration of the study center in October 2009, Hopkins was a keynote speaker who shared the important impact this experience had on his personal and professional life. He attended Southwestern University School of Law in Los Angeles, CA, where he earned his doctorate in jurisprudence in 1992.

Jake Betty, interim commandant for the corps said the Hopkins gift further strengthens the efforts of the International Programs Office and Corps of Cadets to create international opportunities for cadets.

“The Corps of Cadets Language and Culture program is designed to build the next generation of international leaders,” Betty said. “Carol and Karl Hopkins have provided an exceptional gift that serves as a testament to the importance of this program and their passion for international awareness for our cadets. Their gift will have a profound affect on our cadets for many years to come, and for that we are very grateful to Carol and Karl Hopkins.”

As a partner in the Houston law firm of Baker & McKenzie, Hopkins’ practice concentrates on the development, construction, start-up and operation of large international energy projects. Mr. Hopkins has represented a number of prominent companies in oil and gas production, petroleum refining companies, pipeline companies, and oilfield service companies.

“My years at Texas A&M were formative for me, but much has changed in the world since I graduated,” Hopkins said. “Carol and I wanted to give back to my alma mater and help students become prepared to work in a global market place. We believe that this endowment for language and culture studies will help.”

Hopkins, who has traveled to many countries around the world as part of his work, wants Texas A&M students to be prepared for the global market place and have access to the life-changing type of international experience he had as a student. Part of the endowment he and his wife have created, the Carol and Karl V. Hopkins ’89 Corps of Cadets Language and Culture Program Scholarship, will be used to provide one or more scholarships to deserving member(s) of the Corps of Cadets for study abroad or cultural and language immersion programs outside of the United States.

“I am very grateful to Carol and Karl Hopkins for their generous support of the Corps of Cadets and their recognition of necessary skills our students must acquire to succeed globally,” said Interim Provost and Executive Vice President for Academics, Dr. Karan L. Watson. “The Hopkins Endowment will allow for continued growth and impact of the already successful ROTC Language and Culture Program and work to enhance the educational experience of our students.”

A member of Texas A&M International Board and the Texas A&M Association of Former Students, Hopkins is an active supporter of Texas A&M.

A second part of the endowment honors Hopkins’ parents. The Gordon R. & Peggy Hopkins General Rudder Corps Scholarship will be used to provide a two-year scholarship for a worthy and deserving member of the Corps of Cadets entering their junior year. The scholarship recipient must be a full-time student in good standing pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering from the Dwight Look College of Engineering from Texas A&M University in College Station. Dr. Gordon Hopkins served as head of the mechanical engineering department at Texas A&M from 1977 to 1983.

Media contact: tamunews@tamu.edu.

Related Stories

Recent Stories