Dr. Robert Hawkins

Memorial Scholarship

Scholarship applications are NOW CLOSED for the Fall of 2024. The next scholarship cycle deadline for entries will be open from Sept 4, 2025 - Nov 5, 2025. The application process for consideration for this scholarship follows the completion of a written form (downloadable below on this website) and submitting supporting hard-copy documents with it only... there is no online version of this application.

FOR FALL 2024 APPLICANTS - Emails will be sent to all students whose applications have been received and were postmarked on or before November 6, 2024. If you have an application in the mail, postmarked by November 6, 2024, and you did NOT receive a confirmation email by midnight, November 8, 2024, please email the Scholarship Administrator, Dr. Thomas Reynolds at treynold@worldpath.net immediately.

We are pleased to announce that in the coming year, there will be ONE $1,000.00 scholarship awarded to the winners.

Endowed by Betty Jo and Kathy Schmidt in memory of Dr. Robert Hawkins and in honor of Kathryn Morris Hawkins, and donated by Bradford Hawkins, the youngest of Dr. Hawkins' five children.

Born in 1919 in Sullivan, Indiana, Robert Hawkins entered Indiana State University in 1937 as a Harold Bright Scholarship recipient (awarded for clarinet performance and excellence in student conducting),  Upon graduation, he was named Director of the Indiana State Marching Band until his enlistment in the U.S. Navy in 1942.  He served until an honorable discharge brought him home from Okinawa in 1945. Two years later he completed a Master of Music degree from Indiana State and then continued graduate work at Columbia University in New York, receiving a PhD in 1951.He then became Professor of Music and Director of Bands at Western State college in Gunnison, Colorado.  Over his sixteen years there, he was named Chairman of the Music Department and Director of the Gunnison Music Camp, which grew in size and reputation throughout the Rocky Mountain region and the nation.  Western State College bands traveled widely, performing at the New York World's Fair and Radio city Music Hall, among other venues.

In 1967, Dr. Hawkins was approached by administrators at Morehead State University in Morehead, Kentucky to continue his work there.  Because of a wider scope of opportunities offered there, he accepted and became Conductor of University Marching and Symphony Bands and Director of the Daniel Boone Forest Music Camp.  These years included highlights such as representing the state of Kentucky at the Presidential Inaugural in 1973 and performing at the 1975 Kentucky Derby,

Dr. Hawkins has also served as a frequent guest conductor for the Boston Pops, the U.S. Navy Band and the U.C.L.A. Symphonic Band, among many other organizations.  He also published three books of arrangements and transcriptions for marching band and orchestra.  

Dr. Hawkins conducted a series of orchestral recordings for Century Records Co., many of which consisted of his own transcriptions of orchestral literature, from Brahms and Rachmaninoff right up to Grofe and Rozsa.

In 1967 Dr. Hawkins brought with him to Morehead State University the Kathy Schmidt Memorial Scholarship, honoring an outstanding music student from Western State College.  This program recruited and made possible the studies of a number of talented music majors at Morehead.

In 1972 The School Musician Magazine named Dr. Hawkins one of the Ten Outstanding Band Directors in the United States and in 1975, he was presented a Citation of Excellence by the National Band Association.

In 1989 (posthumously), Dr. Hawkins was inducted into the Band Directors Hall of Fame at Troy State University in Troy, Alabama.

Throughout his illustrious musical and education career, he was faithfully accompanied by his wife of more than 40 years, Kathryn Morris Hawkins.  His partner in life and work, truly "in sickness and in health", her devotion and talents made possible the heights of his career.

Please go to this link for additional photos of Dr. Hawkins and his wife Kathryn: 

The John Philip Sousa Foundation administers the Dr. Robert Hawkins Memorial Scholarship.
    Complete the application and remit to:

Dr. Robert Hawkins Memorial Scholarship

Dr. Thomas E. Reynolds, chair

PO Box 102

Templeton, Massachusetts  01468-0102

Questions may be directed to treynold@worldpath.net 

2009-2010 Recipient - Joshua Keller from Arkansas

2010-2011 Recipient - Kevin Callihan Jr. from Kentucky

2011-2012 Recipient - Emily Kinnunen  from Pennsylvania

2012-2013 Recipient - Micheal Barnes from Oklahoma

2013-2014 Recipient - Robert J Grandbois III from Ohio

2014-2015 Recipient - Hannah Ramey from Indiana

2015-2016 Recipient - Evan Rzodkiewicz from Connecticut

2016-2017 Recipient - Aislinn Walters from Kansas

2017-2018 Recipient - Jonathan Schmidt from Massachusetts

2018-2019 Recipient - Ema Lee Ann Copeland from Kentucky

2019-2020 Recipient - Grant Goulson from Minnesota

2020-2021 Recipient - Sebastian Perdomo from Florida

2021-2022 Recipient - Cadee Havard from Mississippi

2021-2022 Recipient - Jonathan Schmidt from Massachusetts

2021-2022 Recipient - Sebastian Perdomo from Florida

2022-2023 Recipient - Veronica Flores from Texas

2022-2023 Recipient - Tristan Goodrich from Florida

2022-2023 Recipient - Samuel Worst from Pennsylvania

2023-2024 Recipient - Emily Hardy from Illinois

2023-2024 Recipient - Rael Dye from Wisconsin

2024-2025 Recipient - Christian Garnes from West Virginia

2024-2025 Recipient - Ella Hursh from Michigan

Scholarship form can be obtained by clicking on the link below and follow the scholarship requirements within the document.

Kathy Schmidt -Talented musician from Western State College