Hopkins Family Endowed Scholarship

This endowment was established in honor of the Hopkins family, to provide financial assistance to selected students who have met the criteria. Helen Blanchard graduated from high school in 1962. Her sister Annelle graduated two years later, 1964. In the fall of 1964, both girls and their cousin, Marilyn Woods began the next phase of their lives as freshmen at Sam Houston State College. They would be the first generation of their families to attend an institution of higher learning. Education would be the course of study for all the girls. After that first year, Helen changed her major to sociology. The department was growing. Criminal .Justice was a new field of study and Sam Houston was at the leading edge, offering it as a major. Although Helen was not a criminology major, it was exciting to he part of a growing department. Garland Rhea Hopkins was a 1964 graduate of San Marcos Baptist Academy in San Marcos, Texas. He went to Sam Houston to pursue a Bachelor of Business Admi11istration degree. Neither of his parents had attended college. During the fall semester of their sophomore year, Rhea and Helen shared an English class. By Spring, just as the campus roses were blooming, so was the love between the two of them. They married in January 1967, their junior year. Helen graduated in 1968. Rhea in summer of 1969. Life was a financial struggle until 1982 when both Rhea and Helen began twenty plus year careers with companies from which they retired. Rhea was hired by LTV to manage the facilities warehouse. Helen acknowledged that being a mother to their two daughters was her most important job. Therefore, she worked part-time for the duration of her working tenure at the Kroger company regional offices. The Hopkins family has strong ties to Sam Houston State University, with having a daughter and nephew also graduating from SHSU. Unfortunately, Rhea passed away in 2012. He left an outstanding financial legacy for his family, which they now wish to share with others. Because they value education and are blessed to have multiple educators in their family, it was decided to offer the scholarship in the field of education. Those family members that have served as teachers include the following: Irene Miller Hackney Hendrick, Annette Blanchard Smith, Marilyn Woods Lee, Denise Hopkins Tooch, Mario Tooch, Robert A. Smith and Amy Smith Larson. The Hopkins family is grateful for their legacy and hopes to encourage future dedicated instructors in the field of education.