Loretta O’Reilly Hawkins Award

Award Description

The purpose of the Loretta O’Reilly Hawkins Award is to recognize and reward excellence among university employees. As a private university, it is vital that SMU employees provide the highest level service to all internal and external constituents; as such, this award seeks to commend employees who demonstrate the university’s commitment to excellence. 

This award recognizes employees who represent the qualities and spirit of Loretta O’Reilly Hawkins, her love of SMU, her commitment to the community, and her high standards for work and life.

Loretta O’Reilly Hawkins was a member of the university staff from 1924 to 1961.  She held various roles during her 37 years at SMU, including assistant to President C.C. Selecman and President Umphrey Lee.  Regardless of her role, she developed and maintained excellent working relationships with the entire SMU community – from students to faculty, and groundskeepers to presidents.  Her retirement in 1961 was announced in a lead editorial in the Dallas Morning News entitled “Loretta’s Leaving.” 

Mrs. Hawkins was a single parent who was equally devoted to SMU and her family, working tirelessly through the depression (and a 66% pay cut for staff employees) to better the university, while also taking on part time and evening work to support her family.  She had an excellent reputation in the community and high standards of accomplishment in work, family, and the art of living. 

This award was endowed by Mr. Dallas E. Hawkins, II to honor his mother and her life as well as to benefit the university to which she was so dedicated.  By recognizing employees who, like Loretta Hawkins, work constantly for a better and stronger institution, this award will carry on her work. 

Eligibility Requirements for Nomination

Nominees must:

  • have been a permanent, full time SMU staff employee for at least five years as of the month of the award nomination deadline, and
    be in good standing at the University, and
  • have exemplified the qualities and characteristics of Loretta O’Reilly Hawkins as a member of the University community by demonstrating integrity, productivity, and devotion to SMU and family.

Nomination Forms

  • Nominations can be submitted by students, supervisors, employees, co-workers, or colleagues.

Process for Review of Nominations

  • Nominations will be collected and recorded by the SMU Staff Association.  A complete nomination will include the nomination form and a letter describing how the nominee exemplifies the legacy of Loretta O’Reilly Hawkins. Additional materials, such as supporting recommendation letters from customers or other employees, are not required but will be accepted.
  • A Nomination Verification Form (click here for form - pdf document) will be sent to each nominee’s supervisor for endorsement / comments.  In the event the nomination was submitted by the employee’s supervisor, the Nomination Verification Form will be sent to the supervisor’s department head or division head for endorsement.
  • The President of the Staff Association will convene a committee to review nominations.  The members of this committee will remain anonymous, but the committee will consist of the award recipient and finalist's) from the previous year, the Vice President - Recognition, a representative from the SMU Human Resources Office, and one member selected by the President of the Staff Association.  Selection will be through consensus of the committee as to which nominee best represents Loretta Hawkins.
  • The Committee will select one recipient of the Loretta Hawkins Award, which includes a certificate and $1,000 award. The Committee may also designate up to three runners-up, or finalists, for this award at their discretion.  Finalists will receive a certificate and an award of $250-$500, depending on the funds available in the Loretta Hawkins Award fund. 
  • These awards will be presented at the annual SMU Staff Awards Ceremony.
  • Winners are ineligible to receive the award the following year

From the Dallas Morning News editorial page on 6/26/1961:

Loretta’s leaving.  These are nostalgic words for thousands of former students of Southern Methodist University who called her Mrs. Hawkins but cherished her as Loretta.  For 36 years the assistant to the president of SMU was an awesome, yet understanding, kindly, helpful person.

No one appreciated her more than the cub reporter from the campus newspaper unless it was the editor, a seasoned veteran of two-plus years of college journalism, called on the carpet by the school’s authorities.  Waiting nervously to face the medicine, cub and editor were made by Mrs. Hawkins to feel that it wasn’t quite the end of the trail for them.  It is noteworthy that the names and faces Mrs. Hawkins remembers best may be successful execs now, but not necessarily model students earlier.

Always, for many Mustangs as they sing their “Varsity,” one of the things that “towers o’er the hill” will be Loretta.

The following nomination materials must be submitted along with the form:
Written statement of nominee’s work which allows the selection committee to evaluate the nominee's performance as related to the selection criteria (dedication to SMU, commitment to the community, and high standards for work and life).  Specific examples are especially helpful.

Additional supporting materials, such as letters from colleagues, customers, and/or subordinates, demonstrating the nominee’s contributions to SMU and the community, may also be included with the nomination form. 

Please send the form with supporting materials to:

SMU Staff Association Recognition Committee
c/o Rebecca Sampson
PO Box 750232
Dallas, TX  75275-0232