LBJ School announces $15 million center for philanthropy and community service University and private foundation leaders celebrated the opening of the LBJ School's new RGK Center for Philanthropy and Community Service at a gala on March 2. The Center is the first of its kind in the southwest region and only the second in the country with a university-wide program goal. The Center, which began operating in January, will strengthen the philanthropic and community service sector regionally, nationally and internationally through programs of education, research, outreach and support for innovation. Its services will be available to students, professionals currently employed in the independent sector, and persons interested in expanding or improving the management and work of philanthropic and community service organizations. The March 2 celebration, held in the Great Hall of the LBJ Library, featured several speakers, including UT Austin President Larry R. Faulkner; Curtis Meadows, executive director of the Center and former president of the Meadows Foundation; and Greg Kozmetsky, chairman of the RGK Foundation. Also on the program were Jack Blanton, chairman of Houston Endowment Inc., the largest private philanthropic foundation in Texas; and Ed Dorn, dean of the LBJ School. The RGK Foundation and Houston Endowment, two of the center's lead donors, were honored during the program. The RGK Foundation has given $250,000 to the center as seed money to support the Center's startup operations. The Foundation has also pledged $5 million more in a one dollar for two dollars challenge grant designed to raise a total of $15 million of endowment and operating funds for the Center over the next five years. The Houston Endowment has given $500,000 to establish an educational concentration in nonprofit management at the LBJ School. "The center has been created in the belief that the independent sector of our society is vital to our nation's well being and will be called upon to assume even greater responsibility in the future," said Meadows. "With the predicted vast transfer of wealth and the growing government devolution of social safety net responsibilities, establishing the center at the LBJ School is very timely and provides a great opportunity for UT Austin to contribute to our state, region and nation." Additional information about the center is available from Joe Youngblood, (512) 471-2760, or jyoungblood@mail.utexas.edu. March 6, 2000