Center for philanthropy, community service inaugurated
 

About 200 people gathered at the LBJ Library on March 2 to celebrate the opening of the RGK Center for Philanthropy and Community Service. Among them were (left to right) Curtis Meadows, RGK Center executive director; Jack Blanton, chairman of Houston Endowment Inc.; Mrs. Lyndon B. Johnson; LBJ School Dean Ed Dorn; and Greg Kozmetsky, chairman of the RGK Foundation.

photo by Karen Kephart

The RGK Center for Philanthropy and Community Service, which opened at the LBJ School in January, was officially inaugurated on March 2. The center is the first of its kind in the southwest region and is one of two in the country with a university-wide program goal.

The purpose of the new center is to strengthen and expand the philanthropic and community service sector through education, research, outreach, and innovation support. Among those who will benefit from its existence will be persons interested in improving the management of philanthropic and community service organizations.

The center's inaugural celebration took place in the Great Hall of the LBJ Library and Museum. The gala event featured Meadows Foundation Director Emeritus Curtis Meadows, who is the new center's executive director; Greg Kozmetsky, chairman of the RGK Foundation; Jack Blanton, chairman of Houston Endowment Inc., which is the largest private philanthropic foundation in Texas; and UT Austin President Larry R. Faulkner.

The RGK Foundation and Houston Endowment, two of the center's lead donors, were honored during the inaugural program. The RGK Foundation donated $250,000 to the center as seed money to support startup operations. The RGK Foundation also pledged $5 million more in a one-dollar-for-two-dollars challenge grant designed to raise $15 million of endowment and operating funds for the center over the next five years. Meanwhile, the Houston Endowment pledged $500,000 to establish an educational concentration in nonprofit management at the LBJ School.

Meadows acknowledged the "extraordinary generosity" of the two primary donors as well as the support and encouragement of Mrs. Lyndon B. Johnson, LBJ School Dean Ed Dorn, President Faulkner, and members of the LBJ School faculty in enabling the center's establishment.

"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.

UT President Faulkner said the program will increase access between the university and nonprofit organizations. "This program will diversify the LBJ School's programs in a useful way and will allow some cross-fertilization of the school's programs with those related to nonprofit organizations."

Comments to lbjwmast@uts.cc.utexas.edu