$15 million gift to advance physician assistant initiative from Mary Lou and James B. Hawkes

Agnes Scott College announced that it received a $15 million gift to help support the school’s physician assistant program.

The financial contribution came from Agnes Scott College alumna and trustee emerita Mary Lou Cornwall Hawkes and her husband, James B. Hawkes — the announcement was made during the college’s Alumnae Weekend, in honor of Mary Lou’s 60th reunion.

Recently established, the physician assistant initiative is a 24-month curriculum that aims to promote inclusive healthcare and advance the Decatur school’s “commitment to serving diverse communities through compassionate care,” according to Agnes Scott College.

$5 million of the Hawkes’ donation will go towards renovating Hopkins Hall (the program’s home), providing it with modernized technology and renewed instructional facilities for medical training purposes.

The other $10 million will yield long-term support for the program through an endowment, said Agnes Scott College.

“In making this investment, we knew it would benefit everyone — the college, students and society,” said Mary Lou and Jim Hawkes.

“Our long history with Agnes Scott has shown us the exceptional strength of its programs, which open doors of opportunity for students. We are proud to support a program that will have a lasting impact at the college, in our communities and beyond.”

According to Agnes Scott College, the gift comes at a critical time for Georgia’s healthcare workforce, with the state being designated as a ”Primary Care Health Professional Shortage Area,” on account of it only meeting 40% of its healthcare needs.

The demand for physician assistants is anticipated to rise as well, with Agnes Scott College estimating that demand will grow by 34.2% in the metro-Atlanta area by 2033, a near 26% increase over the national average.

“The launch of our physician assistant program is a visionary approach to healthcare, building on the college’s decades of success in pre-medical education,” said Dr. Rachel A. Bowser, vice president for academic affairs and dean of the college. “This gift is an affirmation of our vision: to invest in programs that are responsive to community needs and prepare students to be mission-driven, empathetic practitioners.”

Agnes Scott College says its physician assistant program has applied for provisional accreditation, with a decision expected in June 2026. The college aims to establish the first cohort in October 2026.