Hooker-Kubik Endowment Award Program
About the Donors
In 1991, Robert Lea Hooker and the late Jean Kubik Hooker established an endowed a
scholarship program as an effort to foster and support study and research at the University of
South Alabama (USA) by students and faculty from Slovakia. Since its establishment, this award
has provided many Slovakian citizens the opportunity to come to the University of South
Alabama to study, research, and foster their careers.
Jean Hooker’s parents were born in small villages in Czecho-Slovakia and later moved to the
United States. Jean’s grandfather was instrumental in exposing her to the Slovak language,
drama, and music at a young age. Later, she served in the Navy in World War II and used the GI
Bill to attend the University of Colorado for her undergraduate degree and the University of
Southern Mississippi for her master’s degree. After graduation, she went on to teach in
Mississippi for seven years and at the University of South Alabama from 1966 until her
retirement in 1992. In her spare time, Jean was heavily involved in the Mobile community and
with the organization Mobile Sister City, due to their relationship with Kosice, the second largest
city in Slovakia.
Robert Hooker graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi with a degree in business
and then became District Manager for Moore Business Forms of Mobile.
While living in Mobile, Jean and Robert both worked with the program Education for
Democracy, which would connect interested people with opportunities to teach English as a
Second Language in what was then Czecho-Slovakia on a volunteer basis. In the 1990's, Jean
recruited 16 students to teach English as a Second Language in Slovakia for three months.
On June 7th, 2013 Jean Hooker passed away. She was a very special person and touched the
lives of many people. She was always full of energy and a tireless “can-do” attitude. She was an
inspiration to everyone who knew her. The world will be a little less bright without her, but her
legacy will live on through this scholarship program.
About the Program
Mission & Goals
The funding generated by this endowment will be used to foster the present day interests in
developing understanding and awareness between the Slovakian people and University of South
Alabama students, faculty, and community members. Participants from both Slovakia and USA
are encouraged to focus on areas of technology and research development as well as educational
and cultural exchanges that may be of timely and mutual interest. This endowment has hosted a
wide range of disciplines studied, including Genetics, Computer Science, Education, and
Business.
The awards are based on available funds from the invested return on the endowment and may
range up to $5,000. Recipients may only receive one award in a two year period. The award is
made for program activities that begin in the summer of each year. Activities that may be
considered for this award include international students or research scholars (graduate students
and professors) studying at the University of South Alabama in virtually any discipline, studying
English as a Second Language at the USA English Language Center, or engaging in research
collaboration between scholars from Slovakia and USA faculty on projects of mutual or
individual interest. Additionally, USA students who are interested in studying in Slovakia,
Eastern, or Western Europe are eligible. Although each year only one or two awards may be
made, it is the vision of the donors that the endowment grows to be able to sponsor increasing
numbers of students and scholars from both Slovakia and the University of South Alabama. For
each period, the awards will begin no earlier than June 1st of the award year and must be utilized
by December 31st of that same year.
Award Eligibility
The criteria to be used in awarding the Hooker-Kubik Scholarship are as follows:
A. For Slovakian students, funding is applied towards travel costs, tuition/program expenses,
and/or living expenses for one-two semesters (Summer and/or Fall). Award recipient priority
will be given to students from Slovakia in the following order: student seeking a graduate degree
(including Masters, PhD, and Professional Degrees), student seeking an undergraduate degree,
and non-degree seeking short term students (one-two semesters).
B. For USA study abroad students, funding is applied towards study in Slovakia or Eastern
Europe.
C. For collaborative research scholars, activities include research and cultural exchange scholars
from Slovakia coming to USA for additional study, research activities, conferences,
presentations, and teaching activities (including artists, musicians, etc. who will engage in
master’s classes and related activities with USA faculty, academic units, and the community) and
USA undergraduate and graduate students and/or faculty going to Slovakia for research and
teaching.
Application Deadline Information
ALL documentation must be received ON or BEFORE January 1st.
Application Timeline:
Submission Deadline: January 1st
Decision Notification: April 1st
Start of Funding/Scholarship Period: June 1st
End of Scholarship Period: December 31st
A USA Council for International Education & Scholarship (USACIES) selection committee will
review all applications received by the deadline. The committee reserves the right to contact the
applicant for additional information, interviews (phone, Skype, etc.), references, and to verify
information.
USA Contact
Holly Hudson, Director of International Education
Phone: 251-460-7053
Fax: 251 460-6228
hhudson@southalabama.edu
If you are interested in helping with this endowment or creating a named endowment,
contact:
Office of University Development
University of South Alabama
307 University Blvd
Health Services Building Room 2150
Mobile, AL 36688-0002
Telephone: (251) 460-7032 FAX: (251) 461-1776
E-mail: development@usouthal.edu