Great Living Cincinnatians: Honorees

Lawrence C. Hawkins, 69 at the time of his award, was a prominent educator in the Greater Cincinnati community for more than 40 years.

He held bachelor’s degrees in history and elementary and secondary education, a master’s in educational psychology and administration and a doctorate in education, all from University of Cincinnati.

Prior to joining U.C., Hawkins devoted more than 20 years to the Cincinnati Public Schools. He began teaching in 1945, then turned to administration in 1951 as an elementary then junior high principal. In 1964, he founded the district’s Division of Educational Opportunity Services and served as its director until 1967, when he was appointed superintendent of the district.

He joined the U.C. staff in 1969 as professor of education and community services. The same year, he founded and became dean of the College of Community Services. In 1974, Hawkins was appointed vice president for continuing education and metropolitan affairs. He was appointed senior vice president in 1976 and served in this position until his retirement in 1984.

Hawkins was chairman and chief executive of Omni-Man, Inc., a management consulting firm, where he worked with his two sons.

Hawkins’ past community service includes the Citizen’s Cable Communications Board, the Mayor’s Police/Community Relations Panel, the Community Development Advisory Council and the Greater Cincinnati Region of the National Conference of Christians and Jews. In the 1950s he served on the board of the Mayor’s Friendly Relations Committee, which later became the Cincinnati Human Relations Commission.

He was a member of the board of directors of the Cincinnati branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland and a member of the Community and Urban Affairs Committee of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. He has also served on the board and executive committee of the Ohio Citizens Council for Health and Welfare.

Hawkins received the Charter party’s Charles P. Taft Civic Gumption Award, the Kappa Alpha Psi Certificate of Recognition, the city of Cincinnati’s Certificate of Recognition and the United Appeal’s Award of Merit.

Hawkins died April 4, 2009.