In the early half of the 20th century, renowned philanthropists John and Lottie Mabee enjoyed a reputation as some of the most successful and wealthy entrepreneurs in the southwestern United States. But they never considered themselves wealthy—they were simply stewards of wealth.
Likewise, the current trustees of the J.E. & L.E. Mabee Foundation, Inc. have always felt keenly aware of their responsibility to the Foundation’s core mission of improving education, health and social services in the states where the Mabees spent significant parts of their lives: Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arkansas, Missouri and Kansas. In honor of the Foundation’s 75th anniversary, the trustees knew they had to think outside the box to honor the Mabees’ memory.
This led to the establishment of the J.E. & L.E. Mabee Foundation, Inc. Endowed Scholarship at Baylor with a $3 million gift, bringing the Foundation’s total giving to Baylor to nearly $7 million.
“We wanted to do something special,” said Ed Jones, Foundation trustee. “We wanted to give, unsolicited, to people we had supported already and who we thought were still strongly aligned with what we feel is central to what we want to do.”
In addition to embodying the founders’ ideals, the Foundation’s trustees hoped to help address a projected physician shortage, particularly in rural areas, that is expected to worsen in the next decade without intervention. A report by the American Association of Medical Colleges estimates that the United States will face a physician shortage of up to 86,000 by 2036, with currently underserved areas taking the hardest hit.
“Medical school is not cheap,” Mr. Jones said. “People want to stay where they can get a job that can pay off their student loans. So, to the extent that someone wants to go to a rural area, we think our scholarship could help encourage people to make that choice with less financial burden.”
The Mabee Foundation Scholarship will support Baylor students in the School of Medicine, distributing a minimum of $30,000 annually to up to 10 selected students who demonstrate the characteristics of John and Lottie Mabee—strong work ethic, volunteerism, generosity, integrity, honesty, humility and charity. Just as the Mabees proved to be catalysts for positive change, the Foundation aims to help future medical students accomplish the same thing.
“It is our hope that, through these scholarships, students will gain the tools to, following Mr. and Mrs. Mabee’s examples, benefit society and live fulfilling lives both professionally and personally,” said Michael Goeke, executive director of the Foundation.
