University of Texas at Austin’s Expert Honored with Long Medal of Excellence

The Teresa Lozano Long Institute of Latin American Studies (LLILAS) is pleased to announce Dr. Larry R. Faulkner as the recipient of the 2023 Joe R. & Teresa Lozano Long Medal of Excellence Award. Faulkner received the award at a ceremony and reception hosted at the historic Littlefield Home on May 15.  

Inaugurated in 2021 by LLILAS and the LLILAS Benson partnership, in conjunction with benefactor Joe R. Long and the LLILAS Benson Advisory Council, the biennial award recognizes individuals or organizations that set a high standard of excellence through their work and have established a legacy of extraordinary and impactful contributions to society.  

As the 27th president of The University of Texas at Austin (1998–2006), Faulkner declared his intention that the University “should become the nation’s most important source of expertise about Latin America.” He followed through on this vision with the Latin America Initiative, a broad plan that expanded the number of faculty with Latin American expertise and supported international student recruitment. This legacy reverberates today: there are some 170 faculty affiliated with LLILAS who, along with students and visiting scholars from Latin America, regularly contribute research and expertise to colleges and departments across the university. 

Faulkner’s vision for the growth and expansion Latin American Studies at the University was shared by philanthropists Joe R. and Dr. Teresa Lozano Long. In November 2000, Faulkner announced the Longs’ $10 million gift to the Institute of Latin American Studies, which was renamed the Teresa Lozano Long Institute of Latin American Studies.

The synergy between Faulkner’s emphasis on Latin America and the Longs’ gift would prove transformational for Latin American Studies at UT Austin, ushering in an era of increased opportunities for research, scholarly exchange, and academic opportunities in the social sciences, public policy, petroleum engineering, business, the humanities, and the fine arts. Equally crucial, Faulkner and his associates recognized the importance of the world-renowned Nettie Lee Benson Latin American Collection, an essential resource for Latin America–focused activities and a magnet for researchers worldwide.

Faulkner served as a member of the LLILAS Benson Advisory Council from 2015 through 2021. The Mary Ann Faulkner Endowment, established in 2018 by Faulkner and his wife, Mary Ann, supports public and scholarly programming related to Latin American public policy, government, and politics.

Path to the Presidency

Larry Faulkner was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, in 1944. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from Southern Methodist University in 1966 and earned a PhD in chemistry from UT Austin in 1969. His academic career began at Harvard University, followed by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where he became head of the Department of Chemistry in 1984. He was appointed dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Illinois in 1989, a job that introduced him to centralized administration for the first time. His affinity for the work became clear, and he went on to serve UI as provost and vice chancellor for Academic Affairs in 1994. A few years later, his alma mater came calling.

“For me, service in this job is not a type of employment; it is a dedication to a particular place,” Faulkner said in a 2005 interview with Evan Smith, then-editor of Texas Monthly. “I never set out to be president.” Yet as he knew, university presidents are often recruited from the ranks provosts. “[As provost], you have to confront the question of whether you would [serve as president]. [Mary Ann and I] decided that we might, but only for an institution that we cared a lot about. And Texas was one of those.”

As president of UT Austin, Faulkner brought his gifts as a leader and a humanist to bear, guiding the University with a vision that proved transformative. He created the Commission of 125, a group of citizens that worked over the course of two years to set a vision for UT Austin’s next 25 years.

Among his achievements as UT Austin president were a $1.6 billion capital campaign and the major expansion of the Blanton Museum of Art. It was also during his presidency that the Harry Ransom Center acquired the Watergate Papers of Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein as well as the archive of renowned Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges.

Philanthropical Leadership and Continued Service in Higher Education

Upon leaving the University, Faulkner became president of the Houston Endowment, a highly respected philanthropical organization that advances equity of opportunity for the residents of Greater Houston. During his tenure as president, from 2006 to 2012, the endowment contributed more than $515 million to Greater Houston organizations focused on arts and culture, education, the environment, and health and human services. Faulkner also oversaw development of a process to measure post-secondary achievement in Texas, which produces data that continue to be utilized today.

Faulkner returned to Austin to serve as Chancellor ad interim of the UT System from June through September of 2018, passing the baton to the current chancellor, James B. Milliken.

Heartfelt Accolades

Tributes to Faulkner during the medal ceremony were abundant and generous. Speaking with great affection for his predecessor at the UT System, Chancellor Milliken cited a slogan used to rally UT alumni during the Great Depression— “For Texas, I will.”

From left: Joe Long, Dr. Larry Faulkner, Mary Ann Faulkner, Chancellor James Milliken, President Jay Hartzell (photo: Tomás Segura)

From left: Joe Long, Dr. Larry Faulkner, Mary Ann Faulkner, Chancellor James Milliken, President Jay Hartzell (photo: Tomás Segura)

“Larry embodied that slogan [during his presidency], just as he does today,” said Milliken. “His commitment to, and success in, helping universities evolve to reflect and meet the needs of our society has netted him national acclaim and prominent positions in helping shape the future of higher education across the country. . . . Like the namesake of tonight’s medal, Larry Faulkner defines excellence in service to UT, to higher education, and to a better future for all Texans.”

UT Austin President Jay Hartzell knows firsthand the onerous responsibility of setting forth a presidential vision. “I’ve grown to appreciate the opportunity university presidents have in setting and driving priorities with the potential to make a lasting imprint on the University. That’s exactly what Larry did with Latin American Studies,” Hartzell said. “Today, Larry’s original goal has come to fruition: UT Austin is one of the nation’s most prominent interdisciplinary centers of Latin American Studies. It’s fitting that LLILAS is honoring such a multifaceted leader.”

Faulkner’s ability to articulate a vision for the University, and to see it advanced, was also praised by the LLILAS Director, Professor Adela Pineda Franco, herself an alumna of the LLILAS master’s program. “With his vision, leadership, and relentless support, President Faulkner set the path for later achievements, such as the historic partnership between LLILAS and the Nettie Lee Benson Collection, in 2011,” Pineda Franco said, expressing gratitude to Faulkner for his continued generosity and good advice. “The Joe R. & Dr. Teresa Lozano Long Medal of Excellence Award is meant to recognize individuals who have established a legacy of impactful contributions to society. No one is a more deserving recipient of this medal.”

LLILAS benefactor Joe Long also spoke about Faulkner before presenting him with the sterling silver medal crafted in Mexico. Recalling the influence and partnership of his own late wife, Long made a point of singling out former first lady Mary Ann Faulkner for appreciation: “Today this honor should really have been bestowed on both Larry and Mary Ann, because much like myself and Terry, we could never do this alone!”

In his own lively and heartfelt remarks, Larry Faulkner managed to acknowledge and appreciate by name every single member of his former team that was in the room, as well as some who were not. Along with other speakers, he reflected on the legacy of his 1998 State of the University address.

“My hope was to see broad development of UT’s linkages to Latin America, not just in the traditional fields of language, history, and politics, but even in business, science, engineering, law, and others,” Faulkner said. “The University responded very positively . . . nearly everyone grasped the importance of Latin America to the future of Texas. Unasked, Joe and Terry stepped forward with their gift, asking that it be matched. . . . I feel surer than ever that Latin America remains a natural connection point and academic focus for this university.”

Larry Faulkner’s legacy as a scientist and humanist, and as a leader in higher education and philanthropy, is one to be celebrated. LLILAS and the LLILAS Benson partnership are fortunate to have been the beneficiaries of Dr. Faulkner’s friendship and support. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to him today, and we look forward to continuing this warm relationship.