Bob Lain Memorial
Bob Lain was one of the original professors in the Austin Community College History Department, where he taught for 25 years. When he decided to retire in 1999, the department wanted to give him a generous retirement gift. Bob and his wife, Maxine, decided to honor his retirement through a scholarship fund. Through donations from many of his colleagues, military brothers, friends and family members, the Bob Lain Endowed Scholarship was created.
Bob attended the University of Texas (UT) on a full naval ROTC scholarship and graduated in 1959 with a degree in geography and history. He was commissioned as a United States Marine Corps officer. He was wounded in Vietnam in 1966 and awarded the Navy Cross, the Bronze Star, and two Purple Hearts. He returned to UT upon completion of his military service and earned a master of arts degree and his Ph.D. In 1974, he started his second career as a history professor at ACC. Bob passed away on July 4, 2012 and is remembered as an American hero and a dedicated educator.
Impact
The Bob Lain Endowed Scholarship has assisted many students as they have pursued their education. Brenda, a former recipient, states “Thanks to the scholarship, I was able to return to ACC and get the help I needed to finish my associate’s degree. I had not been to college in 25 years and returning to school was daunting. I am so grateful for people like (Bob) who see the value in education and are willing to help others achieve their goals. I am now a senior at Texas State University. I plan to pursue my master’s degree and teach at the college level.”