On Jan. 28, Elizabeth Rockwell died; what she left behind was a legacy that will never die. Elizabeth Dennis Rockwell took a very notable route with the success of her career and gave the ultimate gift of giving.
Rockwell’s success allowed her to shape the future, and that is precisely what she did. Her legacy is one that will last and continue to be respected, due to her efforts in furthering the future of education.
The large sums of money that sometimes come as a result of success in the private sector are something that everyone values differently. Rockwell made it clear through her generosity that her success was valued not by a number in a bank account — but by the difference someone could make as a person who achieved success.
Future generations will benefit from Rockwell’s success in the form of the buildings and facilities that were built in her honor. The contributions Rockwell made will enable students at UH to learn more efficiently through the Elizabeth D. Rockwell pavilion in the M.D. Anderson library, which hosts numerous functions, including for guest speakers and seminars.
Rockwell’s legacy is furthered even more by a series of Ethics and Leadership lectures named after her, which will host renowned astrophysicist Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson at 7:30 p.m. on April 13 in the Cullen Performance Hall.
UH will continue to benefit immensely from Rockwell and the work she did as a contributor to our institution. If the facilities named after her inspire others to do the same, then her work will have an even greater effect.
Elizabeth Rockwell leaves behind a meaningful lesson; success is not measured by earnings or material possessions, but by the amount of good you can leave behind for others.
