OPINION: Kevin Eltife's Speech Is A Window Into Local Identity

(Chairman Kevin Eltife, Source:University of Texas at Tyler YouTube page.)

At the medical school's groundbreaking ceremony last month, University of Texas Board of Regents Chairman and Tyler native Kevin Eltife gave a speech about the history behind the new medical school’s inception.

Eltife told a story of local achievement. His tale (as I understood it) was that the new medical school’s founding was not a result of an administrator's decision in a far away bureaucracy, but rather the result of local initiative, of East Texans collaborating together and “giving back” to serve their community.

In his speech, Eltife not only recounted local philanthropy’s contributions to the school's establishment, but also identified different local individuals, and revealed how a broad spectrum of local interest came together to realize this "dream", as Eltife called it: a medical school in East Texas. 

Therefore, because I thought Eltife's speech was insightful, I transcribed it for my readers' review below. Eltife's speech is a window into local identity. It reveals (at least) his passion, along with others', for the local community and the place Eltife, and many others, clearly call "home." It this vision of local identity and common cause in a shared geographic destiny that Eltife says animated his and others' actions to bring a medical school to Tyler.

So for these benefits and more, I think readers will benefit from hearing this speech too. It is a window into local identity. 

Here is my transcription of Eltife's speech. (You can also listen or watch it here if you wish.)

(Kevin Eltife addresses crowd with medical school building design in background. Source: YouTube)

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Chairman Kevin Eltife: 

Thank you President Calhoun and thank you Chancellor Milliken for those kind words. 

I was born just a few blocks from this site in what was then Mother Frances Hospital. My father died when I was a year and a half old and many of you have heard me say many times, my mother was an incredible individual who single-handedly raised three hoodlum children that[sic] grew up to be successful. She also had the help of this community in raising us. I remember well over the years my teachers, neighbors and friends who helped raise, encourage and support me. It speaks to the very fiber of this community, and it is without a doubt why we are here today standing on the shoulders of so many in this community who have given so much over the years to make Tyler the very special place that it is.  

"I was born just a few blocks from this site in what was then Mother Frances Hospital. My father died when I was a year and a half old and my mother single-handedly raised three hoodlum children who grew up to be successful. "

Forget our titles. Forget our stations in life. Forget our backgrounds. We are all here because we care about future generations, and we want to pay forward the blessings that have been bestowed upon all of us. We are here to build and create a medical school that, once open, will be a game-changer for students and families throughout all of Northeast Texas and will have a major impact on our economy. We’re giving back to future generations so that their healing hands may one day help our neighbors.  

Philippians 2:4 says, “Look not to your own interests, but also the interests of others.” That scripture is what we’re doing here today. 

We offer thanks to our incredible governor who is with us today. When he appointed us to The University of Texas Board of Regents, he made his vision clear to us: to move the UT System forward, to be bold and to use our resources to create as many opportunities as possible for our fellow Texans. Thanks to our governor’s vision and directions, our board has done just that, as we have taken bold and decisive actions to create this medical school. 

Just a few of the things that have taken place over the last few years:

In 2018, the Board approved a partnership with Ardent Healthcare Systems to create the now called UT Health East Texas.  

In 2019, the Board voted unanimously to allocate $95 million dollars from The Permanent University Fund [a.k.a, “PUF Fund”] to The UT Health Science Center Tyler to construct two new facilities to accelerate high quality health education in our part of the state. 

One month later, Regents authorized the alignment of talent and assets at UT-Tyler and UT Health Science Center Tyler to enhance educational research for our students, and we appointed Dr. Kirk Calhoun the president of that new aligned institution. 

In 2020, The Board of Regents voted to establish a new medical school in Tyler, giving East Texans the ability to pursue their medical aspirations without needing to leave this area. 

We have three great hospital systems right here in Tyler: UT Health East Texas, CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances and Baylor Scott & White. Having more healthcare professionals in our area will have a positive impact on all our hospitals and lift all services in this region.  

"Forget our titles. Forget our stations in life. Forget our backgrounds. We are all here because we care about future generations."

True to the generous nature of our community, The East Texas Medical Center Foundation stepped forward with an $80 million dollar contribution to help us pursue this dream of a medical school. This initial gift was the catalyst for the formation of this school and was the largest ever made to help establish a medical school in Texas. Would the members of The East Texas Medical Center Foundation Board here please stand and let us say thank you again for this incredible contribution? [Applause] 

Governor, when we showed up at the legislature to seek approval for this medical school, we had a hundred million in philanthropy and a hundred million from the UT Board in-hand. I’m not sure of any delegation seeking a medical school that has shown up at the legislature with two hundred million in-hand and had their request approved their very first legislative session. That’s because we’re Tyler, Texas. [Applause]

So, to you Governor, we owe you a profound gratitude for being supportive of our efforts from the beginning and to our legislative delegation from East Texas for your determination and support to see it through. 

When we welcome our first class of medical students, all 40 of them will receive full, four-year scholarships thanks to the $4 million gift from The R.W. Fair Foundation. Just think about the inspiring impact it will have on aspiring students knowing they will graduate medical school without any significant financial burden. Will the members of the Fair Foundation Board please stand and let us say thank you for this incredible gift? [Applause] 

"I’m not sure of any delegation seeking a medical school that has shown up at the legislature with two hundred million in-hand and had their request approved their very first legislative session. That’s because we’re Tyler, Texas."

The Robert M. Rogers Foundation has contributed $10 million dollars to our medical school to support a central issue in our society today: mental health. We’re so grateful to Robin and the Rogers Foundation for this very thoughtful and important investment, and they do so much—not just here, but all across this community. Would you please stand and let us say thank you? [Applause]

The philanthropy continues to come, and as you can tell, Governor, we are very proud of what this community has done working together and accomplished over the last few years to create this medical school. The Board of Regents was so proud of these accomplishments, we committed $300 million dollars for the needed cost for this new building that we will break ground on today, unheard of for the PUF to donate that much money to UT-Tyler. We’re extremely proud of it and happy to do it. [Applause]

Governor Abbott, you have always been committed to serving our entire state. Back in 2004, then-Attorney Abbott came to Longview, TX to swear me in in the Texas Senate. I remember well at the swearing-in you telling me you would always be there to make sure our region of the state would have a seat at the table. I cannot count how many times you have been here to visit us and how many times you’ve listened to our problems and helped us solve them, including making sure we had a seat at the table of the University of Texas Board of Regents. You have counseled us, guided us and supported us. You have made sure we use our resources effectively and efficiently to benefit our fellow Texans. Thanks to you, we will break ground today on a facility which our future students will one day graduate and will make the lives of our fellow Texans a healthy and more prosperous one. 

We will forever be grateful for your leadership and all you have done to make today a reality. We would not be here today without the support of Governor Greg Abbott. 

Please welcome our great governor, Greg Abbott. [Applause]

[End of transcript.]
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Event pictures from Tyler Morning Telegraph: https://tylerpaper.com/news/education/photos-ut-tyler-medical-education-building-groundbreaking/collection_e3042c86-9b67-11ed-8c2e-eb8b505eb98e.html

Event news coverage from local KETK station: https://www.ketk.com/news/local-news/gov-abbott-to-attend-groundbreaking-of-ut-tyler-medical-education-building/ 

Watch Eltife's speech here. 

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Twitter: @jhescock12

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Feature image source: University of Texas at Tyler's YouTube page.