Marion Elizabeth Hawkins was born in Kinnickinnic, St. Croix County, Wisconsin, on December 27, 1916. Her parents were Matthew A. and Agnes Jane Carroll Hawkins. She graduated from Hudson High School in 1934. She attended college at River Falls State Teachers College, graduating with honors in 1938. While in college, she was involved in debate, the yearbook, Masquers, Pi Kappa Delta, and the student senate. After graduation, she taught English and history at the high school level in Wisconsin in the cities of New Richmond, Monroe, and Milwaukee.
She joined the staff of River Falls State Teachers College in 1946. At River Falls, she taught in the English department. She also taught some speech classes during her early years at the college. She earned her Master's degree in 1949 and her Ph.D. degree in 1965 from the University of Wisconsin at Madison. Miss Hawkins was actively involved in many campus activities while a professor at River Falls. These included advising the forensics club, advising the Newman Club, serving on the University Foundation Committee, and helping to establish many alumni chapters. Her professional memberships included the American Association of University Women, the American Association of University Professors, the Business and Professional Women's Club, the National Council of Teachers of English, Pi Kappa Delta, and Kappa Delta Pi.
Miss Hawkins received the distinct honor in 1972 of being awarded both the Distinguished Teacher Award and the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. She retired from UW-River Falls in 1981. She died on August 22, 1999.
