It is difficult to overstate the influence the Margaret and Eugene McDermott family has had on Southwestern Medical Foundation and UT Southwestern Medical Center during the last five decades. Their generosity can be felt in virtually every aspect of the institution, from its welcoming landscape and lobby artwork to the highest and most exacting levels of research and education. Many of the Medical Center’s most inspired projects were made possible through the McDermotts’ staunch dedication to the UT Southwestern community.

Margaret and Eugene McDermott posing for a photo
Margaret and Eugene McDermott

A scientist, businessman, and philanthropist, Eugene McDermott began the enduring legacy of giving back to our community as early as 1950, when he co-founded the St. Mark’s School of Texas. With J. Erik Jonsson and Cecil Green, he also co-founded the company that became known as Texas Instruments. Eugene helped advance higher education through significant gifts to Southern Methodist University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and UT Southwestern Medical Center. In 1961, he co-founded the Graduate Research Center of the Southwest, known today as The University of Texas at Dallas.

Eugene and his wife, Margaret, demonstrated an unwavering support for UT Southwestern through numerous gifts that included establishing the Eugene McDermott Academic Administration Building and Plaza, the Eugene McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development, the Eugene McDermott Center for Pain Management, the Eugene McDermott Distinguished Chair for the Study of Human Growth and Development, the Eugene McDermott Scholar in Medical Research, and several other contributions that have shaped the course of UT Southwestern’s expansion and development.

Margaret McDermott clapping at an event
Margaret McDermott

Following Eugene’s passing in 1973, Margaret continued her husband’s legacy for the remainder of her life. Her affinity for art influenced her philanthropic endeavors, which included the Dallas Public Library, the Dallas Museum of Art, and the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Her appreciation for beautiful expressions can still be witnessed today at the Zale Lipshy Pavilion-William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital, where the vibrant colors and patterns of the 300 traditional Asian textiles she donated now line the hallways. The unique merging of health and art was a result of her leadership in 1986, when she suggested a partnership with the Dallas Museum of Art to help humanize the hospital’s interior. Margaret also gave a $4.5 million gift with the Eugene McDermott Foundation to the UT Southwestern William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital to ensure it had the “very best” landscaping.

Margaret and Eugene McDermott’s dedication to improving our community is shared by their daughter, Mary McDermott Cook. After her mother’s passing in 2018, Mary continued her family’s legacy of giving, and in her own right, plays a much-admired role in Dallas philanthropy and civic leadership. As president of the family’s Eugene McDermott Foundation, she continues her parents’ philanthropic impact, carrying out their civic legacy through projects that improve the Dallas community. Mary joined the Southwestern Medical Foundation Board of Trustees in 1988 and became an Honorary Trustee in 2020. Her extensive contributions included roles on the Executive and Public Affairs Committees, as well as chairing the Scholarship Committee. She also served on UT Southwestern’s President’s Advisory Board.

The McDermott family’s mission shows no signs of stopping. Mary’s daughter Grace continues to make it her business to give back. As a Founding Member of The Cary Council, she provided leadership on the Steering Committee and also served as co-chair of the 2021 An Evening With DocStars event. Through her efforts in membership recruitment, social media and communications, and volunteerism, Grace has helped lead The Cary Council’s efforts to support early-career investigators who are driving breakthroughs in medicine at UT Southwestern.


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