Marshall Pickens
- Director, Hospital and Child Care Sections, 1951–1964
- Trustee, 1951–1991
- Chair, 1973–1974
A native of Pineville, North Carolina, Mr. Pickens was among the first class to graduate from Duke University in 1925. He was one of two Duke football players recruited as pallbearers to help carry Mr. Duke’s 1700-pound casket. He joined the Endowment in 1928 as a Field Representative for the Hospital and Child Care Sections. He served as a Trustee of Duke University, President of the United Way of the Carolinas and was on the Board of Visitors at Davidson College. He received the University Medal for Distinguished Meritorious Service from Duke and the Distinguished Service Award from the North Carolina and South Carolina hospital associations.
Major Endowment Milestones:
- Created James B. Duke Scholarship at Duke University
- Focused on recruiting medical personnel for health careers in North Carolina and South Carolina, including support for nursing education
- Supported internships to attract medical students to family practice in smaller communities
- Began support for Children’s Home Society Interagency Placement Program to facilitate adoptions of older children