Alumnus Steve Hicks, a telecommunications pioneer, former University of Texas System regent and longtime friend of The University of Texas at Austin, died on Jan. 7. Hicks’ vision and philanthropic support transformed the lives of countless students.
“We lost a true friend to UT Social Work,” said Dean Allan Cole. “Steve Hicks understood that people are called to this profession, not merely trained for it. His generosity reduced financial barriers and affirmed that social workers are worthy of support as they dedicate their lives to supporting others. Steve believed in the transformative power of this work, and I will always be grateful for his friendship and for the vision that has shaped UT Social Work in profound and lasting ways. That legacy will live on in every student we serve.”
A 1972 graduate of UT Austin with a degree in government and a proud Silver Spur, Hicks brought both personal experience and business acumen to his philanthropy. Hicks was a veteran of the radio industry, and in 1996 founded Capstar Broadcasting Corporation, which, just two years later, became the nation’s largest radio station holding company. In 2000, he founded private investment firm Capstar Partners, LLC, which broadened his investments in industries including media and broadcasting, health care services, e-commerce, financial services and more.
He received numerous awards for his accomplishments and service, including Radio Executive of the Year by Radio Ink, Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year, Broadcaster of the Year by the Texas Association of Broadcasters, and in 2018 the Texas Exes Distinguished Alumnus Award.
Hicks served on the UT System Board of Regents from 2009 to 2023. He served as vice chairman of the board from 2011 to 2017.
His support for UT Social Work was driven by a recognition of the challenges facing the profession. Social work graduates often enter deeply meaningful careers while carrying substantial student debt and earning modest starting salaries. He witnessed the impact of social work firsthand through his involvement with Austin Recovery and the UT Center for Students in Recovery.
“That’s where you can see the backbone of social work, helping people live a sober life,” he once said. “It has been a miracle in my life.”
Social workers also supported Hicks and his family through hospice care at the end of his parents’ lives, experiences that deepened his appreciation for the profession’s essential role across the lifespan.
Hicks’ support includes establishing the Steve Hicks Professorship in Addictions and Substance Abuse Services, the Steve Hicks Development and Non-Profit Leadership Endowment, the Steve Hicks Scholars and Fellows Endowment, and the Steve Hicks Dean’s Excellence Fund, which continues to provide UT Social Work with the flexibility to convene bold conversations, strengthen faculty resources and advance programmatic innovation. Together, these and other investments have supported students as well as evidence-based solutions in behavioral health, housing and family wellbeing across Texas and beyond.
Hicks understood the ripple effect of investing in social work. By his estimate, each social worker touches approximately 1,000 lives over the course of a career. With the School of Social Work graduating roughly 200 students each year, his generosity has the potential to positively affect hundreds of thousands of lives annually.
“I want to be able to say that in my life I made a difference and helped other people,” he said.
Hicks’ legacy is woven into the fabric of the University. Through the students he supported, the faculty he empowered, and the innovations his generosity made possible, his influence will endure for generations. The values he championed — compassion, opportunity and evidence-informed change — will continue to shape the school and the communities it serves.
