Columbus State University News

Mrs. Richard Hallock extends Columbus State’s military history focus through newly endowed speaker series

February 11, 2026

A composite image featuring two photographs with vintage aesthetics. On the left, a larger color photo shows Col. and Mrs. Richard Hallock posing together against a brick wall background; the man wears a dark suit and tie, and the woman wears a dark, patterned blouse and pearl earrings. Overlapping on the right is a smaller, vertical black-and-white identification card or document from the "United States Information Agency" dated "FEB 20 1956" in "SAIGON." This card features a portrait of Mrs. Hallock as a young adult, with "Myriam Johnston" handwritten along the side.

A philanthropic gift from Myriam Hallock further positions Columbus State University as a nationally recognized destination for students, scholars, and historians seeking to deepen their understanding of the military, those who serve in it, its role in the world, and its place in U.S. culture.

Mrs. Hallock, a career U.S. Information Agency foreign service officer, is the wife of the late Col. Richard R. Hallock, a decorated World War II parachutist who, after retiring from 25 years of active service, later became a political and policy advisor to Defense Secretary James Schlesinger. Her endowed contribution supports the Col. Richard R. Hallock Endowment for Military History, established by the Richard R. Hallock Foundation at Columbus State in 2010. The endowment supports a nationally recognized historian who conducts academic research and leads community engagement efforts focused on teaching and preserving military history.

Mim Hallock, an older woman with white hair and a David Kieran, a younger man with short dark hair and a beard stand side-by-side and smile at the camera. The woman, on the left, wears glasses, a red collared shirt, a black patterned cardigan, and a large circular pendant. The man, on the right, wears a navy blue polo shirt with a "Columbus State University" logo on the chest and a name tag. In the background, a person in military fatigues is partially visible, and the setting appears to be an indoor event space.“Mrs. Hallock’s pathbreaking career at the U.S. Information Agency—along with Col. Hallock’s significant leadership role in the post-World War II Army—instilled in her the importance of understanding and discussing the key issues in U.S. foreign policy,” said Dr. David Kieran (picured with Mrs. Hallock), the Col. Richard R. Hallock Distinguished University Chair in Military History in CSU’s Department of History, Geography & Philosophy. “With her generous gift, she has guaranteed that this will continue for decades, and that Columbus State University will keep growing in its national reputation as a place where students, faculty and the community can engage with military leaders, diplomats and defense scholars of the highest caliber on the most critical issues facing our world today.”

Her most recent gift establishes the Myriam & Richard Hallock Distinguished Lecture in Foreign Policy and National Security Endowment. By featuring prominent figures in U.S. foreign policy or national security, the endowed lecture series will complement programs under the Col. Richard R. Hallock Endowment for Military History, which focuses on military history and U.S. foreign policy themes. These programs have included internationally recognized experts, award-winning. scholars, military leaders and policymakers.

Mrs. Hallock, born Myriam Lahaurine Johnston, married Col. Hallock in 1991. Known affectionately as "Mim," she has played an important role in preserving her husband’s legacy by supporting educational and cultural organizations.

A vintage, vertical black-and-white identification photo of a smiling woman with short, dark wavy hair. She is wearing a light-colored, patterned sleeveless top. The photo is overlaid at the bottom with a rectangular blue stamp that reads "UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY," dated "FEB 20 1956," and "SAIGON" at the bottom. Blue cursive handwriting, appearing to be a signature, is visible on the left and right margins of the photo.She had a distinguished 25-year career as a foreign service officer with the U.S. Information Agency (USIA) from 1955 until her retirement in 1980. As a USIA diplomat, her work focused on public diplomacy—engaging directly with foreign publics to promote understanding of American culture and policies during the Cold War. Her assignments in Vietnam, France, the Ivory Coast and Bangladesh generally involved cultural programming, managing information services and fostering international exchanges to support American values and challenge opposing political ideologies.

She has championed the preservation of military history at Columbus State and beyond. Through the Richard R. Hallock Foundation, she helped establish the university’s Col. Richard R. Hallock Distinguished University Chair in Military History and donated her husband’s personal papers, medals, and memorabilia to its Archives & Special Collections as key resources for military history students and scholars. She also donated her own professional collection, which includes five passports documenting her extensive travels and service, to the National Museum of American Diplomacy, providing a primary-source record of a female diplomat’s life during the mid-20th century.

In addition to multi-million-dollar gifts to support the Hallock Endowment and related programs, Mrs. Hallock is a dedicated supporter of Columbus State's arts initiatives. Endowments like the Hallocks’ are established with a principal gift that is invested to generate income to fund university priorities, while the original gift is preserved for future use and offers naming opportunities based on the donor's contribution.

Anyone interested can make additional contributions to either endowment established by Mrs. Hallock and the Hallock Foundation. For more information about Columbus State’s military history programs and to subscribe to regular updates, visit the Hallock Endowment website.

Main image: A composite image featuring Col. & Mrs. Richard with an inset of Mrs. Hallock's United States Information Agency identification card issued in 1956.

Media contact: Michael Tullier, APR, Executive Director of Strategic Communication + Marketing, 706.507.8729, mtullier@columbusstate.edu