Texas Christian University in Fort Worth announced that it has changed the name of its Institute of Child Development to honor the institute’s co-founder. Effective immediately, the organization, established in 2005, will now be known as the Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development.
Karyn Purvis died on April 12, 2016. She was 66 years old and had suffered from cancer. Dr. Purvis was the Rees-Jones Director and co-founder of the Institute of Child Development.
Nowell Donovan, provost at Texas Christian University, said “Karyn’s influence at the Institute remains strong, and now her legacy will continue in name as well as in spirit.”
Dr. Purvis was a native of Atlanta, Georgia. At the age of 5, her family moved to McAllen, Texas, where they grew onions. Her father, Othal Brand, served as mayor of McAllen. She attended Howard Payne University in Brownwood, Texas, but dropped out to get married and raise a family.
At the age of 47, Purvis returned to higher education and received a bachleor’s degree and a Ph.D. at Texas Christian University. Dr. Purvis became an expert in child development concentrating on what she called “children from hard places.” She was referring to children who had been abused, neglected, or subjected to trauma. Professor Purvis was the co-author of The Connected Child: Bringing Hope and Healing to Your Adoptive Family.