TIMELINE
Early Beginnings
John Sealy was born in Pennsylvania; and in 1846 having heard stories of the new State of Texas, he ...Read more
1881
Texas voters decide to locate the future University of Texas Medical Department in Galveston, the la...Read more
1884
John Sealy dies in 1884 and in his will leaves $50,000 for a charitable purpose in Galveston to be d...Read more
1890-1922
For 32 years after the construction of the hospital, and before the creation of the Foundation, the ...Read more
1922
The children of Rebecca and John Sealy, John Sealy (II) and Jennie Sealy Smith, joined by her husban...Read more
1926
John (II) dies on February 19th, 1926. He has no children and the majority of his estate passes t...Read more
1930
On July 12th, 1930 R. Waverley Smith dies. After her husband’s death, Jennie Sealy Smith remains o...Read more
1937
The Foundation assists in funding the State Hospital for Crippled and Deformed Children which later ...Read more
1937
A new replacement hospital for African Americans is constructed with large contributions from the Foundation, to replace the first m...Read more
1938
On October 12, 1938, Jennie Sealy dies, without any children, the majority of her estate passes to t...Read more
1949-1953
The 2nd John Sealy Hospital is constructed with a majority of the funds given by the Foundation. Read more 
1954
R. Waverley Smith Pavilion is completed in memory of Jennie Sealy Smith’s husband, which expanded ...Read more
1955
Land adjoining UTMB Campus is donated by the Foundation for future hospital expansion. Read more 
1962
The original John Sealy Hospital is demolished after over 80 years of service to the people of Galveston. Read more 
1963
John W. McCullough Outpatient Clinic is constructed which was named for a Foundation Board President. Read more 
1967
Four blocks of land adjoining campus are acquired by the Foundation for health, fitness, wellness...Read more
1968
Jennie Sealy Hospital is completed providing for private patient health care. The building is fund...Read more
1978
John Sealy Towers are completed adjacent to the 1953 John Sealy Hospital, entirely funded by the Foundation. Read more 
1986
The John Sealy Memorial Biomedical Fund is established by the Foundation for biomedical research. ...Read more
1987
The Foundation provides funds toward the construction of the Medical Research Building. Read more 
1989
Initial funding for the construction of the Ronald McDonald House is provided by the Foundation. Read more 
1991
The Foundation purchases the former Lipton Tea Building on Harborside Drive for UTMB's...Read more
1992
A new Emergency Room is fully funded by the Foundation, becoming one of only three Level 1 Trauma Ce...Read more
1992
A Level One Trauma Center is fully funded by the Foundation, becoming one of only three Level 1 Trauma...Read more
1995
The Sealy Center for Structural Biology and the Sealy center for Cancer Cell Biology are established. Read more 
1996
The Foundation purchases St. Mary’s Hospital, adjoining UTMB Campus, rechristened the Rebecca Sealy Hospital. Read more 
1996
The Foundation purchases the Port Holiday Mall on Harborside Drive, and provides funds for the construction...Read more
1996
The Foundation purchases and remodels the bank building at 700 University Boulevard to create...Read more
1998
The Foundation funds the construction of a Biosafety Level 4 Laboratory, which is the first such BSL...Read more
2000
The Foundation purchases two robotic surgery units. These units were the first of such used in Sou...Read more
2004
A grant is given by the Foundation to fund Teen Health Center, creating clinics that are located in ...Read more
2005
The Foundation participated in the funding for the expansion of the Ronald McDonald House. Read more 
2007
The Foundation contributes to the renovation to the Truman G. Blocker Burn Unit in John Sealy Hospital. Read more 
2007
A grant from the Foundation purchases much needed radiological equipment, including a linear acceler...Read more
2008
On September 8th 2008, much of Galveston and UTMB are devastated by Hurricane Ike. The Foundation...Read more
2009
Together with UTMB the Foundation lobbies the Texas Legislature to help rebuild the campus...Read more
2010
The Foundation grants $170 million toward the construction of a new Jennie Sealy Hospital...Read more
2013
Surgical Pathology, Autopsy, and Mole Cytogen Laboratories and offices are constructed with a $10 mi...Read more
2015
The Foundation provides the buildout for the first two floors of its building at 2200 Market Street for ...Read more
2015
The interior and exterior renovations of John Sealy Hospital is provided by a grant of $75 million b...Read more
2016
Jennie Sealy Hospital opens on April 9th, 2016. The facility boasts 310 patient rooms, including 6...Read more
2016
The Foundation grants funds to combine the Otolaryngology and UTMB Eye Clinic creating a single facility...Read more
2016
The Sealy and Smith Foundation is awarded the Santa Rita Award, the highest honor of the University ...Read more
2016
The Foundation awards a $12.4 million dollar grant to begin construction of the Jennie Sealy Heart and Vascular Center...Read more
2017
The John Sealy Institute of Vaccinology is established by a $10,400,000 grant...Read more
2017
In conjunction with UTMB the Foundation awards a grant which creates the Patient Access Initiative...Read more
2018
The Sealy & Smith Foundation provides a grant to help with the construction...Read more
2019
A new grant was given to UTMB to further the mission of Teen Health...Read more
2019
A grant of $25,000,000 was given to UTMB to construct Phase III...Read more
2020
As the Covid Pandemic began to spread the Foundation stepped up quickly to provide...Read more
2021
Nearly $10 million was awarded to UTMB by the Board to fund the design work and renovation of...Read more
2021
The Board awarded over $17 million to UTMB to purchase new equipment...Read more
2021
The Sealy and Smith Foundation extended a three-year grant of nearly $4 million to sustain...Read more
2021
The Board of Directors authorized a grant of $850,000 to upgrade the BSL-2 space...Read more
2021
The Foundation gave a $16 Million grant to establish the Sealy Institute for Drug Discovery.....Read more
2022
On March 10, 2022, the University of Texas Medical Branch formally named its medical school...Read more