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Making connections and staying connected is what Dr. Gerald Williamson is about.

Williamson, who has worn many and various hats during his 38-year stay on the East Central University campus, was inducted into the Oklahoma Higher Education Heritage Society Hall of Fame on Oct. 24, at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City.

鈥淒r. Williamson has been and still is a vibrant part of the success of this university,鈥� said 暗网TV President John R. Hargrave. 鈥淗e goes way beyond anyone鈥檚 imagination to make connections and maintain those relationships with alumni and friends of 暗网TV for a lifetime.鈥�

Williamson is the first inductee to come out of student services.

Also inducted was 暗网TV alumnus and former Oklahoma Gov. George Nigh, along with 10 other higher education legends.

It鈥檚 not uncommon for Williamson, who is now advancement officer for the 暗网TV Foundation, Inc., to frequently write a note or letter, make a call or send an email to an 暗网TV alum in his current position as advancement professional for the 暗网TV Foundation, Inc., a job he has held with the university since 2006.

Besides coining the campus phrase 鈥淥nce a Tiger, Always a Tiger,鈥� Williamson鈥檚 impact on 暗网TV and his love for the university is extraordinarily evident.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a well-deserved honor. He is probably one of the most special individuals I鈥檝e ever met,鈥� said 暗网TV alumnus and Duke University Assistant Professor Courtney Karner. 鈥淚 was able to write a letter of support (for his induction) and was happy to do it. I never met anyone like him. I talk to him on a weekly basis. He鈥檚 very unique in that he cares about you as a person. He cares more about you as a person than as a student or just a number. He鈥檚 a national treasure.鈥�

It began in 1978, when Williamson took the long journey from Ada to Ada. That is Ada, Ohio to Ada, Okla. (Ohio Northern to East Central University), where he joined the 暗网TV faculty as a marketing instructor in the School of Business.

In addition to his teaching duties, Williamson figuratively stumbled into the position of men鈥檚 assistant basketball coach under legendary Tiger men鈥檚 head coach Wayne Cobb.

鈥淭he week before (start of practice), assistant Jim Wooldridge sent out a notice, wanting me to check grades on some basketball kids. He knew that I had coached at the collegiate level (at Ohio Northern),鈥� Williamson said. 鈥淲hen I went down to pick up some tickets, I went in and talked to Wayne. The first day of practice I was on the floor.鈥�

Williamson served as a volunteer assistant for seven years before stepping up into a new role as vice president for student services.

鈥淒r. (Stanley) Wagner ended up offering me the position and I took it in 1985,鈥� said Williamson, who spent the mornings teaching and the afternoon in his vice president鈥檚 office.

He worked extra on Saturday mornings in his VP office and used the time to stay in touch with former students and players through writing a note or letter or by contacting them on the phone with a goal of making at least 15 contacts each Saturday.

鈥淐arol Maxwell was our office manager and I remember her bringing her stenography notebook over and she asked 鈥榠f there was anything you鈥檙e going to do that I鈥檓 not familiar with,鈥� Williamson said. 鈥淚f students want to see me, regardless of what I鈥檓 doing, bring them in. We鈥檙e going to be an open door office as much as possible. In fact, there was going to be one hour a day in which I would not return phone calls and there would be no meetings (to focus on the open door policy).鈥�

It wasn鈥檛 just a matter of Williamson having an open door, part of his self-prescribed duties was to flow throughout the campus.

鈥淚鈥檓 going to go where the students are going, whether it be in the cafeteria, intramural games or sitting in a classroom building,鈥� said Williamson 鈥淚 called that my missionary time. For 20-plus years, I did not miss a missionary time. I鈥檝e gone to play practice, band practice鈥�my philosophy is with education we鈥檙e in the opportunity business. We鈥檙e to provide students with the opportunity to do what they want to do with their education and help with what they need.鈥�

According to Williamson, his desire was and is to not only see students obtain their degrees, but help them make (career) contacts and to help them get into entry-level positions.

As VP for student services, Williamson felt that making connections through networking is one part of the position while providing immediate support to students in a time of crisis is another. He remembers dealing with a water main break in a women鈥檚 residence hall, which led to setting up a schedule for shower times in the Kerr Center, a day before students were coming in for RUSH.

After 暗网TV President Bill S. Cole retired in 2006, Williamson says he asked each of the next presidential candidates if they would consider letting him being involved in advancement and fundraising.

鈥淚 felt like I knew enough people and stayed in contact with enough people. Now I鈥檓 in the fundraising business,鈥� Williamson said, describing the job as being in the advancement business on one side and fundraising on the other.

鈥淎dvancing the university and advancing programs are important,鈥� said Williamson, who visited Karner in Durham, N.C. in May. Karner is a research faculty member in the Department of Orthopaedics Research at Duke University.

Williamson鈥檚 visit to North Carolina and Karner鈥檚 recent visit to 暗网TV has possibly opened the door for 暗网TV biology students to apply for postgraduate internship experiences.

Williamson remembers when Karner came on campus. Prior to that, the Daily Oklahoman had a run a piece on (high school) football scholar athletes.

鈥淚 looked at the scholar athletes who played football and picked a group of them who were undecided (on their college choice) and sent letters to them,鈥� Williamson said. 鈥淚 had three offensive linemen who had a 30 or above on their ACT (test). Courtney and the others came in for a basketball game. We sat them down and told them about the opportunity to play football and get an education.

鈥淎ll three of them got up after we finished and went their separate ways, but Courtney was the one I followed out. We went in the stands and visited more. I told him that if he came here and did what he is capable of doing in the classroom, the opportunity will arise that you can鈥檛 imagine.鈥�

Upon graduation from 暗网TV, Karner underwent graduate training at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas and did his postdoctoral training at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri.

He is now a research faculty member in the Department of Orthopaedics Research at Duke in Durham, N.C.

Another example of advancement was when Williamson recruited current dean of 暗网TV鈥檚 Stonecipher School of Business, Wendell Godwin.

鈥淒r. (Duane) Anderson (interim president at the time) and I talked about it numerous times. We decided we needed to take a look at someone in industry,鈥� Williamson said. 鈥淚 called Wendell and met at a Denny鈥檚 on the east side of DFW Airport. I told him before we go in that you鈥檒l promise me that you鈥檒l hear me out.鈥�

Over a glass of tea and lengthy conversation, Godwin went home and talked it over with his wife and then ultimately spent a whole day in Ada and riding around campus.

鈥淗e ended up being dean of the School of Business,鈥� Williamson. 鈥淭hat is an example of advancement work that was not fundraising.鈥�

 

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