Hall of Fame Inductee establishes Gerald Hawkins Fund

Originally written by Lisa Hall

Hall of Fame Inductee and College of Engineering Distinguished Alumni recipient, Jeff Williams, and his wife Melissa announced the creation of the Gerald Hawkins Experiential Learning Fund at this year’s 50th anniversary of the Caldwell Fellows. Williams, the chief operating officer of technology giant Apple, is a 1985 graduate of NC State with a degree in mechanical engineering; he later earned an MBA from Duke University.

From the moment students are chosen for the Caldwell Fellows, NC State’s longest-running universitywide scholarship opportunity, they are encouraged to “think big” and to develop as servant-leaders.

For decades, the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL) in Greensboro has helped give Fellows the tools to do both. Many alumni of the program describe the intensive, three-day training session at CCL, a capstone for Caldwell upperclassmen, as a life changer – shaping their ambitions and goals as it honed their leadership and professional abilities.

Twenty-two current Caldwell Fellows will go on that journey Jan. 2-4 at the Center for Creative Leadership. The opportunity will be available for many years to come, thanks to a $1 million gift from alumnus Jeff Williams in honor of Gerald Hawkins, who led the Caldwell program as director for 35 years prior to his retirement more than a decade ago.

Continuing reading at the College of Engineering News site