Ronnie D. Williams, Class of 1976, receives honorary
doctorate of humane letters
CONWAY,
Ark. (May 11, 2024) — The following is the full text of the 2024 Commencement
Address given by Ronnie D. Williams ’76, who received an honorary doctorate of
humane letters in recognition of his distinguished career in higher education
leadership and commitment to community service. He delivered his remarks at the
2024 Commencement ceremony in Young-Wise Memorial Stadium.
Good morning, everybody. It is a
pleasure to be back on the Hendrix College campus. I want to express my deep
appreciation for this honorary degree to President Petersen, members of the
Board of Trustees, the faculty, the honorary doctorate committee, graduates,
and all who serve in this administration. I dare not receive recognition of
this magnitude without giving honor to my heavenly Father, which I do so this
day. And please know you are recognizing not just me but every person who
poured into me and helped me become the person I am today, particularly my wife
Connie, my parents, Johnie and D.V. Williams, and former members of the Hendrix
College faculty. All of those individuals believed in me when I didn’t
necessarily believe in myself. To those persons, I say thank you, and I love
you.
I first set foot on this campus as an
18-year-old freshman straight out of East Side High School, an all-black school
district in Menifee, Arkansas, eight miles west of here. As you might suspect,
I had never sat in a classroom with anyone who did not look like me...it was a
significant adjustment for me. I was one of several student-athlete recruits in
Cliff Garrison’s charter class. And though it was an adjustment for me, Hendrix
College transformed my life, as it laid the foundation for a future of lifelong
learning...learning that challenged me, pushed me, and helped me become my
better self.
As excited as I am to receive this
honorary doctorate, today is not about me but all of you. Dr. Michael Hargis,
who is a good friend of mine, an alumnus of Hendrix College, and newly
appointed Provost and Chief Academic Officer at the University of Central
Arkansas, said during a recent presentation to campus – “Colleges and
universities exist to prepare you for what’s next in your life.” And I know
from my experience here that you have received what this institution offers the
best over the past 4-5 years (for some of you, maybe 6). So, your level of
preparedness is precise...you’re ready for your “next.”
For some of you, the next step in your
life is to get married, make a lot of money, buy a lovely home in the suburbs,
have a couple of kids, and live happily ever after. And there is nothing wrong
with that.
However, I would challenge you to add
to your “next” life that which dares to set you apart as a difference-maker in
this world - a world and a country that is broken and needs a new generation of
leaders to fix it.
As I’ve gotten older, I often think of
my mother and her sayings. When things were difficult and brutal, she would
say, “Baby, that’s a booger bear.” And that is how I would describe today’s
America – a little booger bearish. Economic programs remain uneven; educational
opportunities are still not where they need to be, and we live in a world that
is too divided by two words – “us” and “them.” Or worse – Extremist this or
Radical that. This level of discourse is unsustainable and, therefore, will put
this country on a course that will cause us to implode.
So, today, in this time of trial, as
you consider your “next,” you must ask yourself, what can I do to make a
difference? I will suggest four things, and then I will take my seat.
First, choose a path that challenges
your comfort zone. Seek friendships and experiences that challenge your beliefs
and mental and physical limits. I could not have successfully served
twenty-five years as Vice President for Student Services at the University of
Central Arkansas had I not been willing to step into an environment that
challenged me...and boy, did it challenge me! As future parents, educators,
doctors, lawyers, business owners, and influencers, you should intentionally
develop authentic relationships that cause you to do life together. It would be
best if you valued those connections over the divisive chatter in this country.
Please remain open-minded to listening and understanding the experiences of
others.
Second, recognize that there is a need
for peacemakers in this world. In today’s political arena, seeking common
ground (or compromise) is nasty; it’s considered a sign of weakness, not
strength. Divisiveness can be profitable...you can make a lot of money if you
come up with a set of talking points on how to divide us further. But that’s
not what this country needs; we need young men and women willing to exercise
incredible restraint in speech and deed. Be a peacemaker.
Third, be willing to stand against
hate. I know personally how easy it is to succumb to hate because that is what
I felt when I learned of the facts and circumstances surrounding my brother’s
death. I managed to write a book about his death, something I never thought I
would accomplish. But it was through the writing that I learned that hate is
too heavy of a burden to carry for a lifetime. I
believe that unconditional love will have the last word in reality. Why?
Because our souls are inextricably tied – our souls still desire the same
things that our brothers and sisters hoped for during the civil rights movement
– and have longed for peace and justice for all since the beginning of time. If
you, as the next generation of leaders, can feed those insatiable soul cravings
with the nourishment designed by God and unconditional love, then we can heal
this nation. Guaranteed!
And finally, I would encourage you to
be “Truth Tellers.” Truth Tellers embrace our history. Yes, the good, the bad,
and the ugly. They don’t wallow because the past can be painful and nasty. But
it’s our history. And if we don’t learn from it, we will repeat it. We live in
a time when attempts are made to selectively cancel those parts of our history
that some find distasteful. I believe that to be educational malpractice. We
need truth-tellers willing to participate in collective commemoration and
honest conversation.
So today, as you leave this assembly,
do not shy away but embrace the willingness to have difficult conversations. It
is through these conversations that we can achieve true reconciliation.
God Bless you, and congratulations to
all of you on this special day. Thank you!