Don Williams , Ph.D.

Dr. Don Williams, a graduate of LCC, began teaching at LCU in 1969 after completing his Masters degree at Texas Tech. He completed his Ph.D. at Texas Tech in 1980. In 1982, he became Dean of the College. After the change to university status in 1987, he began his tenure as Dean of the Hancock College of Liberal Arts and Education.

"I believe it is important to maintain contact with students, and so I continue to teach in Communication and in Theatre. Contact in the classroom allows me to get to know the students and to be certain we are meeting their needs. From my first year I have been impressed by the quality of students attending LCU. We have talented students who develop their strengths not only in the classroom, but also by assuming leadership roles in campus activities."

Dr. Williams' work as a teacher received recognition on campus as he received the F.W. Mattox Teaching award in 1976, as well as  the L.R. Wilson Teaching award in 2003/2004. His work as a teacher also received state recognition as he received the Texas Educational Theatre Award as outstanding college/university teacher in Texas in 1994. For his work as a director in theatre, he received an award for directing from the American College Theatre Festival in 2003.

Since 1979, the theatre area has participated in the ACTF Festivals. This activity provides the students with the opportunity to participate as well as to watch the work of other colleges and universities in theatre. Dr. Williams for the past 22 years has worked with the Texas production in Palo Duro. In addition to the Texas production, Dr. Williams directed God’s Country, an outdoor production at Crosbyton for 8 years. He serves as an assistant director to David Yirak, the director of Texas - and one of Dr. Williams' theatre students from the 1970s. 

Dr. Williams served as Chair of the National Conference of Academic Deans in 1989. "We try to model the teacher's role in the classroom as we focus on the students, develop their skills, and care for them. It is so important that students understand that their teacher sees them as individuals and wants to help them mature not only in the academic discipline, but also as an individual. We have graduates who are impacting the lives of their students in junior high and senior high programs.”

“I believe that we, as teachers, are investing in the future as we work with these young people. Teachers are rich not because of their salaries, but because they receive a return from each student in seeing them succeed and in the relationships they develop as mentors of the students. I still have students from my first years who contact me and ask for assistance.”