Hawkins discusses plans for immediate future after announcing retirement

Chancellor Jack Hawkins, Jr., said he plans to remain involved and active at Troy University during the 13 months leading up to his retirement.

Hawkins sent a letter to the staff and faculty on Tuesday afternoon informing them of his plans to officially retire on Oct. 1, 2025. Hawkins, a Mobile native, was named chancellor of Troy State University on Sept. 1, 1989.

Hawkins said while on a recent vacation in Ireland, he reflected on his 35 – going on 36 – years as chancellor at Troy University.

“You begin to think about where you are in life and the things you need to do and the things you want to do,” Hawkins said. “I came to a point where I realized it was soon going to be time to enjoy other things in life.”

Hawkins said he discussed his plans with his family and it was a bittersweet moment. Hawkins said his daughters, Katie and Kelly, grew up in Troy and his wife, Janice, had been instrumental in leading efforts to beautify Troy’s campus. Hawkins said he received the support and blessings of his family, and he said his family will always have close ties to Troy.

Hawkins said, looking back on his tenure as chancellor, the growth of Troy’s academic programs and international programs, as accomplishments he was particularly proud of.

Hawkins said former Chancellor Ralph Adams said “the best is yet to be” about then-Troy State University.

Hawkins said during his first year as chancellor, he took time to develop a plan to build on what Adams had established. Hawkins said he knew Troy State would never be one of Alabama’s flagship universities, so he developed a plan to make Troy State Alabama’s, if not the nation’s, best global university.

Hawkins said when he first arrived in Troy, there were only 40 international students. Before COVID, he said there were more than 1,500 Chinese students as well as students from 75 other countries on campus.

Troy University currently collaborates with universities in Vietnam and Malaysia and offers undergraduate programs in communications, computer science, global business, hospitality, tourism management and psychology.

Hawkins said bringing people together from different countries and cultures, wove them into a stronger fabric that promoted growth and understanding at the university.

Hawkins said growth in the quality of academic programs at the university was also something he was proud of.

The university didn’t award its first doctorate until 2007, but since then has been designated as a doctoral degree university. He said reaching that point took years of work and another goal was on the horizon.

“We’re this close to being a research institution,” Hawkins said. “We’ll dedicate a new building (the Center for Materials Manufacturing)  on Sept. 23, and that will be the first step.”

Hawkins said a lot had been accomplished in the last 35 years at Troy University, and now was the time to let another leader step forward.

“This chapter closes,” Hawkins said. “And, I’m very proud of the way it was written, but a new chapter opens.”

Hawkins said in the coming months, he plans to take a vacation to France in the spring and said the summer commencement in 2025 will be the last he presides over before his retirement in the fall of 2025.

In the meantime, Hawkins said the Troy University Board of Trustees would begin a search for his successor. Hawkins said it wasn’t his prerogative to be involved in that search, though he would make himself available if the board asked for his opinion.

But, he said he expected the search would be done by a board-appointed committee that would do a nationwide search for the next chancellor.

Hawkins said it was also important to him to have a smooth transition between his and the next administration.

But, come next October, Hawkins said he plans to still be around even after retirement.

“We’ll still come to the football games and the theater,” Hawkins said. “I’m not going to vanish into the sunset.”

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