Troy University Chancellor Dr. Jack Hawkins, Jr. was honored on Tuesday as Patriot of the Year by the Mobile Bay Area Veterans Commission.
Dr. Hawkins was recognized for his lifelong dedication to higher education in the state and around the world, as well as his service as a United States Marine Corps officer during the Vietnam War. He was presented with the award during the commission’s Honors Luncheon on Tuesday in Mobile. The luncheon followed a morning flag-raising ceremony at USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park and a Veterans Day Parade in downtown Mobile.
“When I received word of this award, I was surprised, honored and deeply grateful,” Dr. Hawkins said during the luncheon. “I want to thank all those who were responsible not only for the selection but also for making this event possible for all of us. When I looked at the list of past recipients, I was overwhelmed with pride and humbled to even be mentioned in the category of these great people.”
Dr. Hawkins, a Mobile native, has served as Chancellor of Troy University since Sept. 1, 1989, making him the longest-serving chief executive officer of a public university in the United States.
Dr. Hawkins, Jr. earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Montevallo and his Doctorate from the University of Alabama.
Upon completion of his bachelor’s degree in 1967, Hawkins was commissioned a lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps and served as a platoon leader during the Vietnam War. For his combat duty, he received the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart and a citation from the Korean Marine Corps.
Under Dr. Hawkins’ leadership, Troy University has become internationally recognized for its commitment to serving military students and veterans through flexible degree programs, campus partnerships, and a strong emphasis on leadership development.
Dr. Hawkins serves on the board of directors of the Daniel Foundation, the Bennie Adkins Foundation, the Business Council of Alabama, the American Village Trust, the College Football Board of Managers, and Troy Bank and Trust Company and was recently appointed chairman of the Air University Foundation Board of Officers and Trustees. He has served as Chairman of the Governor’s Committee on Employment of the Disabled, Board of Visitors of the Marine Corps University, Better Business Bureau of Central Alabama, and Past President of the Sun Belt Conference.
Dr. Hawkins and his wife, Janice, have two daughters: Katie, a former USAF officer, who is married to Air Force Col. Dan Beall, and Kelly Godwin, an attorney who is married to Adam Godwin, a former professional baseball player and a member of the Troy University baseball coaching staff. Dr. and Mrs. Hawkins are the proud grandparents of Noah and Ellyotte, who live in Maryland, and Micah May and Griffey Jack, who live in Troy.
