Troy University Chancellor, Dr. Jack Hawkins, Jr. On The Power of Relationships, Cross-Cultural Partnerships, And How To Make The Most Of A Higher Education Today
…Governments may rise and fall, but relationships — true relationships — transcend time, place, and politics. That’s what really matters. Relationships last forever…
I had the pleasure of talking with Dr. Jack Hawkins, Jr. Dr Hawkins, a native of Mobile, Alabama, has served as the Chancellor of Troy University since September 1, 1989, marking him as the longest-tenured chief executive of a public university in the United States. A U.S. Marine Corps veteran and decorated Vietnam War combatant, Dr. Hawkins’s career spans military service, higher education leadership, and a sustained commitment to fostering international collaboration and diversity within academic institutions.
Dr. Hawkins graduated with a bachelor’s and master’s degree from the University of Montevallo before earning his doctorate from the University of Alabama. His leadership journey began with his commissioning as a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps after completing his undergraduate studies in 1967. During the Vietnam War, he served as a platoon leader, earning the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and recognition from the Korean Marine Corps for his valor in combat. These early leadership experiences shaped his understanding of diversity, resilience, and the importance of collaborative effort — values he has integrated into his work as an academic leader.
In 1971, Hawkins transitioned into higher education administration, taking on the role of assistant dean at the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Medical Center. Eight years later, he was named president of the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind, a position he held until 1989. At Troy University, his tenure has been characterized by transformative initiatives, including the unification of the Troy State University System into a single institution, aptly named “One Great University.” This restructuring has enabled significant capital investments exceeding $375 million, including new academic buildings across the university’s four campuses in Alabama.
Dr. Hawkins has played a pivotal role in expanding Troy University’s global reach. Under his leadership, the university has cultivated international partnerships, attracted record numbers of international students, and established teaching sites in multiple countries, including Vietnam and China. A defining moment in his career came with the establishment of Troy’s academic programs in Vietnam in the early 2000s, culminating in Troy becoming the first American university to confer bachelor’s degrees in Vietnam. These efforts reflect Dr. Hawkins’s commitment to preparing students for success in a globalized world.
One particularly notable partnership is highlighted in the documentary Beyond a War, which explores Dr. Hawkins’s relationship with Dr. Le Cong Co, a former adversary during the Vietnam War who became a key academic collaborator. The documentary, which premiered on Alabama Public Television, underscores themes of reconciliation and mutual respect. Dr. Hawkins has remarked that his wartime experiences taught him invaluable lessons about leadership and unity, lessons that resonate in his approach to fostering a multicultural and inclusive academic environment.
Dr. Hawkins has also been a staunch advocate for military-affiliated students. Together with his wife, Janice, he launched the “Troy for Troops” initiative, which supports service members and their families through dedicated campus centers offering academic advising, financial services, and scholarships. This initiative reflects his commitment to bridging the military and academic worlds, a hallmark of Troy University’s mission.
Beyond his work at Troy, Dr. Hawkins has earned numerous accolades for his contributions to education and community service. These include recognition as the Alabama Citizen of the Year by the Alabama Broadcasters Association, the Top College President Award from the All-America Football Foundation, and induction into the Alabama Academy of Honor. He has also been honored internationally, receiving the World Confucius Institute’s Individual Performance Excellence Award and serving on numerous boards, including the College Football Playoff Board of Managers and the American Village Trust.
A firm believer in the enduring value of education, Dr. Hawkins has consistently emphasized the importance of leadership development within higher education. He has worked to ensure that Troy University equips its students not only with academic credentials but also with critical thinking, problem-solving, and leadership skills. By advocating for internships, global experiences, and career-relevant education, he has sought to align Troy’s offerings with the evolving demands of the workforce while preserving the university’s liberal arts foundation.
Dr. Hawkins’s legacy at Troy University is reflected in the diverse and inclusive culture he has nurtured. Under his leadership, the institution has been recognized as one of the most diverse universities in Alabama, with students from over 75 countries enriching the campus experience. He has likened this diversity to a richly woven fabric, stronger and more vibrant because of its varied threads.
As he continues his tenure, Dr. Hawkins remains committed to fostering relationships and building bridges across cultures and disciplines. His story — rooted in service, education, and reconciliation — embodies the values he has worked to instill at Troy University and beyond. Through his leadership, Dr. Hawkins has left an indelible mark on higher education, shaping not only an institution but also the lives of countless students, faculty, and global partners.
Yitzi: Dr. Hawkins, it’s an honor to meet you. Before we dive in, our readers would love to learn about your personal origin story. Can you share the story of your childhood and how you grew up?
Dr. Hawkins: Thank you. I’m a native of South Alabama. I was born in the state. My dad, who grew up during the Great Depression, only had an eighth-grade education. I thought my mother was the most educated person in the world because she graduated from the tenth grade. We were a working-class family. My dad worked in the woods cutting trees and hauling logs at an early age.
He invited me to join him, and as I reflect on it, I realize that experience was formative. It was during those times in the woods of South Alabama that I began to understand something my teachers had been saying: the way forward is through education. I embraced that idea, but my main reason for going to college in 1963 was to earn a commission in the United States Marine Corps.
Growing up in the late ’40s and ’50s, almost every man I knew had served in the military, many in combat during World War II or Korea. Service was just part of the mindset. When my brother-in-law-to-be came home wearing the Marine Corps dress blues, I was completely enamored. From that moment, I knew the Marines would be part of my future.
I went to Alabama College, now known as the University of Montevallo, and had a great experience. I was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in 1967 and went to Quantico, Virginia, for training, followed by more training at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. I volunteered to go to Vietnam. At the time, about 90% of second lieutenants were being sent there anyway, so I wanted to go ahead and get there.
I arrived in Vietnam in April 1968 and was immediately assigned to a platoon as a platoon leader. It was there that I gained my greatest leadership lessons — both in what to do and what not to do. I loved the Marine Corps. After leaving active duty, I went back to graduate school and eventually found my way into higher education.
I had loved my undergraduate experience, and those of us who do are often drawn to academia. From 1971 to 1979, I worked at the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Medical Center, where I eventually became an assistant dean. In 1979, I became president of the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind, where I served until 1989.
In many ways, the nature and mission of Troy University drew me there. Troy was one of the few universities in the country actively serving the military at the time. We had a presence on many military bases domestically, as well as in ten countries and 26 military bases overseas.
When the Berlin Wall fell and the Soviet Union collapsed, the U.S. downsized troop strength in Europe by two-thirds, and we had to reposition ourselves. We saw the future in Asia, not Europe, so we began to establish ourselves in countries like China, Malaysia, and Vietnam.
Yitzi: You probably have so many amazing experiences from your military career and your career in education. Can you share one or two stories that stand out most in your professional life?
Dr. Hawkins: Well, I’ve certainly had the benefit of remarkable opportunities, and I’ve been fortunate to have great mentors along the way. Looking back, starting with my family, and then moving into the military and beyond, I realize how much we are all influenced by the people we respect — those who are willing to offer guidance and counsel.
Having a mentor and being a mentor is fundamental to leadership. I’ve learned so much from the successes and failures of others, as well as from my own experiences. The lessons you take from life are lasting ones, and mentors are invaluable as you navigate through life. I’ve had mentors at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, working with boards of trustees, and alongside colleagues.
There’s truly no better place to be than in a university setting. You’re surrounded by hope, promise, and potential — bright and ambitious people. I often tell our faculty, staff, and board of trustees that one of the most important things we do is preserve the culture of Troy University.
Our culture is a bit different from many other universities and colleges in America. This is a patriotic, flag-waving institution. We honor the military and are committed to serving those in uniform. Our ranks are full of individuals who have served. In today’s world, service isn’t what it used to be.
When I was in the military, 75% of members of Congress had served. Today, that number is fewer than 20%. Part of that is due to the absence of a draft or selective service system — it’s now an all-volunteer force. The reality is that only about 25% of young people, aged 18 to 25, are even eligible to serve.
When you account for physical limitations, academic challenges, and other disqualifying factors — such as legal issues or addiction — only 25% are qualified, and less than 1% actually choose to serve.
As you go through life, you begin to appreciate what Thomas Jefferson recognized early on — the delicate nature of democracy. America has provided opportunities for so many, but preserving this democracy is critical. Jefferson said it well: it takes leaders with ability, integrity, and vision to preserve something as precious as this. And as history shows, we often lose the things we take for granted — whether it’s friends, family, or even democracy itself.
Abraham Lincoln also gave us a stark reminder. He said no foreign power will ever drink from the banks of the Potomac. If America is undone, it will happen from within. That underscores the need for strong leadership.
The shadow of an institution will never exceed the shadow of its leader. That’s why we’ve placed such a strong focus at Troy University on developing leaders. If leadership isn’t coming out of the military at the levels it traditionally did, then others — including universities — have to step up.
A university is an extraordinary place to prepare future leaders. That’s why leadership development is so central to our mission. We focus on equipping people with the skills they’ll need — not just to preserve what exists, but to build stronger communities for the future.
As I look back, I reflect on the early experiences that instilled a sense of patriotic zeal in me, and I feel encouraged that we can preserve it. But it will take our best effort, along with strong leadership.
That’s a bit of background on who I am, why I do what I do, and why I love the university setting. There’s truly no place in the world like a university.
Yitzi: Wonderful. So this leads us to our next question. Many people today are questioning the value of the education system, especially with the confluence of the enormous costs of education, the lack of an apparent connection between education and job opportunities, and the rise of autonomous learning through courses or even AI. Now, I take for granted that university and college are very valuable. But if you had the power to change our infrastructure, what would you do to improve and reform the system — particularly higher education — so that it becomes very apparent to everyone that it’s a worthwhile investment?
Dr. Hawkins: That’s a wonderful question and also a very complex one. When I made the decision to go to college and enrolled in the fall of 1963, I suspect that 95 to 98% of people in America believed that a college education was worth the money, the time, and the effort. Of course, back then, states invested much more heavily in education on a percentage basis than they do now. In fact, my first year of room, board, and tuition — believe it or not — was $1,000. But $1,000 in 1963 was a real $1,000, not like today. Students now spend more than $1,000 just on their books. Yet back then, that $1,000 covered room, board, tuition, and books. And where I went to school, they even did your laundry as part of that! It was a remarkable experience at an affordable rate.
But that era also preceded the introduction of federal grants and loans that came shortly afterward. Back then, around 95 to 99% of people felt it was worth the cost. Thirteen years ago, that number had dropped to 82%. And last year, the same Gallup study showed that less than 40% of Americans now believe a higher education is worth the money, the time, and the effort.
Why? That’s the big question. Why has confidence declined so much? This declining confidence, I believe, poses a real threat to our democracy. You can’t be uneducated and still thrive in a setting like this country. Education is key. So how do we turn that around?
As we look back over the years, there’s a clear correlation between declining confidence in education and the declining value of that education as measured in the marketplace. Today, we have between 45 and 50 million people who owe student debt, which has reached $1.8 trillion — more than all the credit card debt in the U.S. combined. Think about that. On average, student debt across the country is somewhere between $35,000 and $40,000.
Now, my dad — who was a Will Rogers type and didn’t have a formal education — had a saying I’ll never forget. He used to say, “Son, you don’t want to be average because if you’re average, you’re about as far from the bottom as you are from the top.” That was his way of describing “average.” Now, think about the average student debt — $35,000 to $40,000. That means some students owe far more, while others are fortunate enough to owe less.
If you borrow money, invest your time, and put in the effort, you expect a return. You expect marketability. You expect to get a job. For too many years, higher education — especially some institutions in the for-profit sector — has focused on selling degrees rather than providing a real education. That’s the raw truth.
We’ve seen the consequences of this. Over the last 20 to 25 years, nearly 900 institutions have closed their doors. This year alone, 24 more colleges and universities have shut down. It’s a troubling trend, and it speaks to a larger issue of trust in the value of higher education.
Peter Drucker predicted about 20 years ago, before he passed, that within 30 to 50 years, 30 to 50% of all colleges and universities in America would either merge, close, or realign. So far, we’ve already seen nearly 900 institutions close, with about 80% of those being for-profits. While we haven’t seen many closures among publicly supported institutions or regional universities, there have been a few. However, mergers are starting to happen across the country.
For example, last year, six regional universities in Pennsylvania merged into two. We’ve also seen closures among well-established private colleges. Take Birmingham-Southern College, for instance, which had been around for 160 years — it closed last year.
Why are they closing? For many small private liberal arts schools, it’s because they’re not well-endowed and aren’t focused enough on the employability of their graduates. Those of us who are products of a liberal arts education know its intrinsic value, but in today’s world, there’s a growing need to mix liberal arts with career relevance.
That’s something we’re prioritizing. I’ve challenged all of our deans here at Troy University to ensure that every student has the opportunity for an internship during their studies, so they’re exposed to the world of work. Even in more esoteric areas like philosophy, there are still employment opportunities if you add relevance. For example, a student with a degree in philosophy who also completes an internship gains practical experience that can make them more marketable.
I believe this is one of the keys to restoring higher education’s stature and respect: focusing on the employability of graduates. But let me clarify — the last thing I want is for higher education to be reduced to vocational training. A true university must emphasize critical thinking, analytical reasoning, and effective communication as its core. Those should always remain the foundation. However, you can still achieve these goals while also prioritizing the employability of graduates.
Let me give you an example. In some disciplines, the connection to employability is more natural than in others. Take accounting, for instance — you know from the start that you’re going to become an accountant, and the technical skills required for that are clear. But beyond technical expertise, there’s also a need for leadership skills because one day, you might run your own agency. Teachers and nurses are other examples — they automatically go through internships as part of their training.
Here at Troy, we’re focusing on areas that offer strong employability opportunities, and we’re working to combine internships with global experiences to prepare students for the workforce. It’s about finding that balance — providing students with both the foundational skills they need to think critically and the practical experiences that make them competitive in the job market.
Our goal here, starting in 1989 when I first arrived at Troy, was to ensure that our students would be globally competitive. At the time, there were only about 40 international students on campus. While we were doing great work with the military in Europe, that global perspective hadn’t yet permeated our main campus. Those 40 students represented a very small footprint.
This focus on global competitiveness leads me to a personal reflection about how my own understanding of diversity was shaped. Growing up in the Deep South and going to school there, I was never in an integrated setting. When I was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps, there were 400 of us in my cohort, and I don’t recall seeing a single African American among those 400 second lieutenants.
My first real exposure to diversity came when I arrived in Vietnam. In my platoon, about 25% of the troops were African American, 10 to 15% were Hispanic, and around 55 to 60% were Caucasian. We may have had an Asian or two sprinkled in there as well. It was a completely new experience for me, but I quickly got beyond any recognition of race or background. Because, let me tell you, when the first round goes past your ear, you don’t care about the race of the person standing next to you.
I’ll add that one thing you learn in a setting like that, and why I consider it one of the greatest leadership experiences of my life, is this simple truth: all blood flows red. That was the lesson. We moved past any superficial distinctions very quickly, and that experience had a profound and lasting impact on me.
Being a young officer in the Marine Corps, particularly in combat, probably influenced my understanding of diversity more than anything else in my life. Another important experience was the time my platoon spent — about eight months — supporting the Republic of Korea Marine Corps. I was the only American officer among a group of young Korean officers, leading my diverse platoon.
That experience was invaluable. It prepared me for the role I play today in a university that must reflect the world around us. It reinforced the importance of creating an environment where differences are embraced and everyone works toward shared goals. That’s the kind of preparation we need to provide for our students — to help them thrive in an increasingly interconnected and diverse world.
As we moved beyond 1989, we set three focal points. The first was to bring the world to Troy. We worked to create a diverse environment, and today, even the media has labeled Troy as the most diverse university in Alabama. Before COVID, we had students from 75 countries, including 425 students from China alone — up from just 40 international students in 1989. This means you could gain a global experience simply by walking across campus and engaging with your classmates. It’s a very healthy thing to bring people from different cultures and backgrounds together.
I’ve always used the analogy that diversity is like a beautiful piece of fabric. When you weave together threads of different colors, the result isn’t just stronger — it’s also a lot more interesting and beautiful. That’s the kind of environment we’ve worked to build here on the main campus for our students.
The second goal was to plant Troy’s flag around the world. When I left Vietnam in 1969, I never intended to go back. I had seen all I wanted of Southeast Asia — Vietnam in particular. But in 2002, we were invited to consider setting up academic programs there. I made the trip, and we ended up establishing programs in Hanoi.
Interestingly, my first hotel in Hanoi, the Melia Hotel, had a view of the roof of the old Hanoi Hilton. For those unfamiliar, the Hanoi Hilton wasn’t a hotel — it was the infamous prison where American POWs, like Jeremiah Denton (whom I knew) and John McCain, were held for years. It was remarkable to be back in Vietnam, seeing it in a time of peace, and looking at a place that held so much significance during the war.
We didn’t just visit — we established academic programs in Hanoi, the capital of what was once North Vietnam, and in Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon. In 2008, we became the first American university to ever award bachelor’s degrees in Vietnam. That first graduation ceremony was in Hanoi, and we’ve held ceremonies there every year since. In fact, we just returned from another trip to Vietnam this past November.
In 2017, I had a particularly profound experience during a visit to Da Nang. I was invited to dinner with the founder of Duy Tan University, which is now the top private university in Vietnam. What’s fascinating is that the university wasn’t established until 1994, and part of our recent visit was to celebrate their 30th anniversary of service.
But here’s the remarkable part of that dinner: I learned that the founder of Duy Tan University had fought on the other side during the Vietnam War. During the war, we faced two primary enemies: the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) and the Viet Cong. The Viet Cong were particularly feared because they operated with an element of surprise — farmers by day, soldiers by night — using mines, booby traps, and ambushes. This man, now a respected academic leader, had been a Viet Cong soldier and was considered a national hero in Vietnam.
Our conversation was fascinating. I approached it from my perspective as an American who fought in the war, and he came with his perspective as a soldier who had been fighting for reunification of his country. What happened next was incredible — we found common ground. We were able to move beyond the war, collaborate, and today, we have a strong partnership with his university in Da Nang.
And you may have already heard about the documentary that was produced. The documentary just premiered here in Alabama, and what’s interesting is that it was never initially intended for the public. Here’s how it came about, if you’re interested.
The story revolves around a man named Le Cong Co. He has two grown children, a son named Bau and a daughter named Hang Le. These two absolutely revere their father. Hang Le, in particular, has an interesting background. She lived in the United States for 20 years, in Washington State, and now lives in Amsterdam where her husband works as an executive.
Hang Le and her brother wanted to preserve the unique story of their father — who had once been a soldier fighting against Americans in the war — and his unexpected friendship with a former enemy who has now become a partner. The goal was not to create something for the public, but simply to document this story for their family. So, they hired a production company based in Vietnam to film the documentary.
What happened next was remarkable. The documentary started to catch on. It went through the censorship process in Vietnam and premiered in the Central Highlands, near Da Nang, last December. It was so well-received that it aired nationwide in January.
During the national broadcast — which, of course, was on state-controlled media in Vietnam — something extraordinary happened. Former President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc of Vietnam picked up the phone while the documentary was still airing and called Hang Le. She later shared the story with me.
He told her, “Everybody in Vietnam and in America needs to see this. This is not about war; it’s about reconciliation, using war as a platform.”
The documentary is called Beyond a War, and while that title is meaningful, it’s the subtitle that truly captures its essence: Wars Begin and End, but Love and Relationships Last Forever.
The film is ultimately about moving beyond conflict — taking the pain of war and using it as a foundation to build something positive for the common good. It’s about channeling our energy and resources toward reconciliation and collaboration instead of division. Rather than fighting against each other, we’re working together to prepare the next generation — not just in Vietnam, but also here at Troy. Our students, faculty, and staff benefit tremendously from the kind of international exposure and perspective that comes from partnerships like this.
Yitzi: Dr. Hawkins, because of your great work and the platform and institution you’ve built, you’re a person of enormous influence. If you could spread an idea or inspire a movement that would bring the greatest good to the most people, what would that be?
Dr. Hawkins: I think I’d need to give that a bit more thought to give you a more studied answer, but my immediate reaction is this: the older you get, the more you realize what’s truly important. And what’s most important? Relationships. Relationships are at the heart of everything.
It’s not about a portfolio, it’s not about possessions — it’s about lives changed. That’s where real happiness is found — not in doing for yourself, but in doing for others. I think that’s also the true essence of leadership. Leadership isn’t about building yourself up; it’s about helping others find ways to reach their potential.
Real leadership, in my view, is the ability to bring people together. It’s always about relationships — about building what’s in the best interest of the community and those who will grow by serving that community. Leadership requires us to focus on something bigger than ourselves, and that focus can’t be lost.
Another key idea I’d want to emphasize is the preservation of this delicate thing we call democracy. It’s something I wish more people truly understood. We can’t give it away, and we can’t let others destroy it. We have to protect it so the future of this country can reach its full potential.
Real leadership is about uniting people, not dividing them. And that’s exactly what we need desperately in America today — leaders who bring people together.
Yitzi: How can our readers continue to follow your work online? How can they engage with the work you are doing at Troy?
Dr. Hawkins: Well, you know, we’re always looking to build relationships with people who want to change the world and do good for others — whether they’re in this great country or beyond. I think one important step is encouraging people to learn more about Troy and what we represent. This is truly an international community, and through that, we’re fostering the kind of understanding, collaboration, and leadership that can make a difference on a global scale.
One thing I’d quickly share with you is that building relationships has been one of the greatest privileges of my life. I’ve been fortunate to meet incredible people around the world. One of those individuals, whom I met 25 years ago, has left a lasting impact on Troy University. If you have a moment, I’ll tell you about him.
It was during an early trip to China, back when Troy University was invited by the government in Beijing to become the first American university to participate in what is known as the Sino-American Dual Degree Program. This program offers students a unique experience: they spend one year at a partner university in China, two years at Troy, and their final year back in China.
The Chinese government selected Troy to be the flagship for this program for two reasons. First, they recognized our history of global engagement. Second, they valued the kind of institution Troy is — one that is committed to values, safety, and quality education. So we launched the partnership. At the start, there were 12 partner universities in China, and our first group of students arrived in the U.S. just three weeks before 9/11. That created challenges, as the aftermath of 9/11 led to many barriers in international relations, but we worked hard to preserve the program.
Four years after Troy initiated this effort, the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) embraced it and began expanding it to other institutions in the U.S. and China. Today, there are about 40 American universities participating in the program, with over 100 partner universities in China. However, Troy remains the flagship. In fact, this June, we’ll travel to China to celebrate the program’s 25th anniversary, and Troy will play a central role in the ceremony.
During my very first trip to China for this program, I traveled to Xi’an, the home of the famous Terracotta Warriors. You may be familiar with them — those life-size statues buried to guard the tomb of China’s first emperor. We had an aggressive travel schedule and only one night in Xi’an. That evening, I received an invitation to visit the studio of an international artist named Huo Bao Zhu.
Huo Bao Zhu had a special connection to America because his life had been saved at the University of Kentucky Medical Center. He was excited about the growing partnership between China and America and wanted to be a part of it. He invited me, my wife, and the dean of our international programs to visit his studio. It was late — after 10 p.m. — and both my wife and the dean decided to head to the hotel, but I chose to go.
At his studio, Huo Bao Zhu expressed his admiration for America and his excitement about the partnership we were building. He offered me some of his artwork and showed me a small statue of Rodin’s The Thinker. I told him, “I’d love to have a larger version of this. It reflects what we do — critical thinking, creativity, problem-solving.” He agreed to make it. What he didn’t tell me was that the final sculpture would weigh two tons! When it arrived, we had to raise $50,000 overnight to build a granite base to support it.
That statue was just the beginning. Over time, Huo Bao Zhu fell in love with Troy University and our mission. He went on to donate more than $4 million worth of artwork to the university. Many of the statues you see on our campus today came from him.
In 2014, we awarded Huo Bao Zhu an honorary doctorate. As he accepted the degree, tears streamed down his face. He told us, “My parents were murdered during the Cultural Revolution in China. They would never have imagined that an American university would honor their son in this way.” He grew up in poverty, but through his talents as an artist, he overcame so much.
At that moment, he made a promise: in memory of his parents, he would send Troy 200 life-size replicas of the Terracotta Warriors. Today, those warriors stand in our cultural arts park. It’s a stunning tribute. To see their equivalent, you’d have to travel 10,000 miles to Xi’an.
This story, to me, is a powerful example of the human spirit. Governments may rise and fall, but relationships — true relationships — transcend time, place, and politics. That’s what really matters. Relationships last forever.
But I did want to mention something more personal about this story. Unfortunately, Huo Bao Zhu passed away in 2019, so it’s been five years since his passing. What’s remarkable is that, over all those years, we could never truly speak each other’s language — just little bits and pieces here and there. Yet, that never stopped us from building a meaningful relationship.
Four days before he passed, we FaceTimed. He was in a cancer hospital in China, and that’s ultimately what took his life. During that conversation, as we looked at each other, he didn’t say a single word about dying. Instead, he talked about living. He talked about his dream of returning to Troy to accept the invitation I had extended to him to become a visiting artist. He was excited about the possibility of working with our faculty, students, and the community. That’s what he was focused on — on living, creating, and giving back.
And that’s what I mean when I talk about the value of relationships. Sometimes, language isn’t a barrier. It’s the human spirit, the connection, and the commitment to building relationships that truly matter. In this world, bringing people together and fostering those connections is what’s most important. That’s what I’ve learned through experiences like this one, and it’s something I’ll always hold close to my heart.
Yitzi Weiner: Amazing answer. Dr. Hawkins, I want to thank you so much for your time. I’m very grateful that you shared so many inspiring stories with me and with our readers.
Jack Hawkins, Jr.: Well, it’s a real pleasure. And I’d like to invite you to come to Troy. Come and visit with us.
Yitzi Weiner: I’d be honored. I’d truly be honored to visit with you.
Jack Hawkins, Jr.: Well, we have a school of journalism that does quite well, and they’re focused on preparing journalists — not fake news, as some people refer to it, which we see too often in the world around us. We need more reporters like you who are willing to report the truth and not fabricate it. So, please come — we’d be delighted to introduce you to our university and our students.
Yitzi Weiner: It would be my honor. Thank you so much for your kindness.
Jack Hawkins, Jr.: Thank you. Thank you. Have a great day. Good to be with you.
Troy University Chancellor Dr Jack Hawkins, Jr On The Power of Relationships, Cross-Cultural Part was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.