Former student named 2020 Distinguished Alumni
Former student and Pro Football Hall of Fame writer Charean Williams '86 was recently named a Distinguished Alumni, the highest honor bestowed on Texas A&M University former students.
By Alix Poth ’18
Williams receiving the award via Zoom.
Charean Williams ’86 was recently named a Distinguished Alumni, the highest honor bestowed on Texas A&M University former students, by The Association of Former Students on April 24, 2020.
The Distinguished Alumnus Awards was established in 1962, and has been given to only 302 of Texas A&M’s more than 517,000 former students. Presented jointly by the university and The Association of Former Students, this award recognizes Aggies who have achieved excellence in their chosen professions and made meaningful contributions to Texas A&M University and their local communities.
Williams, a sportswriter with more than 25 years covering the NFL, was inducted in 2018 to the writers’ wing of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, is a Pro Football Hall of Fame selector and was the first woman president of the Pro Football Writers of America.
Upon receiving the Distinguished Alumni Award, Williams shared on Twitter, “It’s not often you can leave a writer speechless. This is the highest honor an Aggie can get. Wow! Thank you and Gig ‘em!”
She graduated from the Texas A&M College of Liberal Arts in 1986 with a degree in journalism. She developed a passion for giving back to College of Liberal Arts students, and has funded scholarships for Aggie journalism majors.
“I chose to give to the College of Liberal Arts because not only do I want journalism to stay around, but I want to see it prosper and grow,” said Williams. “I want to help bring future journalists to Texas A&M and watch them go on to lead successful careers.”
Read more about Williams’ journey at Texas A&M University here.
Williams receiving the award via Zoom.