Making the ‘write’ choice
After receiving her undergraduate degree in journalism from Texas A&M University, Charean Williams pursued a career in sports writing and earned a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018. Williams' passion for journalism inspired her to create scholarships so that future journalists have access to the same resources that she did.
By Haley Venglar ’19
“Roger Staubach throws a touchdown pass to Drew Pearson!” echoed the small but mighty voice of Charean Williams ‘86 through the pipes of her a-frame swing set. She had strategically removed the rubber caps, allowing her voice to resonate through the pipes as she practiced her play-by-play.
While almost all second-graders boast lofty ambitions about future careers, few actually become the fire-fighter/ballerina/doctors that they aspire to be. Williams, however, became everything she dreamt of being, and more, with the help of her journalism degree from the College of Liberal Arts.
Williams’ passion and knack for sports journalism earned her a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018 and inspired her to fund scholarships for Aggie journalism students.
“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.”
Along with classes, Williams sharpened her journalism skills as a writer for The Battalion, a popular student-run newspaper on campus.
Williams (far right) and poses for a photo in the Spring of 1986 with fellow editing staff members at The Battalion.
“Working at The Battalion was probably one of my favorite things about my time at A&M,” said Williams. “I made mistakes, but I also learned how to make them less often. I think that my time at The Battalion and in the journalism program helped to shape me into the writer that I am today.”
Williams also credits her success to the college’s dedicated faculty members.
“Bob Rogers, one of my journalism professors, showed me that sports writing was actually what I wanted to do,” said Williams. “I think that experience is everything, and I got a lot of it from people like Bob while I was a liberal arts student.”
She believes that the success of both current and future students is worth investing in; this belief drove her to give back to the college that kickstarted her success.
“To me, there’s nothing better than getting to help a student and see their successes come to fruition,” Williams said. “I really enjoy getting to meet the students and learn about them at the scholarship banquet. To me, the interaction with students and knowing I am helping someone succeed is what makes the scholarship fund so worth it.”
If she could offer students one piece of advice, Williams said that she would encourage current students to pursue their dreams no matter how time consuming and costly they might be.
“I always tell everyone that whatever it is that you want to do, whether it’s becoming a doctor, a trash collector, or a journalist, you have to pursue it with everything that you’ve got and don’t give up,” Williams said.
For more information on how you can impact students and faculty in your preferred area in the College of Liberal Arts, please contact Larry J. Walker II.