Forces in Motion

Dr. Wilson Hawkins: Celebrating a Village of Mentors and Colleagues

Dr. Wilson Hawkins’ energy and enthusiasm in the classroom is contagious. The assistant professor of physics and director of the Gardner-Webb University Honors Program connects with students, whether they are passionate investigators or new explorers of the science of matter, motion, and energy.

Hawkins arrived at the University in 2021. His storytelling teaching style, which relates physics concepts to everyday experiences, made him a favorite with students. He also welcomes collaboration with faculty and staff to deliver innovative programs. He continued to conduct atomic physics experimental research while mentoring students and inspiring them to present their work at academic conferences. For those reasons and more, Gardner- Webb University President Dr. William M. Downs presented Hawkins with the President’s Early Career Award for 2024.

“Dr. Hawkins is off to a fast and impressive start as a member of the Gardner-Webb faculty,” Downs praised. “He exemplifies what we look for in our assistant professors—a clear commitment to instructional innovation and student success, a continuing dedication to advancing new knowledge in a disciplinary field, and a consistent record of collegiality as a member of the GWU community.”

Hawkins is the seventh recipient of the Early Career Award, presented to full-time assistant professors who demonstrate outstanding performance in professional development and excellence in service. The annual award includes an additional cash prize designated for professional development opportunities for Hawkins.

He was nominated by College of Arts and Sciences Dean Dr. Robert G. Prickett, Dr. David Campbell, associate professor and natural sciences chair, and Dr. James Morgan, professor of psychology. All three commended his dedication to students. Prickett noted that Hawkins had re-designed five of his courses around online open resource materials. He also mentored three biology seminar students and 20 students’ poster presentations for regional and national honors conferences. Two of those students one national awards for their work.

Hawkins expressed his gratitude to everyone at Gardner-Webb for their encouragement. “It is an honor to be nominated by my peers for this award,” he shared. “I can’t take sole credit for my work, as I have a wealth of ongoing support from students, colleagues, administrative assistants, and department chairs. These folks have treated me like family from the first day I stepped on campus. Thank you to everyone who chose to lift me up with this recognition. I am truly blessed and grateful to be a part of Gardner-Webb University.”

When talking about his achievements, Hawkins points to others. “I’ve just had one excellent mentor, after excellent mentor,” he reflected. “I can’t take credit for any of my success, because I’m just a product of a village of people who put me here.”

His “village” begins with family and extends to teachers, professors and colleagues. Hawkins is from a small town located near Asheboro, N.C. His maternal grandfather attended Gardner- Webb before serving as a minister in the Asheboro/Greensboro area for over 50 years. His paternal grandfather graduated with an accounting degree from East Carolina University (ECU) in Greenville, N.C.

While his parents didn’t attend college, they saw their son’s potential and pushed him to excel academically. His mom homeschooled him until the eighth grade, providing the foundation for his success.

At age 14, he entered public high school, and his father put him to work in the family construction business as motivation. “I worked with him every summer and winter break,” Hawkins related. “You know, I’m complaining. I don’t want to carry shingles up the ladder anymore. He would always like to grin and respond, ‘Well, do your homework, stay in school. It makes you want to go to college, doesn’t it?’”

His high school teachers further encouraged him, and he discovered an interest in math. When he decided to pursue higher education at ECU, he leaned towards a degree in the science field. “During my first calculus class, Dr. (Orville) Day explained to me the relationship between physics and math and gave me the answer to the question that all the kids in high school have in their math class: ‘When will we ever use this?’” Hawkins shared. “And the answer to the question is physics. So, the moment he showed that to me, I realized this physics thing is something that I have to be around. I told him I wanted to change my major.”

Soon, Hawkins was volunteering in the ECU tutoring center. The director, Dr. Elizabeth Coghill, recognized his talents, gave him more responsibilities, and he became the lead physics tutor. He helped Dr. Jefferson Shinpaugh in the ECU Accelerator Lab. He earned a bachelor’s in physics, master’s in applied physics and a Ph.D. in biomedical physics. The research was fascinating, but Hawkins had discovered his love for teaching, which led him to apply for the position at Gardner- Webb to teach introductory physics.

“These survey courses contain the exact material that I spent thousands of hours tutoring, teaching, and falling in love with as a student,” Hawkins related. “My first impressions of the Gardner-Webb faculty and administration were overwhelmingly positive. This realized sense of community makes me proud to be a part of Bulldog Nation.”

Hawkins supervises the GWU Williams Observatory and teaches General Physics, University Physics, and Astronomy courses with accompanying laboratory components. “The majority of my students are applying to graduate and professional programs that require physics for admission as well as their entrance exams,” he explained. “I get to work with some of the best science
students at the University every single day.”

He’s also accepted additional responsibilities. In 2022, Hawkins was named director of the Honors Program. He had participated in various Honors’ activities and wanted to continue engaging students in undergraduate research. In 2023, Hawkins partnered with the Division of Student Success to work with the first Living and Learning Community (LLC), where first-year students participate in a shared academic endeavor and live in the same residence hall. After a successful year, more LLCs are planned.

Hawkins looks for opportunities to support his Gardner-Webb colleagues. “Because, ever since I got here, all anybody’s ever done—administrative assistants, faculty, staff, whoever—is help me,” he asserted. “So, if anybody asks for my help, then I’m paying it forward. This machine was already a family before I showed up, so I’m just trying to play my part.”