King Edsel (Ed) Williams, Jr. Endowed Scholarship in Journalism

A conversation with King Edsel (Ed) Williams, Jr.

Why did you choose to create a scholarship at Auburn University?
This scholarship was formed in appreciation to Auburn students—past, present and future—who have meant to much to me.

What would you want the recipients of this scholarship to know about the person for whom it is named?
I spent 30 years as a professor of journalism, 23 of those years as faculty adviser of the _Auburn __Plainsman_. I was on the journalism faculty from 1983 until my retirement in 2013.

Tell us about your Auburn story, favorite tradition, a “War Eagle!” moment, or what Auburn has meant to you.
The impact I’ve had on the lives of Auburn students comes to me practically daily through email and Facebook messages from my former students, both in the classroom and the Auburn Plainsman.

What do you hope your recipients gain through this scholarship?
I hope recipients gain a love and appreciation of journalism. Whether journalism is through print or online, there will always be news to report and stories to tell. Journalists will always “gather the facts and tell the stories.”