This Is Who I Am: President Tony D. Hawkins

By Elisabeth Costanzo Stewart

The energy in the room was contagious. A record-breaking number of faculty and staff buzzed at their tables to a carefully curated playlist of jazzy ballroom classics in anticipation of the big moment – President Tony D. Hawkins’ inaugural address at the Fall 2023 Faculty Staff Assembly. After thanking his new colleagues for their warm welcome, he shared his commitment to spend his first 100 days on campus actively listening to learn about the College’s culture, strengths, and connections to the community. His thoughts on the differences between “change” and “transition” and engaging examples of his leadership style prompted the crowd to give SUNY Broome’s eighth President a standing ovation. During a brief one-hour hiatus from his role of chief listener, President Hawkins took some time to tell stories about his life and share his hopes for the future. 

Tony D. Hawkins was born and raised in the Washington, D.C metropolitan area. At an early age, he gravitated toward music, first playing the saxophone, before mastering most of the woodwind section. After a stint with the D.C. Youth Orchestra, Hawkins was invited to attend St. John’s College High School, a private, Catholic, military prep school, on a music scholarship. In addition to performing in the regimental band, Dr. Hawkins played in the pit orchestra to accompany the school musicals. One day during a rehearsal, he looked up from the pit and thought, “I can do that!” Turns out, he could, and he landed the leading role in the spring musical, “Anything Goes”. With that, the trajectory of his life changed.

After graduating from St. John’s College High School, Dr. Hawkins attended Towson University. He started out as a biology student, but after spending a summer performing four shows a day, six days a week at Kings Dominion amusement park, he returned for his sophomore year and pivoted to a much more fitting communications degree. Dr. Hawkins then pursued his graduate studies at the University of Georgia, earning a Master of Arts in Speech Communication and Rhetoric.

With his degrees in tow, Dr. Hawkins immersed himself in the world of the performing arts. During the grind of balancing auditions with performances, a friend reached out to see if he could cover her teaching load for a semester at Prince George’s Community College in Largo, Maryland. Hawkins agreed and began teaching courses in radio, television, and film production, as well as theater and public speaking.

In the lecture halls of Prince George’s Community College, Dr. Hawkins had his “A Chorus Line” moment. Just as the character Mike sings about finding his home in a dance class, Dr. Hawkins felt the same way about a community college classroom. The lyrics say it all. “I got to class and had it made. And so I stayed the rest of my life.” (In President Hawkins’ case, for the next 32 years.) 

His talent for teaching was quickly noticed, and Dr. Hawkins was promoted to Associate Professor. While he understood the role of teaching faculty, he didn’t know anything about the hierarchy or structure of higher education. At the suggestion of his mentor, a senior faculty member, he joined the faculty senate as vice president, and was exposed to the inner workings of a college’s administration. Once again, he had the innate feeling, “I can do that!”

When not in the classroom, Dr. Hawkins continued to perform, patiently and hopefully waiting for Hal Prince to call offering him a starring role in a multicultural revival of “Les Miserables.” Though that particular call didn’t come, many credits did. Most notably a role in a production of “Of Thee I Sing,” where President Hawkins earned his Actors’ Equity Association card and met his partner, Lance Pennington, the Assistant Props Director. 

“I feel like being involved in theater was the perfect foundation for a future college presidency,” shared President Hawkins. “While I certainly learned a lot from my military education, I truly believe that my discipline, organization, and problem solving skills were developed because of my theater training in performance and direction. Just like in higher education, the theater calls upon you to take limited resources and make magic.” 

After helping a group of honors students explore top baccalaureate transfer schools, Dr. Hawkins did a bit of personal research. He found a list of the best graduate programs for higher education administration and submitted applications. He spent the next year studying at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, then completing his Ph.D. at New York University, which at the time was unofficially considered the training school for future college presidents. 

Dr. Hawkins spent the next twenty-five years in leadership roles in both academic and student affairs at community colleges across the northeast. Though his titles and responsibilities varied at each institution, he consistently worked to creatively and collaboratively provide students access to opportunities via a quality education. After serving for eight years as the Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs, Continuing Education, and Workforce Development at Frederick Community College in Maryland, he felt ready to enter the presidential arena. 

Unlike many college presidents, Dr. Hawkins’ career trajectory may seem a tad slower than the norm. But that was deliberate. 

“Once I am at an institution, I like to stay, learn, and see initiatives through to fruition,” said Dr. Hawkins. “When you spend a lot of time at an academic institution, the relationships that you build make it difficult to leave.”

Last spring, Dr. Hawkins made the decision to actively enter the presidential market. As a finalist in several national searches, he spent the next several months touring campuses and presenting at open forums. While the process was admittedly grueling at times, Dr. Hawkins hoped that something great was coming. To decompress, he traveled to Florida to spend a few days relaxing with his father. At the end of their time together, “Hawk” dropped “Little Hawk” off at the airport and reiterated his son’s hope. 

A few minutes later, as Dr. Hawkins stood smack in the middle of a crowded Southwest Airlines boarding line, his phone rang. On the other end was Kathy Connerton, Chair of SUNY Broome’s Board of Trustees. Connerton, and her fellow members of the board, wanted to ask Dr. Hawkins a quick question. “Would you do us the honor of accepting the position of SUNY Broome’s eighth President?”

Dr. Hawkins was ecstatic! As was the woman standing in line in front of him who couldn’t help but eavesdrop. But given his current location, decorum was a temporary must. 

“I was ready to explode! Those next three hours on my flight home were the most exciting hours of my life. I just sat quietly and let it all sink in, feeling so honored and thankful that SUNY Broome had selected me to be their President,” beamed Dr. Hawkins. 

Upon arriving in the Southern Tier in July 2023, President Hawkins was immediately overwhelmed by the gracious welcome that he received from both the campus community and the community at large. While there were differences for sure, Dr. Hawkins was surprised to notice just how many places within the region reminded him of D.C. and Frederick, Maryland. While moving to a new city is unquestionably daunting, life became a little easier once he found a gym and the Johnson City Wegmans. 

With sources of sustenance and exercise squared away, Dr. Hawkins jumped right in to immersing himself into the culture of the Southern Tier. Through #PresidentHawkins’Adventures, he happily rode the C. Fred Johnson carousel, hiked the trails of SUNY Broome’s Natural Area, and competed in a cook-off at the 2023 Spiedie Fest, taking home a second-place prize. 

On campus, President Hawkins’ conversations with students, faculty and staff, alumni, and industry partners, serve to guide his leadership in maintaining and strengthening the mission of SUNY Broome, while simultaneously concentrating on the College’s transformational future. 

Now, more than ever, President Hawkins sees the power of the community college as a source of access to furthering academic and professional pursuits, in addition to serving as an engine for economic development. 

“I have a good instinct about when things in life are going to take off. And I have that feeling about Broome County. I just want to be here to watch it all happen and to do my part.”

 

 

View President Hawkins’ special holiday greeting: Holiday Message from President Tony D. Hawkins

Read more stories like President Hawkins’ profile in the digital edition of BROOME Magazine!

 

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