People: Billy Hawkins
For years, only those who knew him knew his story. But when U.S. News & World Report (Dec. 13, 1993) featured him in a cover story on the nation's special education system, the tale of Billy Hawkins, Ph.D. '85, associate dean of education at Ferris State University, has now gone national--with a video and a book to follow.
For the first 15 years of his life, Hawkins was labeled by his teachers 'educable mentally retarded' and herded into special education. Then one day, while a sophomore in high school in Kent, OH, he caught his principal's eye. A back-up quarterback, he came into a game and ran complex football plays with total mastery. Principal Mike Kneale, now a motivational speaker, convinced the teachers to enroll Billy in regular classes, and the rest is history.
Billy caught up with unbelievable speed. Three university degrees later, Billy became a Lansing teacher, was named Outstanding Young Man of America in 1985, served on Michigan's Committee of Scholars in 1990, and now is a full professor at Ferris State. More importantly, he has become a national role model and spokesperson. In February, he gave the keynote address in the U.S. Congress and received a standing ovation.
'Well,' he says with laughter, 'either they liked what I said or they wanted me to leave.' More likely, they liked his story, as have countless audiences around the country. 'Since the U.S. News story, I've heard from people all over the country,' he says. 'Parents have called me because they have a kid that had the same experience. We've got to do something about labeling. We have to constantly re-assess it.'
Billy credits a fellow Spartan, John Shinsky, a former Academic All-American guard on MSU's football team, with his national speaking tours. His message is 'never understimate human potential.' Explains Billy: 'You have to find something a kid is goot at, and then build on the positive. That builds confidence, and with that comes success.'
