Motivated by the Lord, junior Carter Williams, balances majoring in industrial and systems engineering with his various responsibilities at Auburn exemplifying just one student’s background within the Honors College.
It was at an Auburn reception in Mobile when Williams developed an interest in the school. A student recruiter discussed Williams’ ACT with him and suggested he look into the Honors College.
“The first time we came to visit Auburn, you know I wasn’t a VIT student or anything,” Williams said. “I was just up here on a normal campus visit before war eagle day, but I made it a point to stop in the Honors College, talk [to Kathie] Mattox and see what all the Honors College offered.”
After visiting with two advisors in the Honors College, Williams was convinced. Williams said it was getting to hear about some of the benefits of the college including its senior year experience that made him decide to participate.
One of Williams first experiences with the Honors College was through the k(no)w poverty week of service, a program offered to incoming freshman through the Honors College to get to know one another, volunteer and help the community before their first week of school.
“The week of service has probably been my largest honors involvement,” Williams said. “It was that first week of college, I was really kinda overwhelmed being at this big university...it was kinda intimidating, just coming up here and meeting people that I didn’t know.”
Williams said although he felt he didn’t make the most of his week of service, he has grown since he was a college freshman. Describing his entry to college as a learning curve, Williams said there are a lot of responsibilities and experiences as a freshman.
“I got to campus and I met so many students, and in particular the honors students because they were who I was in classes with, who were making the most of their time here at Auburn,” Williams said.
Since coming in, Williams has picked up a minor in statistics and become a student recruiter as well as an honors ambassador.
Being an ambassador for the Honors College involves welcoming new students and preparing them for what the Honors College will involve.
“My favorite part is the prospective students and their families that come in,” Williams said. “Sometimes they have a meeting and then sometimes they just show up, and if advisors are full I get to be that face of the honors college…I get to hand them the info sheet, explain some of the curricula to them and then tell them my experience with it.”
Williams said although the Honors College does have extra responsibilities and work, it has encouraged him.
“Professors respect the honors at the end of your title and grad schools definitely respect students who chose to take that extra step and make that honors a part of their education,” Williams said.
Williams said his main goal since coming into Auburn has been to make the most of his time at school.
Outside of honors and academics, Williams found a number of interests at Auburn.
His first call out experience, football games and getting to rush the field at the Iron Bowl are among some of Williams’ favorite Auburn memories.
Williams faith and childhood make him into who he is today. Though William’s father committed suicide when he was four, his stepdad was a father to him.
“In sixth grade, he fell off the roof of our house and had a life-threatening brain injury,” Williams said. “I struggled so much with what’s it mean to be a man, what’s it mean to glorify the Lord through my work.”
Through these struggles, Williams’ mom was his role model and rock.
“She’s really a rock, so having her example, even though she wasn’t the man of the house, couldn’t do everything, to be that dad for us,” Williams said. “She set a great example of how to work hard and to persevere.”
Williams’ drive to succeed in life and make the most of his experiences and become who he’s supposed to be is motivated by his faith in the Lord.
“I want to do everything to the glory of the Lord,” Williams said. “That’s really the driving force behind all that. Just working hard. Whatever I do I want to give it my best. I just want to glorify him through it all.”
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