Keynote & Awards Ceremony
Please join us a for an exciting keynote address on Tuesday, March 24, 2026 at 5:15pm in the Oscar N. Harris student Union Ballrooms.
The keynote speaker for the 15th Annual Academic Symposium is new Campbell President, Dr. William Downs. Dr. Downs, an accomplished academic leader and political science scholar with more than 30 years of experience in higher education, began his duties as Campbell University's sixth president on July 1, 2025. Prior to coming to Campbell, he was the 13th president of Gardner-Webb University where he advanced academics, athletics and student life, and spearheaded major capital projects including the construction of a state-of-the-art cafeteria, an amphitheater and an indoor baseball facility. Dr. Downs was an elected member of the Big South Conference Executive Council, and under his leadership, Gardner-Webb revitalized its sports programs, bringing championship wins in basketball, football, tennis and soccer. Academically, he modernized the general education core curriculum, ultimately increasing accessibility and enrollment, while preserving the university's faith-based identity. His leadership also guided Gardner-Webb through the uncertainties of the COVID-19 pandemic and the recovery of a devastating hurricane.
Before his presidency, Dr. Downs was dean of the Thomas Harriott College of Arts and Sciences, a professor of political science and the W. Keats Sparrow distinguished chair in liberal arts at East Carolina University from 2014 to 2019. From 1997 to 2014, he served a number of roles at Georgia State University, including area dean for social and behavioral sciences for the College of Arts and Sciences, professor and chair for the Department of Political Science, co-director for the Center for Human Rights and Democracy and director of graduate studies.
Dr. Downs' career in higher education began at Emory University in Atlanta, where he served as a graduate teaching associate and eventually a visiting assistant professor after earning his Master's Degree and Ph.D. from there in 1994. A native of Raleigh, he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from North Carolina State University. During his career in higher education, his research has focused on various areas of political science, including political extremism, anti-immigration movements, political parties and electoral systems and nationalism and ethno-territorial politics. He has served as a member of several regional and national political science associations and was an elected member of the executive board for the Georgia Political Science Association.
Awards Ceremony
The Awards Ceremony will begin at 5:15pm in Oscar N. Harris Student Union Ballroom B.
| Schedule | |
|---|---|
| Welcome | Mr. Steve Bahnaman, Dean of the Library |
| Keynote Speaker Introduction | Dr. Michael Adams, Vice President for Academic Affairs & Provost |
| Keynote Address | Dr. William Downs, President, Campbell University |
| Symposium Awards | Dr. Michael Adams, Vice President for Academic Affairs & Provost, and Mr. Steve Bahnaman, Dean of the Library |
| Announcement of Ester H. Howard Student Research Fellows | Dr. Michael Adams, Vice President for Academic Affairs & Provost |
| Closing Remarks | Meredith Beeman and Brooke Taxakis, Academic Symposium Planning Committee Co-Chairs |
