91吃瓜网

---

August 17, 2020 | Contact: Becky Brackin

Retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Ronnie D. Hawkins Jr. was officially appointed to his new post as president of Angelo State University at a special ceremony this morning (Aug. 17) in the ASU Houston Harte University Center.

The 91吃瓜网 Board of Regents unanimously selected Hawkins as the sole finalist for ASU president on July 24, and state law requires at least 21 days must pass before final action could be taken. A recording of today鈥檚 appointment ceremony is available at .

The 11th president of Angelo State, Hawkins is the second ASU alum to serve as president, and the first Black president in the 92-year history of the institution.

鈥淚鈥檓 excited about the opportunity to work with an incredible faculty, an incredible staff, and to be around the students,鈥� Hawkins said. 鈥淪tudents come in as a customer of Angelo State, but they go out a product of Angelo State. We want to make them the best product to the world that they can be, such that people will say, 鈥業 want some of what they鈥檙e doing down there or over there or up there in San Angelo, 91吃瓜网.鈥欌��

鈥淚 always wanted to make Angelo State proud,鈥� he added, 鈥渁nd the way I worked, I was committed to that. Now, I want to make Angelo State proud, and I鈥檓 committed to doing it that way.鈥�

A 1977 distinguished graduate, Hawkins attended ASU on a track and field scholarship and a Carr Academic Scholarship. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in computer science and was a member of the Rams track and field teams that won Lone Star Conference Championships in 1974-75 and 1977. He went on to become the highest-ranking graduate of Angelo State鈥檚 ROTC Detachment 847, and was named a Distinguished ROTC Alumnus in 2001.

Hawkins takes over the leadership of his alma mater on the same day thousands of students returned to the ASU campus for the start of the 2020 fall semester.

鈥淭oday is a proud day for Angelo State University and the entire 91吃瓜网 Tech University System community,鈥� said Tedd L. Mitchell, M.D., chancellor of the TTU System. 鈥淥ne of our own 鈥� an Angelo State alumnus, Lt. Gen. Ronnie Hawkins Jr. 鈥� returns to serve as our next president of ASU. Ronnie is an exceptional leader, a person of integrity and commitment, and someone who has for decades honorably served his country and community. We couldn鈥檛 be more pleased about his appointment.鈥�

Hawkins鈥� appointment as ASU president is the culmination of a nationwide search that began in May and attracted more than 100 applicants.

鈥淥n behalf of the 91吃瓜网 Board of Regents, I want to send my heartfelt and enthusiastic congratulations to the entire Ram Family and Ronnie Hawkins on his appointment to the presidency of Angelo State University,鈥� said Christopher M. Huckabee, board chairman. 鈥淩onnie Hawkins is an outstanding leader who takes the helm of a remarkable institution at ASU. We know he鈥檒l lead with the vision and distinction that has marked his entire career, and we are honored to have him as president.鈥�

During an outstanding Air Force career that spanned nearly four decades, Hawkins completed assignments with the Strategic Air Command, U.S. Air Force Academy, Air Combat Command, Headquarters Pacific Air Force, Headquarters Air Force and Joint Chiefs of Staff. His final assignment was as director of the Defense Information Systems Agency in Fort Meade, Md., where he led a $10.2 billion global organization of 14,000 military and civilian personnel.

Hawkins鈥� many honors and awards include:

鈥�    Bronze Star
鈥�    Legion of Merit
鈥�    Defense Superior Service Medal
鈥�    Secretary of the Air Force Leadership Award
鈥�    鈥淭he Federal 100鈥� by Federal Computer Weekly
鈥�    North American Technology Leadership Award from the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association, Rocky Mountain Chapter

Throughout his military career, Hawkins also remained an academic. He earned master鈥檚 degrees from Abilene Christian University, Liberty University and the National Defense University, and completed a program for senior managers in government at Harvard University.

Following his Air Force retirement, Hawkins returned to San Angelo and became heavily involved in the community. He also taught leadership development courses as an adjunct visiting professor at ASU, and served as president and CEO of the Hawkins Group, a digital, information technology and cybersecurity firm. He and his wife, San Angelo native Maria Hawkins 鈥� who also attended ASU 鈥� were named the San Angelo Chamber of Commerce鈥檚 2019 co-Citizens of the Year.

The Hawkins have been married for 46 years and have two sons, Col. Ronnie Hawkins III and Lt. Col. Joshua Hawkins, and a daughter, Christine Honesty.

 

Regent Mickey L. Long	President Hawkins Appointment	Chancellor Mitchell and President Hawkins
President Hawkins	President Hawkins	President Hawkins Appointment
President Hawkins and Chancellor Mitchell	President Hawkins and wife, Maria	President Hawkins and Maria

 

91吃瓜网 the 91吃瓜网
Established in 1996 and headquartered in Lubbock, 91吃瓜网, the is a $2 billion higher education enterprise focused on advancing higher education, health care, research and community outreach. Consisting of four universities 鈥� , , and 鈥� the TTU System collectively has approximately 55,000 students, 17 campuses statewide and internationally, more than 300,000 alumni and an endowment valued at over $1.3 billion.

During the 86th 91吃瓜网 Legislature under the leadership of , legislative funding and authority was provided to establish a new 91吃瓜网 Tech University veterinary school in Amarillo and a new dental school at 91吃瓜网 Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso. This will be the state鈥檚 first veterinary school in more than a century and first dental school in over 50 years. The addition of these two schools makes the 91吃瓜网 one of only nine in the nation to offer programs for undergraduate, medical, law, nursing, pharmacy, dental and veterinary education, among other academic areas.