FAMU instructor and County Commissioner Dr. Bill Proctor said he tries to challenge his students “to have an awareness of their community and to know the importance of their role in community life.”
Proctor, a native of Tallahassee, was raised by parents who thoroughly enforced reading. His mother was a librarian and he recalls spending long hours immersed in books while awaiting the close of her busy workday. “There was something great about going to school and knowing how to read well,” said Proctor, who advanced in reading at a sophomore level by his fifth grade year at FAMU High. He later combined his reading ability with the empowerment of a strong voice.
” I try to hold a mirror in front of my student that reflects the values, strengths and roles they are to display in society.”
Morris Matthews, a senior political science/pre-law student said, “Dr. Proctor’s teaching style strays from the norm. In his class, I learn how the topics we discuss actually relate to my everyday life.” Proctor’s approach to teaching is greatly impacting his students. “You come away from his class wanting to make a difference,” said Morris.
Proctor said his ability to embody multiple roles is one of his greatest strengths. He serves as pastor of New St. John A.M.E. Church, County Commissioner District 1, a FAMU instructor of political science, a husband and a father of four. Amazingly, he is whole-heartedly committed to each of his posts. “I’ve always been interested in fields that I could lead and be the boss in,” he said.
His educational background is diverse and exceptional. He has a bachelor’s in Communication Arts, Public Relations and Political Science from Howard University; a Juris Doctorate from Howard University School of Law; Master in Divinity Studies in Theology and Ethics at Boston University; studied at the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta and attended Wesley School of Theology in Washington.
Commission aide DeLane Adams has worked under Dr. Proctor for three years in the District 1 Commissioner’s office. When asked what lessons he has learned from Proctor he said, “He [Proctor] has taught me to always stand up and fight for what I believe.” Proctor is known for going against the grain and soaring above status quo, a lesson that Adams fervently accepts.
“He is a person who would fit into any era, especially the civil rights era,” Morris said.
Proctor has a heart that is geared towards God and people. He said, “There is no defeat in life. We fall down, but we get up; everything that society would consider a set back is a spiritual stepping stone.”
proctor said “There’s a war to limit who FAMU students-their children and their grandchildren-can be.” He strives to help students develop their position in society by teaching them to verbalize their stance on the issues of life. He closes, “I try to provoke thought, and I give all that I’ve got so that these young warriors will be able to confront adversity in the world.”
Contact Carnell Hawthorne at famuanlifestyles@hotmail.com