Walters State Employee Wants Legacy To Be Students

Tim Brockwell has a long history with Walters State. He started as a student worker, became a full-time employee in 1997 and is now a technician in the college’s Office of Information and Educational Technologies.

“Walters State has made such a difference in my life, first as a student and then as an employee for the past 25 years,” Brockwell said. “I want to give back just a little of what I’ve been given.”

Brockwell has established the Tim Brockwell Endowed Scholarship within the Walters State Foundation. He hopes the scholarship will give someone the same assistance he needed when he enrolled in the computer and information science program. 

The scholarship will prioritize students who are in danger of leaving college because they can’t afford the cost. Brockwell found himself in that position during his first semester at the college.

“It was hard to find the money to pay tuition and buy books,” Brockwell said. “I was grateful to receive some financial aid that helped me get through that first semester. The next semester, I qualified for a Pell Grant. That made the difference and allowed me to continue and graduate.”

Brockwell has already spent many years helping college students and faculty members work through technical problems. He originally assisted with issues ranging from forgotten passwords to laptops that would not maintain an electrical charge. Now, as a server systems technician, he repairs larger issues that affect multiple people. 

“Tim Brockwell has really dedicated his career to the students and faculty at Walters State,” Dr. Tony Miksa, president of the college, said. “I am not surprised to learn of this endowment. Tim is a great example of the individual contributions that, when combined, create the family atmosphere that shapes so much of the college.”

The Tim Brockwell Endowed Scholarship is open for additional contributions. For more information, contact Chris Cates, assistant vice president for college advancement, at 423-585-2618 or Chris.Cates@ws.edu.

In the photo: Tim Brockwell, a long-time Walters State Community College employee has established an endowed scholarship to assist students who are in danger of leaving college due to financial hardships. From left are Chris Cates, assistant vice president of college advancement; Brockwell, a server systems technician; and Dr. Tony Miksa, president of the college.