New Campbell president, first lady commend community’s ‘eagerness, hope, excitement’ after first visit to Buies Creek
Read: Dr. William Downs named Campbell University’s sixth president
His scarlet red tie supplanted by a crisp orange one, Dr. William Downs joked that his acclimation to all things Campbell had officially begun. His only fear — a nod to the recent AllState commercial where an oblivious Alabama fan shouts “High Tide” to a group of athletes getting off the bus — was flubbing his new university’s rally cry on the first day.
“I promise not to do anything that foolish,” Downs said at his first luncheon as Campbell’s next president on Monday — approved unanimously by the University’s Board of Trustees just hours earlier — before clearing his throat, pumping his fist and saying it with confidence.
“Roll Humps.”
The following day, Downs was officially introduced as just the sixth president in Campbell’s 138-year history at a press conference in Butler Chapel. The current 13th president of Gardner-Webb University (he officially begins at Campbell on July 1), Downs will bring to Buies Creek 30 years of experience in higher education, with prior roles as a dean and professor of political science at East Carolina University and professor and department chair at Georgia State University.
He and wife Kimberly spent two whirlwind days in Buies Creek, meeting trustees, faculty and staff, students and other members of the Campbell community in between various speeches, luncheons and the aforementioned press gathering. Toward the end of his long campus introduction, Downs said he was surprised — in a very pleasant way — by the “sentiment of eagerness, hope and excitement” from everybody they met.
“The breadth of positivity and hope for the future here was rewarding and really buoyed my spirits,” he said. “Clearly the glass is half full for the students at Campbell University. It’s more than half full. They love being here, and they want to see it thrive.”
Downs will be the first Campbell president with prior experience in that role at another institution, and he got to know his predecessor, Dr. J. Bradley Creed, during Campbell’s recent stint in the Big South Conference. Before the Fighting Camels’ departure to the Coastal Athletic Association, they and Gardner-Webb formed a friendly football rivalry in the form of an annual East-West BBQ Bowl, with the winner taking home a silver pig trophy.
When Campbell won the inaugural game in 2022, Bill and Kimberly Downs traveled to Buies Creek to serve the team barbecue as part of a bet payoff.
“I’ve known Dr. Creed for almost six years … and I feel honored and privileged to succeed him,” Downs said. “His will be big shoes to fill.”
One thing Downs made clear in his messaging to the community — he’s ready to hit the ground running. He pledged a “controlled urgency” approach, to have a plan from Day 1 and to execute that plan with a determined, but careful, approach.
“I cannot wait to roll up my sleeves with you and make this the place that you want it to be,” he said. “I have studied as much as I can about Campbell University. I have absorbed the data; I have watched every YouTube video possible. I’m an up-tempo guy, and the moment I arrive on July 1, we’re going to get busy. I’m excited about that.”
Downs touted Campbell’s rich history and its strong sense of community and family. He said both he and his wife appreciate the university’s “foundation firmly rooted in faith” and the overall belief that a life of inquiry can coexist and complement a life of faith — “where compassion can complement conviction.”
During his six years at Gardner-Webb, Downs led the school — located in Boiling Springs, North Carolina — through the challenges brought on by COVID pandemic. During that time, he implemented a five-year Strategic Plan for Growth and Excellence and oversaw the addition of several new undergraduate and graduate programs. Also during that time, Gardner-Webb made major capital additions and improvements to its dining facilities, outdoor performance area, resident halls, student health clinic, library and athletics facilities. In 2022, he was named one of Charlotte’s “Most Admired CEOs” by Charlotte Business Journal.
Downs will remain in Boiling Springs through the spring, but he will ask Campbell for one thing before he’s officially a Camel — an email address. He anticipates sharing a lot of documents and taking part in a lot of Zoom calls between now and July 1.
“I come to Buies Creek with my eyes wide open, fully aware that our university — like most, if not all, universities — faces challenges,” he said. “But I come in with an overwhelming sense of confidence that Campbell’s best days are ahead of it … that we can build on our tradition of excellence while being nimble enough to grow, evolve and meet the needs of employers in a changing society.
“Our society needs more Campbell graduates. It needs more Campbell doctors, more Campbell pharmacists, engineers, educators, social scientists and more graduates who understand and appreciate the humanities, the natural sciences, business and more. It needs graduates who are ready not just for their career, but ready to lift up their community, society and the world.”
Downs pledged an “ambitious and achievable plan” for the future of Campbell, one that prioritizes student success and sharpens and strengthens the school’s identity. He said under his leadership, the school will be intentional and aggressive about marketing a strong Campbell brand.
“There will be no such thing as a best-kept secret,” he said. “There will be no such thing as a hidden gem. We will be an indispensable partner for this community. Our impact will be felt. We will bring our experts to the table when this community and this region has important conversations about public policy or about law.
“This is a new chapter in our history. So buckle up, ladies and gentlemen. Get ready to be reintroduced to Campbell University.”
As William Downs spoke to the cameras toward the end of his Tuesday press conference, Kim Downs stood nearby and smiled as their busy 36-hour first impression came to a close. She said she was thrilled with the reception they received, adding that everyone seemed genuinely happy to meet them and speak to them. She beamed as she shared the story of meeting a Gardner-Webb graduate (now a Campbell grad student) in the student union and breaking the news to her that they were coming to Buies Creek.
Atop the list of the many reasons she and her husband chose to come to Campbell is the opportunity to “return home,” she said. The two first met in Sunday School while elementary students in their hometown of Raleigh and started dating in high school. The parents of two adult children — Rachel is a 2018 graduate of the University of Georgia and earned her Doctor of Dental Medicine from ECU in 2023, and Bradley is a 2021 graduate of NC State who earned a Master of Public Administration from UNC in 2023 — the Downs said moving to the Triangle means being closer to them, as well as Williams’ 96-year-old father in Cary and Kim’s sisters in Cary and Raleigh.
“Family is so important to us, and we just know Campbell is going to be a place, like Gardner-Webb, with a wonderful family atmosphere,” she said. “Already, we just feel a connection here, and this just feels like the right step.”