Joseph Williams, G'66, Plans a Gift to Provide Student Scholarships

By: Damon Markiewicz

From an early age, Joseph Williams, G’66, realized he had a desire to serve others while establishing a career in para medical profession. Now, as a retired certified therapeutic recreation specialist living in Sweden, he remains committed to supporting the next generation of students so they can explore their passions. 

Williams spent his 28-year career as an educator in his field, primarily in the State of Connecticut University System. He has also served as a lecturer and consultant for programs at universities, health care facilities, organizations, and community-based programs in the United States and Sweden. 

“When I first started studying at Southern University in 1957, the profession was called hospital recreation, and it was a new profession,” explained Williams. “At the time, I thought this was exactly what I was looking for, something in between sports and the medical profession, so I began to study for that career, and I earned a degree four years later.” 

After earning his bachelor’s degree in 1961, Williams started his career in therapeutic recreation at Newington Children’s Hospital, Conn., where he worked as a specialist and was encouraged to explore a master’s degree in the therapeutic recreation field at Springfield College. It was during this time that Williams was reminded of the importance for different rehabilitation professions to collaborate. In addition, Williams started to understand the differences that existed between rehabilitation services that are available in hospitals in the United States, compared to other countries. 

“I primarily focused on children in hospitals, and play in hospitals was coupled with therapy, you didn’t work singularly, you worked with other professions like occupational therapy and physical therapy,” described Williams. “I found out that in Scandinavian countries, all of this basic medical care was free, but in the United States, these types of programs were rare and somewhat expensive. It wasn’t something you found in every hospital in the U.S., but in Europe, it was found in every hospital. Children have a right for play, and have a right to have their parents stay with them while they get better.” 

At the time of recognizing these differences, Williams was transitioning into a career in higher education. He first established a two-year therapeutic recreation program at Northwestern Connecticut Community College, followed by developing an undergraduate and graduate programs at Southern Connecticut State University. 

“During my time at Southern Connecticut State University, I set up an international studies program, where I took my students to Scandinavia to observe different types of programs in different hospitals in Iceland, Denmark, Finland, and Sweden,” explained Williams. “When I retired in 1996, I moved to Sweden and served as a consultant with the Swedish Handicap Institute, where we had different types of programs throughout the country, such as skiing, horseback riding, and canoeing for the disabled. Also, I taught at several universities in Sweden on a part-time basis, discussing our programs in the United States and our model for education. At that time in Sweden, they did not have a special education for the people in need, they were preschool teachers and they wanted to copy the U.S. program, and I helped develop that program.” 

Being a part of his chosen profession, Williams was able to enhance his passion to help others, and live the Humanics philosophy, something that he fell in love with during his time at Springfield College. 

“What I find so rewarding is being part of programs that are designed to return the person back to the community, and allow that person to have opportunities to participate in activities just as the general population,” explained Williams. “The future outlook is for more acceptance for people with physical or psychological limitations, and that’s a special feeling when we can integrate them into the general population without having a label on them.” 

During his time as a student, Williams witnessed first-hand what makes Springfield College a special place. He is forever grateful to the faculty who served as mentors and provided the guidance to Williams that helped him become a successful professional in his field. The authentic compassion he experienced as a student inspired him to always strive to give back to the College and its students. 

“After I completed my master’s degree at Springfield College and worked for many years, I decided to give back, as I’ve always felt that people should give back when they have the opportunity to do so,” explained Williams. “When I retired was the right time for me to make a contribution and help somebody in need.” 

In 2013, Williams committed to establishing a fund that annually supports a scholarship for students in Recreation Management-Therapeutic Recreation Services. He also has included the scholarship in his estate plan to ensure it grows in the future. The scholarship assists students with financial needs and it promotes diversity in the recreation field. Since establishing the scholarship, Williams has made it an annual tradition to visit Alden Street and meet with the current scholarship recipients, while also connecting with the therapeutic recreation faculty. 

“I feel blessed that I have had the opportunity to be a part of the Springfield College community,” expressed Williams. “I know it’s where I continued to grow my passion professionally, and I always want to encourage students to do the same. For me, choosing Springfield College was an easy decision. It has one of the best reputations in the world, and it attracts students dedicated to human service.”