Charles Watson, assistant diversity director for the University of Rhode Island College of Engineering, was recently recognized as the minority engineering program director of the year by the National Society of Black Engineers.
What is most rewarding about the work you do?
Helping students have a positive attitude toward academic excellence, to stimulate enthusiasm about science, technology, engineering and mathematics and encourage them to pursue degrees in engineering and other STEM fields. My job is to increase the number of underrepresented students attending and graduating from college, to encourage and support parental commitment to children’s education and to raise cultural awareness among students. The ultimate reward is seeing them graduate and working in industry.
As a URI graduate, what motivated you to give back to its community in your professional life?
The joy and excitement of giving back came from a long list of educators in my family who believed in shaping my life with love and guidance. Growing up, I was always at a school or in an after-school program in front of the chalkboard. My late mother, an educator, would say “success lies not in being the best, but in doing your best.”
How has your own race influenced the person you are today?
I believe it’s all about how you are raised in your family. I have always been told that you treat people the way you would like to be treated, regardless of your race. I graduated high school in 1983 from Cranston High School East and let me tell you, 99.9 percent of the time I was the only person of color in the classroom, which as you may guess could be a disaster, as socially you are not always with someone that can relate to you. For me, that was not the case. I had white friends that were and still are like brothers to me. Our love for each other stands the test of time. It gave me a greater perspective on race relations and it has been what I draw on to gather support to help students and mentor them no matter what race, religion or sexual orientation they are. I feel that you should be able to be in a room and be respected, and once you leave the room that respect is still there. •
