Dr. Charlotte Lewellen Williams, Professor Emeritus at the Clinton School of Public Service, has been honored with the College of Public Health Distinguished Alumnus Award by the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS).
The award was presented in June during the UAMS Alumni Reunion Dinner in Little Rock. The annual honors recognize graduates who have demonstrated exceptional achievement, dedication, and significant contributions to their respective fields, as well as exemplary public service.
Williams is a trailblazing two-time graduate of the UAMS College of Public Health, earning her Master of Public Health in 2004 and her Doctorate in Public Health in 2008. This newest recognition highlights a career dedicated to intersecting public health strategy with community-focused leadership and education.
A Legacy of Leadership at the Clinton School
The UAMS honor comes after the University of Arkansas Board of Trustees granted Williams Professor Emeritus status in November 2025, honoring her nearly two decades of transformative leadership, scholarship, and academic excellence at the Clinton School.
Until her retirement in 2025, the Jonesboro native served as a Professor of Public Health and was the Founding Director of the Center on Community Philanthropy. Under her leadership, the center evolved into a multimillion-dollar unit and established pioneering initiatives such as the Scholars in Residence program and the first national Community Healing Certification program.
Additionally, Williams co-authored the first book published by a Clinton School faculty member, “Passing the Torch: Planning for the Next Generation of Leaders in Public Service.” True to that title, she has mentored hundreds of students and continues to inspire the next generation of leaders by serving as an adjunct faculty member for UAMS.
Throughout her career, Williams ensured her research had a tangible footprint across the state, forging deep community partnerships in Helena, Pine Bluff, and Blytheville. Her extensive board service includes leadership roles with the Arkansas Cancer Coalition and the UAMS Hospital Patient Advisory Council. Her contributions have previously earned her recognition as a 2024 Soiree Magazine “Woman to Watch” and the Global Impact Award from the PEARLS Foundation.
“Graduating from the UAMS College of Public Health provided me with the perfect education, training, and development that I needed to pursue my career goals in public health and public service,” she said. “I never imagined that I would be recognized in this way by my esteemed colleagues for simply doing something that I love. For me, my career has never felt like a job or work. Instead, it felt more like the privilege of service, and for that I am deeply honored to have received this award.”
As noted by UAMS leadership during the reunion, the impact of honorees like Williams extends deeply into communities across Arkansas and beyond through a lifetime of service, leadership, and dedication to public health.