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By Erika Anderson, Staff Writer
ATLANTA—Tim Williamson’s brief life was dedicated to
education and service. Now, through his family and friends, his commitment
lives on.
The Timothy M. Williamson Memorial Scholarship has been
established in memory of the Notre Dame graduate and teacher, who died of
cancer in December 2000 at the age of 27.
Two students at St. Peter Claver Regional Catholic School in
Decatur will each receive $1,250 in direct tuition assistance from the
scholarship fund.
A graduate of St. Jude the Apostle School and of Marist School in
1992, Mr. Williamson was devoted to serving others. While attending the
University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind., he found a way to combine his
love of service with his love of education.
“He definitely appreciated how fortunate he was,” his
brother, Scott, 30, said. “Very early on he developed an awareness for how
fortunate he was in comparison to others.”
During his four years as an English major at Notre Dame, he
tutored South Bend children in English and social studies. After graduation, he
was selected to participate in the Alliance for Catholic Education, a Notre
Dame program that sends recent college graduates to teach in under-resourced
Catholic schools in the Southeast.
Father Timothy Scully, CSC, in his homily at Tim’s funeral,
read from his ACE application, giving insight into his strong faith and desire
to serve.
“Catholicism is a call to action,” he wrote. “I
find my spirituality heightened in moments of real love. God has manifested
God’s grace to me most clearly through the acts of love justice of my
peers. Personally, I feel the Holy Spirit operating through me in moments where
I give myself to promote another’s dignity. Therefore, a group of people
responding to this vocation of action would present to me a spiritual
opportunity unprecedented in my life. I have a strong desire to embrace such a
life.”
Tim’s mother, Juanita, recalled the hardships he endured
during his first year teaching eighth-graders at Blessed Katharine Drexel
Sacred Heart School in Lake Charles, La.
“Tim was the only one who stuck around for their second year
there. The kids would put bugs in his drinks, things like that,” his
mother said. “But he would say to me, ‘Mom, these kids never see
someone come back. I have to come back.’ He felt strongly committed to the
program.”
It was important to her son, Mrs. Williamson said, that the
students understood the privilege they had in receiving an education.
“Tim was always grateful for the opportunities he had for
education and he wanted the kids to know that too,” she said. “He
always said that being in a Catholic school was such an opportunity and he
didn’t want the kids to miss that.”
Mr. Williamson taught an additional year after graduation from the
ACE program at St. Louis Catholic Grade School in Austin, Texas, as he eagerly
prepared for a life of public service with his acceptance to the LBJ School of
Public Policy at the University of Texas. Based on his outstanding record of
achievement, he was awarded a full fellowship. However, he was only able to
attend one semester before his illness forced him to withdraw.
Msgr. Richard Lopez, religion teacher at St. Pius X High School,
Atlanta, served as a spiritual advisor to Tim as his illness progressed. The
beloved educator, who also serves as chaplain of Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Home for those with terminal cancer, said that they found a common bond.
“He was like I am in that he loved teaching and he loved
talking about teaching,” he said. “(Teaching) was very important to
him and I think it was one of the things he missed the most.”
Msgr. Lopez said that Tim’s “sense of humor and great
confidence in Christ” despite his suffering were the shining lights of the
young man.
“He really honored me by coming to see me,” he said.
“He edified me much more than I could edify him.”
After his death, Tim’s friends and family, in conjunction
with the University of Notre Dame and the Archdiocese of Atlanta, established
the scholarship in his name.
Seventh- and eighth-grade students at St. Peter Claver are
eligible for the award, which will be given to a boy and a girl who have
demonstrated a serious commitment to academics and need financial assistance.
This is the first year of the scholarship, which Tim’s brother said he
hopes to continue.
“In a way, it is selfish because I wanted to be able to
remember him and to honor him,” Scott said. “I wanted to continue to
live his ministry after his passing.”
In addition to the scholarships earmarked for the Decatur school,
students in ACE schools across the country are benefiting from the Timothy M.
Williamson Memorial Scholarship. ACE initially donated $25,000 and Tim’s
family and friends have donated an additional $25,000.
“ACE was truly so special to Tim,” his mother said.
“He really loved it.”
Scott and his younger sister, Meaghan, who is serving with the
Jesuit Volunteer Corps, will be facilitating the scholarship.
“I am so pleased that Scott and Meaghan are doing this,”
Mrs. Williamson said, adding that people were quick to show their concern for
her and her husband, Mike. “People sometimes forget about siblings in this
loss. But I watched those two go through this. Tim truly was the middle child
and was so close to both of them. This is very important to them so that they
could show how much Tim meant to them.”
Scott said that his brother lived a life of consistency, that he
was very thoughtful and very thankful.
“In that regard, his approach to life was very
Christ-like,” he said. “There are very few people in the world like
him. He was everything as far as I’m concerned.”
Queen Grady, principal of St. Peter Claver, expressed gratitude
for the scholarship on behalf of her students.
“For our students, this gives them a vision of
hope—knowing that through their hard work and labor they are able to
accomplish personal academic goals,” she said. “We would like to
extend words of appreciation and thanks to the Williamson family for providing
an opportunity of hope for the students who are selected to receive this
prestigious scholarship.”
The deadline for scholarship entries for St. Peter Claver students
is Oct. 30. For information call the school at (404) 241-3063.
To make a donation to the Timothy M. Williamson Memorial
Scholarship, send a check to the University of Notre Dame, c/o ACE, Notre Dame,
IN 46556. Include Mr. Williamson’s name in the memo area of the check and
a short note to instruct that the donation is for the “Tim Williamson
Fund.” |
