In this testimonial, Chris Clooney, Director of Athletics at Davidson College, honors the late Dean of Students William “Will” Terry. Clooney describes Terry as a loud, powerful presence who connected deeply with students, acting as a mentor and “Jedi Master” who guided them toward their best selves. He emphasizes Terry’s faith‑based approach, belief in restorative justice, and his willingness to accept human fallibility. Clooney highlights Terry’s lasting legacy through personal mentorship, a scholarship program, and a call for disproportionate impact—encouraging the Davidson community to pursue higher expectations and a higher calling. The narrative weaves together personal anecdotes, values, and the broader vision Terry left for the institution.
Chapters
My name is Chris Clooney. I'm the Director of Athletics at Davidson College, and I'm here to talk about Dean Terry. In technical terms, he was the Dean of Students. In personal terms as well, like, he really was the person that really interacted with the students on their level and cared for them, and that's why he was sort of seen as their integral part of Davidson for so long, and the countless people that he impacted. His life was woven into so many others' lives throughout the years. Will Terry was a force, if you will. He was a powerful person. You always knew when he was around because he was extremely loud. But Will was a leader, a mentor. He, he helped people grow into who they were supposed to be. I always envisioned people trying to become the best version of themselves, and Will Terry was somebody who helped people become the best version of themselves. I think about Star Wars. Like, Will Terry was a Jedi Master, and he was training us all to be Jedi. I think a lot of what he did was grounded in his faith. His faith in humanity, his faith in people, his faith in a higher power, and his faith in a sense of restorative justice. I think there's this sense around Will Terry that, you know, folks make mistakes. We're human, and he embraced that to His legacy is really, in my mind, the people that he impacted. You see him through all the folks that he either taught or mentored or led through his scholarship program. We talk about impact on the world, like we don't just want to have impact, we want to have disproportionate impact. That's what Davidson really— it's a higher calling. And so I see a lot of Will Terry in that, in the sense that He's asking us to do more than the general person. He wants more. He expects more, and we have to expect more of ourself. And so you think about what was done in the past to help curate the vision for a better future.
