Written by Emma Jones \/\/ Photo by Macy Cox<\/p>\n\n\n\n
University President Mike Williams and Executive Vice President Jean-Noel Thompson have already become known as a dynamic duo at Harding, but the story of their friendship begins around seven years ago.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI became president of Faulkner in 2015, and Dr. T was on the administration team there,\u201d Williams said. \u201cI had numerous people who knew Dr. T that told me, \u2018Oh you\u2019re gonna love this guy,\u2019 so I went in anticipating being a kindred spirit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thompson said he felt a similar sense of friendship from the beginning of his relationship withWilliams when Williams asked for a list of incoming students so he could pray over them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI thought, \u2018That\u2019s the guy I want to work with,\u2019\u201d Thompson said. \u201cEarly on I knew that it was going to be a special relationship.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Over the years, Williams and Thompson said they have come to recognize strengths in each other that help to balance out their own weaknesses. Williams said he considers himself good at seeing the big picture and asking people’s opinions, but Thompson goes the second step by reaching back out and giving feedback. Thompson said one area of weakness for him that he recognizes as a strength in Williams is his ability to remember names and details about people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI think for the two of them by now, they balance each other out,\u201d Lisa Williams, <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dr. Williams\u2019 wife, said. \u201cWhat one is stronger in, the other may not be. It\u2019s just an easy fit for the two of them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thompson said he was not expecting to be asked to accompany Williams to work at Harding, but after thinking and praying through the offer, he decided he wanted to be a part of Williams\u2019 plan for Harding. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDr. Williams presented the opportunity, and it really wasn\u2019t a job he offered me, he offered me a vision and a future for Harding,\u201d Thompson said. \u201cI\u2019m honored to be here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Though Williams and Thompson\u2019s friendship has mainly been a professional one, Lisa Williams said that since their move to Searcy their families have begun spending more time together, and that she is \u201clooking forward to developing more of a friendship for [their] families as well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As for their future plans for the University, Williams and Thompson gave no specifics but both expressed excitement for what Harding already has to offer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI don\u2019t want to limit God on what he can do when you get a group like the people we have here,\u201d Williams said. \u201cGod has blessed this institution with unbelievable talent.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thompson echoed his sentiment and said they did not bring anything new with them to Harding, but are focused on utilizing what is already here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not some new thing that we\u2019re integrating to the Harding experience,\u201d Thompson said. \u201cWe\u2019re teasing out the talent and giftedness and motivation, and trying to draw out the best in all of us.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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