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The 91���� (PTC) Foundation held a ceremony Thursday to recognize the generous contributions of Dr. John L. Williams and Elnita Lipford Williams. In honor of their significant financial donation and long-standing commitment to education, the college has named three campus spaces and established two endowed scholarships in their family’s name. 

The newly named spaces include two areas in the William H. “Billy” O'Dell Center for Manufacturing Excellence - the John L. Williams CNC Lab, where students gain hands-on experience with machine tools, and the Elnita Lipford Williams Lounge, where students can rest and recharge. The third space is the RMBE Lipford Student Lounge in the Student Center on the Lex Walters-Greenwood Campus.

Thursday’s event in the O’Dell Center celebrated the couple, both Greenwood natives who now live in Florence, South Carolina, for a lifetime of service that bridges engineering, ministry and education. 

“We love this family because they represent the perfect balance of professional excellence and community service,” said PTC Foundation Director Laura H. Dudley. 

“Dr. Williams often describes his life’s work as 'delivering power and delivering hope.' He delivers power as a Senior Engineer for Duke Energy, where he ensures safe reliable energy for thousands. He delivers hope as the longtime Pastor of Flat Creek Baptist Church and a veteran of Operation Desert Storm,” Dudley said. “And Mrs. Elnita Williams is truly one of our own. Before she became a celebrated author and an advocate for human services across the state, she spent 11 years in our classrooms right here at PTC as an educator.”

PTC President Dr. Hope E. Rivers said when she met John and Elnita Williams she was “struck immediately by their passion and their interest in students.”

“Now they could have told me about their resumes. They could have told me about all the good work that they're doing professionally, but they didn't,” Rivers said. “What they wanted to talk to me about was how could they be beneficial to the lives of our students. Their passion came through immediately, and I knew from the moment that I talked to them that there was a sincerity in what they were saying.”

Rivers added, “They didn't want to just give to the students. They wanted to lift up the students.”

Elnita Williams said she was elated to contribute to PTC. She said the RMBE Lipford Student Lounge is named as a memorial to her maternal grandparents and mother.

“I’ve always wanted to give back and God made provisions in the way that we can do so,” she said.

John Williams thanked relatives and friends who attended Thursday’s ceremony.

The ceremony concluded with a tour of the newly named spaces, including the lounge in the Student Center where students were enjoying a “Friendsgiving” event—a realization of Mrs. Williams’ vision for a welcoming campus environment.