After 16 years of serving his country and 20 years of building a successful business, 56-year-old U.S. Army veteran David Williams Jr. is finally working towards a goal he set in high school: earning his college degree.
Williams, a Bennettsville, South Carolina, native, who comes from a military family, enlisted right after high school.
“One of my goals was to travel the world, serve my country and also complete college,” he said.
But like many service members, education often took a backseat to deployments, training and the increasing responsibilities that came with promotion.
“It was always start and stop,” Williams said. “Every time I had a break in service, I’d take a few classes. But then duty would call again.”
When he retired from the military in 2000, Williams faced a difficult adjustment to civilian life. With limited work experience outside of the military, he bounced between jobs, wrestling with unseen wounds of war and the internal struggle of rediscovering himself.
To regain control of his future, he launched a commercial cleaning business, D&K Janitorial Services.
Over time, the business became a family affair. His wife joined him, and their teenage sons, one of whom would go on to graduate from North Carolina Central University (NCCU), helped run operations. Through his son and the students he employed from NCCU, Williams developed a deep admiration for the university.
“I was so impressed with how the students carried themselves. They were always pushing me: ‘Mr. Williams, when are you going back to school?’”
That encouragement stayed with him. As his business matured, the unfulfilled dream of earning his degree resurfaced.
“It just kept coming up in my mind. I told my wife that I couldn’t have peace until I got it done,” said Williams.
After finishing his associate degree at Wake Technical Community College, Williams transferred to NCCU in summer 2024 to pursue an online Bachelor of Science in Behavioral and Social Sciences degree, coming full circle to the school that had already impacted his family so deeply.
Returning to the classroom was an adjustment.
“I took four classes the first summer. I thought it would be a piece of cake,” Williams said. “It wasn’t. I had to relearn so much.”
With the support of his family, a few YouTube tutorials and NCCU’s faculty and advisors, he found his rhythm and now boasts a near-perfect 4.0 GPA. But more than grades, the journey has been personal.
“For once, it’s not about the military or the business. It’s about David,” he said. “When I sit down to do my assignments, it feels like personal achievement.”
Williams hopes his story inspires other veterans navigating difficult transitions.
“You’ve got to get to a place where you can focus on yourself again,” he said. “NCCU gave me that place. It helped me get back to me.”
He is deeply grateful to be a part of the NCCU community.
“When I think about what our ancestors went through to give us these opportunities, it wasn’t a hard decision,” said Williams. “Choosing NCCU was about honoring that legacy and my own. The same pride I had as a soldier is the same pride I have as a student.”
Looking ahead, Williams’ ultimate goal is to earn a Ph.D. Through his company, he established many relationships with schools in the Durham area, giving him a front-row seat to the challenges facing youth.
“It really touches my heart when I see young folks come into the schools I serve and hear them discuss some of their concerns,” he said. “Unlike adults who can easily put masks on, children can’t turn things off. It would be an honor for me to serve them in some capacity by providing strategies to help them cope with whatever they are going through.”
What advice would Williams give to veterans who want to earn a degree?
“Go to NCCU,” he said. “If you are trying to rediscover yourself and tap into an area of your life that you may have had to put on hold because of military service or just life, this university can help you. Don’t procrastinate, just get it done.”