William Godwin, ’10, is passionate about community engagement and it shows. He has spent the last several years in various leadership positions within government, education, and the non-profit sector, where he has helped to advocate for the needs of community members within those areas.
Godwin served as president of the City Council of Gary, Indiana, where he represented the city in local, state, and federal venues. He also was an external affairs officer for Communities in Schools (CIS) of Chicago, a non-profit that connects Chicago Public School students with programs and resources that support their success. Additionally, he served as Associate Vice-Chancellor of Workforce & Economic Development for the City Colleges of Chicago, where he helped lead a college-to-careers initiative. Most recently, Godwin was a 2023-2024 White House Fellow in the White House’s Executive Office of the President.
What inspired you to get into public service and how has "your why" evolved over time?
As a kid, I grew up with many role models in my community of Jackson, Tennessee. I saw in the pastors, elected officials, and educators around me a zest for life and serving others—something that I really admired. I remember many trips to the Civil Rights Museum in Memphis that clarified for me that there was injustice, suffering, and wrong in the world. I studied leaders like Thurgood Marshall and Martin Luther King, Jr. and so many others who decided to do something about it.
I also grew up a childhood preacher in the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, starting at the age of ten. For me, preaching that didn't consider the circumstances of "the least of these" never resonated. My hunch that there was hope through religion was solidified when I was an undergraduate student at Georgetown, where I took classes in Liberation Theology. These classes emphasized the idea of a God who was present in the world, who intervened in the world on behalf of the oppressed. My "why" is rooted in the community of Black folks who resisted in the South, in the biblical tradition that "faith without works is dead," and in the rigorous intellectual curiosity to explore solutions to big challenges that I refined at UChicago.
What did you enjoy most about your time as a White House Fellow?
President Biden shakes hands with William Godwin in the Oval Office
Godwin with President Biden during his time as a White House Fellow. (Photo courtesy of William Godwin)
I enjoyed using my platform to push initiatives that met our office's objectives but also spoke to interests I’ve held dear for many years. For example, I was placed in the White House Office of the National Cyber Director’s Cyber Workforce and Education Directorate. Ensuring that underrepresented groups participated in the cyber workforce was central to our strategy. As a son of HBCU alum who grew up on an HBCU campus, Lane College, I immediately went to work to explore how we could expand the number of HBCUs that the National Security Agency (NSA) designated as National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity. From the White House vantage point, I was able to connect the NSA with institutions positioned to expand their cyber offerings. This happened because I brought passion to policy that was in alignment with our strategic goals. Because of this work, seven HBCUs are now on the path to achieving their designation, which will open up additional federal resources.
What experience has had a major impact on your perspective of the law?
While I was president of the Gary City Council, I represented a beachfront area that included many short-term rentals. As we planned to respond to community complaints about reducing the number of short-term rentals, one of the first things that came to my mind was “administrative costs,” which is something I first encountered during my 1L year. While stringent rules and processes were attractive to many understandably tired of noise, parties, and parking challenges in the neighborhood, we also had to be practical about the rules we’d put in place given the constraints of our code enforcement, building inspection, and public safety resources. This made me realize that the best written laws must always have an eye toward implementation and enforcement. Is it manageable? Is it doable? These are important factors to consider.
In what ways do you think the Law School prepares students to make a meaningful impact in the realm of public service?
The Law School sharpened my toolkit, challenging me to add critical thinking, sound reasoning, and a public policy-minded approach to my passion because passion alone does not suffice. UChicago Law molded in me the rigorous, sometimes burdensome, commitment to keep asking questions like: "why" or "what about this approach" or "is there a slippery slope" or "will this have a chilling effect"?
To think beyond what's immediately before you and consider a multitude of factors that are being overlooked—variables that are underestimated, and long-term consequences that are not being considered—were all hallmarks of my education. I often employed these skills as president of the Gary City Council, where we were constantly challenged with big decisions, from the environmental impact of zoning changes from residential to industrial uses, to issuing tax abatements to developers, to supporting a resolution for a school funding referendum, and so many others.
Can you share an important insight you’ve gained from your work?
Relationships are key to advancing policy. You need people to get things done. It’s not merely about whether an idea or cause is rational, efficient, or beneficial. People have to know you hear and see them and that your heart is in it—that you’re invested in them and the outcomes of policies.
What do you see as the biggest misconception about public service work within the legal field?
Many people feel that in order to do public service work, you have to take a vow of poverty. There are many ways to serve your community that allow you to volunteer, sit on a city board or commission, or work on a campaign while you work in the private sector. It’s also quite possible to work for a few years in the public sector and then enter the private sector to accomplish personal financial goals.
What advice can you share with a student or fellow alum interested in doing public service work?
Just get started; there's no such thing as being "ready." Volunteer on a political campaign, join a local non-profit board (they need strong leadership!), take up a pro-bono project. Visit neighborhoods, talk to everyday people, strike up a conversation with someone who's doing what you may want to do (you'd be surprised how many folks are happy to meet you for coffee or even lunch, and read memoirs of folks who've done what you're interested in doing or who have had experiences, taken risks, stepped up to serve in ways that interest you. I've found memoirs so inspiring, informative, and empowering.
Original source can be found here.