The Bible says, “To whom much is given, much is expected.” and “It is better to give than it is to receive.”
John F. Kennedy, Jr. said, “Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country.”
Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘what are you doing for others?'”
Dr. Hilda R. Tompkins has taken all of these sayings to heart and has incorporated them into both her personal and professional life. As a result, she has shied away from working with for-profit and other corporate entities, choosing instead to serve in non-profit or government agencies committed to the delivery of meaningful and significant services for the betterment of humankind.
Tompkins is the Senior Director of Educational Partnerships and Initiatives for The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change (The King Center). Prior to rejoining the staff at The King Center, Dr. Tompkins served as Vice President for Accreditation for the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). In this position she was responsible for the oversight of educator preparation programs for colleges and universities across the country and abroad.
She served in similar capacities for the state of Georgia as Director of Program Approval with the Georgia Professional Standards Commission and as the Early Childhood Coordinator for Georgia’s Technical College System. Before transitioning to the field of education Dr. Tompkins served in a number of challenging positions with The King Center including Director of Public Affairs and Director of Cultural Affairs.
Tompkins received her Bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of Georgia, her Master’s in education from Georgia State University and her doctorate from the University of Georgia. Her dissertation, at the time it was written, was the only one that had been written on Dr. King’s leadership.
Tompkins is a published author. The short story entitled “Daddy,” which she wrote in collaboration with Yolanda D. King, is part of the Norton Anthology Talk That Talk published by Simon & Schuster.
Tompkins is a native Atlantan but has travelled extensively across N. America, S. America, Central America, Europe, Asia and Africa.
Dr. Tompkins 2019 Sources Conference keynote address is titled, “The making of a leader- How Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. became a a drum major for justice.”
Keynote Description
While, there have been countless books and articles written about Martin Luther King, Jr. only one of them focuses explicitly on his leadership. Most others are primarily concerned with his nonviolent methodology, his oratorical skills and his charisma–all of which have contributed to the larger-than-life image we have admired but dared not emulate, choosing instead to wait for another like him to descend on earth. This is an engaging session that humanizes Dr. King by revealing critical aspects of his leadership including factors from his early life that led to his commitment to bring about nonviolent social change. The content for this session is taken from A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of The University of Georgia in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree DOCTOR OF EDUCATION, ATHENS, GEORGIA ©2009. All Rights Reserved.