Despite Furman University’s rich 192 year history, business professor and cooking-enthusiast Charles Davis finds himself in a new position at this storied university. Davis is Furman’s first First Gentleman, a position that was newly formed when Dr. Elizabeth Davis became the 12th president at the school in 2014.
Because this is a new position, there were not any prior expectations or foundations for Davis to base his role upon at Furman. However, Davis has found that his role at Furman is one of support. “I can support the university whether it is teaching a course, working with the business block, or supporting student-athletes by attending their games,” Davis said.
Not only does Davis have to fulfill his duties as the First Gentleman and as a professor at Furman, but he also still teaches at his former employer, Baylor University. “I am still on faculty at Baylor,” Davis said. “I teach an online MBA program and try to manage things at Furman as well.”
When Davis manages to find free time, he can be found at just about any Furman sporting event.
“I like all of the sports we have here at Furman, but my favorites are basketball and soccer. They are fast moving and fast paced,” Davis said.
Once the games are over, Davis continues to support Furman’s student-athletes far beyond the stands. He is very active on Twitter, and is constantly tweeting his support for Paladin athletics. “Through social media and Twitter, I can help spread the word about Furman,” Davis said.
Another aspect that Davis admires about Furman athletics are the student-athletes themselves. “Athletics are often thought about as what a university is built on,” Davis said. “What I appreciate about athletics at Furman is that it truly is a student-athlete. It is not an athlete-student.” By placing focus on academics first, Davis feels that the university is helping student-athletes out in the long run. “We really do believe in and support the student-athletes for life.”
Dr. Charles Davis strong commitment and admiration for not just Furman athletics or the university, but student-athletes in general is the reason why he is this week’s Influential Paladin.