JIMMY WILLIAMS, BS’01
Jimmy Williams, BS’01, retired from professional football last June. He spent his years in the NFL as a cornerback and return specialist with the San Francisco 49ers and the Seattle Seahawks. During that time, and since, he has donated his time and resources to the youth of Baton Rouge, La., through the Jimmy Williams Intercepting Our Youth Foundation. He and his wife, Chandra, started the foundation in 2004 with the goal of awarding five scholarships to high school students in the Baton Rouge area. “We don’t look for the top-tier kids,” he says. “We look for the kids who aren’t at the top of their class, but are trying to do the right thing.” In addition to awarding scholarships, the foundation contributes to the community by donating school supplies, hosting summer youth camps focused on health and wellness, and other activities. Williams’ time at Vanderbilt prepared him well for his philanthropic efforts. During his matriculation he worked with the Charles Davis Foundation and the Backfield in Motion program, both of which were started by Vanderbilt alumni to encourage at-risk youth in the Nashville area. “We don’t really do a lot to get noticed,” he says. “We just do what we can because it is the right thing.”
