Visionary professor left a legacy of caring and commitment
The late J. William (Bill) Maxwell was the founding chair of Cal State Fullerton’s Communications Department. Maxwell also was a visionary, a man of extraordinary generosity, and an exceptional educator. He joined the faculty in 1960 shortly after classes began on the newly established Orange County State College campus. Maxwell served as head of the Communications Department for 13 years and continued to teach courses on campus until 1982.
When he stepped down as chair, the communications program had more than 600 students, including 80 graduate students and 19 faculty members. Today, the college has more than 2,800 students and 46 faculty members. Rick Pullen, current dean of the College of Communications, recalled: “Bill was greatly respected by all those who worked with him. He was a true visionary in that he established a Communications Department that embraced more than just journalism – which just happened to be Bill’s great passion and love.”
Maxwell maintained close ties with Cal State Fullerton throughout his life and remained particularly committed to the progress of the College of Communications. Upon his passing, his estate provided a significant gift to the college, which was divided into two parts: one part to fund an endowment for scholarships in the name of his parents, and the other used to strengthen the overall learning environment.
Carolyn Johnson, communications professor emerita, friend and executor of Maxwell’s estate said: “His heart was always with his students, and his incredible legacy proves just how much he cared about them.”
For more information about giving to the College of Communications, please contact Nancy Byrne at 657-278-3348.