William Kelly graduated from Virginia Military Institute in 1950 with a bachelor’s degree in English and History and then earned a master’s degree and PhD from Duke University in English with a concentration in American Literature. He came to MSU in 1962 to teach in the American Thought and Language department. While on the campus, he served as director of the Honors College.
Kelly left MSU in 1969 and went on to head foundations/associations of independent Alabama colleges in the 1980s and then in Georgia in the 1990s.
Topics/People Covered in the Interview include: Bob Andringa; American Thought and Language (ATL); Frank Blackington; Ed Carlin; Duffy Daugherty; Eustace Hall; Ron Fischer; Mason Gross; Bob Hammer; John Hannah; Honors College; Nora Landmark; Katie Large; Livingston College; Mary Baldwin College; athletics, campus activities, merit scholars, and growth in 1960s; Howard Neville; Gwen Norrell; Russell Nye; Jim Pickering; Jimmy Ray; Gordon Sabine; Jim Spaniola; Ben Strandness; University College; George Webster; Clifton Wharton; Ed Williams; John Wilson
![]() Interview with William Kelly on April 13, 2002- part 1/1 April 13, 2002 Audio: mp3 MSU Archives and Historical Collections | ![]() Transcript with William Kelly on April 13, 2002 April 13, 2002 Text: pdf MSU Archives and Historical Collections |