The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Texas Lottery Veteran Recognition: Dr. Del J. Watson
09.29.2023 | Football, Longhorn Sports Properties / Learfield
The former Air Force captain will be honored when Texas Football hosts Kansas on Saturday, Sept. 30.
Dr. Del J. Watson has converted dedication to faith and family, and the intrinsic satisfaction from helping others succeed, into a life and career defined by servant leadership. Watson has worked for more than 20 years in leadership roles in higher education and currently serves as the director of faculty engagement in the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost at The University of Texas at Austin.
"I find joy in helping people find their niche, helping them advance and helping people get to where they need to be," Watson said.
Watson's education and career have also been shaped by important nudges, inspiration from others and openness to opportunity. As an undergraduate at UT, Watson took note of her roommate's determination and commitment to her Army ROTC unit, and Watson ventured to the Air Force office on campus to get more information. Upon hearing Watson's voice, the detachment commander came out of his office and invited Watson to take the qualifying exam on the spot. Watson passed the exam and the physical test on her first attempts and was soon calling home to report, "I think I joined the Air Force."
Similarly, during this time, Watson was also finding her place and purpose in her area of study. Though she started in engineering, Watson decided to change her major and was advised to take a required economics class as part of general coursework in the College of Liberal Arts. Her initial trepidation turned into fascination with macroeconomic theories, which center around decision-making, what people choose and why.
Watson graduated with a degree in economics, and after six years of service in the Air Force, she left active duty and began work in the nonprofit civilian sector with community organizers, where she relied on her understanding of people and choice-making.
"If you look at my career, it might seem like a series of steps or roles, but it is all connected in a way, and all about helping people come to their own conclusions and make optimum choices," Watson said.
She went on to serve as the director for human resources at Huston-Tillotson University, where she was responsible for recruitment and retention of faculty and staff, as well as development and recognition of employees. In 2006, Watson returned to UT as the director of HR Planning at the McCombs School of Business, and in this capacity, Watson initiated and implemented the McCombs Leadership Growth Program to enhance leadership competencies at the staff level.
"I realized that we had very few leadership development opportunities. Individual contributors would do well and get promoted into management roles without support or knowing how to become a boss," Watson said. "People will also stay in jobs when they feel like they are being developed."
In 2014, Watson transitioned to the provost's office at UT and joined the faculty affairs team, which allows Watson to work across disciplines, support and advise faculty members in various career stages, such as developing and articulating a research agenda or pursuing tenure-track teaching opportunities. While earning her Ph.D. in higher education leadership from UT, Watson developed her own research focus on sponsorship and the advancement of women to leadership roles, including the presidency, in higher education.
Watson distinguishes mentoring from sponsoring; whereas a mentor will help develop skills, a sponsor more actively helps in career advancement and getting others noticed. And Watson has devoted her professional service to guiding and championing individuals, so when opportunity comes and they are noticed, they are prepared to present themselves in the best light.
"Uplifting others and seeing them achieve gives me tremendous satisfaction," Watson said.
Thanks to the Texas Lottery, great things are happening all across Texas. The Texas Lottery now consistently contributes more than $1.6 billion of lottery revenue each year to good causes like public education and veterans' assistance programs. Beginning with the first veterans' dedicated scratch ticket game in 2009, the Texas Lottery has now contributed over $223 million to the Fund for Veterans' Assistance.
Since 1992, the Texas Lottery has generated more than $37.5 billion in revenue for the state of Texas. Through strict adherence to their vision, mission and core values, the Texas Lottery is dedicated to ensuring that this support continues.