The Interview
It’s Sunday after a big couple of days celebrating being named a Distinguished Alumnus of Texas State University. I don’t have clear thoughts on the subject, so here is the transcript of the interview I did with the Alumni Association in preparation for the Legends Gala last Friday night.
What is your name, graduating class, and major? My name is Bill Poston. I graduated in 1988 with a degree in finance.
What led you to Texas State? The short answer is that I came here because I received a scholarship. My grandmother insisted that I apply to Rice, but I had friends in school in San Marcos who told me all about the river, so that, plus the money, made the decision pretty easy.
What does it mean to you to be a Bobcat? I am inextricably tied to this university. So much of my identity is tied to my association with Texas State that I’m unsure who I would be without it. I graduated and left San Marcos, but I never stopped being a Bobcat. College was such a formative experience.
What sets Texas State apart from other schools? It should be no surprise that my closest friends and best colleagues are Texas State graduates. We click because of the values that we share and the personality traits that Bobcats have in common. Bobcats are smart, hard-working people who do serious work without taking themselves too seriously. We know how to have fun while getting important stuff done.
What is a moment from your time as a student that has stuck with you over the years? There are way too many to choose from, but I often say that the best job I’ve ever had was Orientation Assistant. The opportunity to introduce incoming freshmen to the wonders of life on campus was a real honor and a privilege. We also got a first look at the cute new girls.
How has your experience with Texas State affected your life? One of my closest friends, Bill Hogue, was killed during my senior year, and in the aftermath of that tragedy, the student body raised over $20,000 to fund a scholarship in his honor. His grieving mother asked me to take care of the administration of the award. She didn’t know it at the time, but she was giving me a gift that would keep me tied to Texas State for the rest of my life. We have now awarded that scholarship annually for over 35 years. Without that responsibility, I might have just put San Marcos in my rearview, and there would be no Stelos Alliance, no Housley Principled Leadership Program, and we wouldn’t be talking today.
What message would you give to current and future Bobcats? I want all Bobcats to commit to being people of consequence. Recognize that there is no “They” who will fix things. We are “they”. You can choose where and how you want to make an impact, but the world needs leaders who make a difference. My simple message is just, “Do what ought to be done.”
What is the importance of supporting Texas State? I do not have the resources to solve world hunger or secure peace in our time, so I focus my attention on enabling others to tackle the big problems facing humanity. My support of Texas State is about multiplying my giving through the impact that our students can have in the world.
What does it mean to be named a Distinguished Alumnus? There is no other recognition from any other institution that could mean as much to me as this. I love this place and am thrilled to be a small part of what goes on here. I’m a little uncomfortable with the “distinguished” part of the award, but I accept it with gratitude and a renewed commitment to truly earn it.
What does legacy mean to you? This is not a question that I think about much. My children, the students who have come through our leadership program, and the young people who have grown up in one of our businesses are my only legacy. I hope that they will support others in turn.
In what ways have you remained involved with Texas State over the years? In addition to the many programs we support through the Stelos Alliance, I teach the Housley Principled Leadership Program in the Honors College. Once upon a time, I created and served on the Student Foundation Alumni Advisory Board. That group is now called the Gold Star Society. Over the years, I have served on the Alumni Association Board of Directors and the board of the Development Foundation. We are big fans of athletics and support academic awards for the baseball team, and I am currently on the Chapter Advisory Board for Phi Delta Theta Fraternity.
When looking at the university today, what brings you the most joy? I am thrilled that the university has grown in numbers and prominence without changing its fundamental nature and mission. Texas State has always played an important role in the future of the State of Texas. We prepare the next generation for the burdens and rewards of leadership. Our student body has always reflected the best qualities of Texans: smart, hard-working, resilient, creative, and humble, with ambitions that are as big as the state itself.
How did your grandfather’s dairy farm influence your personal and professional growth? The one thing everyone knows about dairy farming is that it is hard work. That seeps into you when you grow up in that environment. My other grandfather was a welder who worked six days a week as a tradesman and in his own shop when his shift was over. Hard work is life.
In a more abstract sense, the farm is a symbol of the American Dream. My great-grandfather immigrated to the US as a very young adult and worked to save enough money to buy the farm. The dairy launched succeeding generations into the middle class. Today, the farm might be a landscaping company, a convenience store, or a budget motel. They are all manifestations of the immigrants' dream of making a better life for their families.
You’ve made it your mission to help others reach their potential. Where did that drive originate, and who was that mentor in your life? As an over-educated, middle-class white guy with two parents who are still married after 63 years, I can’t exactly say that I pulled myself up by my own bootstraps. I’ve had so many incredible teachers, coaches, and mentors who pushed me along that I feel like I owe a debt I can never repay. My purpose in life is to help extraordinary young leaders reach their potential, and I try to be an influential and selfless person of consequence who enhances the lives of those who come into my orbit.
You are the epitome of burning it at both ends. What is your advice to students to establish and maintain that level of intensity? Aside from maintaining your physical fitness, I recommend redefining strengths as things that make you feel strong. Pay attention to the activities that get your motor running. Just because you have an aptitude for a subject doesn’t mean you should pursue it as a career. If it doesn’t make your heart beat a little faster, or if you don’t lose yourself in the work, then you might not be on the right path. The world needs people whose work makes them come alive.
What led to the creation of the Bobcat Bucket list, and do you have an unofficial #1 experience? We created the Bobcat Bucket List simply because it didn’t exist. One of my grad school classmates gave me the Longhorn version as a gift, and I knew what I had to do. Once we started listing things, it wasn’t hard to get to a hundred. My favorite thing to do in the book is SCUBA dive in Spring Lake. The thing I do most often is work out at the Rec, but what I really like to do is get drinks at Grins or The Green Parrot.
