Remembering Bill & Carol Fox

"Bill Fox is Emory to me." — Gary Friedman 90C

Over more than forty years, William H. Fox Jr. 79G (1938-2014) left an indelible imprint on Emory University: first as a student, then as a staff member, administrator, and benefactor, perhaps most notably as Dean of Campus Life. Known to all as “Bill,” he was a lifelong devotee of humanistic learning who helped extend the university’s impact in Atlanta and beyond. 

Always at Bill's side was his beloved wife, Carol (1944-2016), whom he often called the “unsung hero” of his work at Emory. A devoted educator in her own right, Carol shared with Bill a spirit of warmth and generosity that deeply impacted the Emory community. In tribute to their long and devoted service, the Fox Center for Humanistic Inquiry was named in their honor.  

“When I came to Emory, I found a place that held, at its deepest core, values that were similar to my own. That alignment has been magic to me all these years.” — Bill Fox

Bill Fox’s journey at Emory University began in 1971, when he arrived on campus to pursue a doctorate in religion and literature. His administrative career at Emory began just a few years later, in 1974, when he became Assistant Director of the Graduate Institute of Liberal Arts. Fox completed his PhD in 1979. 

Following his doctorate, Fox was appointed Emory’s second-ever Dean of Campus Life and was promoted to Vice President of Emory in 1981. Throughout the following decade, he connected with thousands of students on a personal level. He was known to memorize the name of every incoming student from the directory before they stepped foot on campus. Even those just passing through his office could expect to be greeted by name and welcomed with his signature warmth. His easy rapport with students and colleagues led Emory’s then-president, James T. Laney, to persuade Fox to take on the leadership of Emory’s Office of Institutional Advancement (now the Division of Development and Alumni Relations and the Division of Communications and Marketing) in 1991. 

As an administrator, Fox’s knowledge of the thousands of alumni who had graduated in the previous twelve years helped him spearhead a campaign that raised $420 million for the university. Over his fourteen-year tenure as chief fundraiser, Emory raised some $2 billion in gifts, pledges, and planned gifts.  

During his time at Emory, Fox also oversaw the planning and opening of two hubs of community activity: the Woodruff Physical Education Center and the Howard R. Dobbs University Center. Volunteer Emory, one of the nation’s most active student service organizations, was also created under his watch. 

In 2005, Bill Fox retired from his Emory roles. Two years later, the university awarded him its most prestigious alumni honor, the Emory Medal, which recognizes leaders in their fields whose service to Emory and their communtities has had a lasting impact. 

"It was his devotion to the people and the place that taught us the best of our traditions in Campus Life and in the classroom." 

—  Barbara Patterson, Professor Emerita

In 2001, the Center for Humanistic Inquiry, as it was then named, was established at Emory University. In 2006, the Center was renamed in honor of Bill and his wife, Carol, in recognition of their shared commitment to the fundamental role of the humanities in education.

In 2010, the Foxes established a bequest benefiting six areas on campus that were close to their hearts. Half of the gift went to the Fox Center, while the remainder was divided equally among the James T. Laney School of Graduate Studies, the Division of Campus Life, the Robert W. Woodruff Library, the Michael C. Carlos Museum, and the Emory Alumni Scholarship Fund. 

Through the mission and work of the Fox Center for Humanistic Inquiry, the memory of Bill and Carol Fox lives on for those who had the opportunity to know, meet, and work with the couple. If you would like to contribute to the Bill and Carol Fox Center Endowment and help support humanistic inquiry at Emory, please donate here. We welcome your continued support.