Cart Jacked returns, students get to Hop in with Hawkins

Anna Grace Tucker hops in with Hawkins. Contributed photo

“Cart Jacked: Hop in with Hawkins” features Chancellor Dr. Jack Hawkins Jr. riding around campus in a golf cart speaking with students on their way to class. This year, though, it’s undergoing a major change.

Last year, the show was posted weekly for nine weeks, making a nine-episode series. This year, the episodes will be longer and posted monthly. With this format, more students will have the opportunity to get “cart jacked.”

“This social media series gives students a rare opportunity to connect with the Chancellor one-on-one,” said Rachel Arnold, marketing and communications project manager and the producer of the show. “There are several official events where students can meet and interact with Dr. Hawkins, but this is a more organic opportunity that allows students to talk to him in a natural setting – on the back of a golf cart while we drive them to class.”

Rico Riggins, a senior economics major from Albany, Georgia, said he thinks the show helps build a stronger connection between the students and the chancellor.

“He’s kind of like the face of Troy and seeing that he’s interacting with the students and not being kind of detached away from all of us – it's like he’s actually a part of Troy,” Riggins said. “It makes it feel a lot more genuine.

“I think that’s really important and not a lot of colleges are able to do that.”

The first episode of this year’s season features Miss Troy University, Anna Grace Tucker, a junior business administration major from Huntsville, Alabama. For her, getting to spend time speaking to the Chancellor one-on-one outlined what makes him so special to the university.

“Dr. Hawkins genuinely takes the time to get to know the people he talks to,” Tucker said. “When he speaks with students, he really listens and tries to understand who they are. “He even remembers students by name. He doesn’t just see us as one large student body; he sees us as individuals.”

With Cart Jacked, not only is the university creating good, well-performing content for themselves, they’re creating a deeper connection for their students and chancellor.

“The trend on social media right now is all about original, authentic content, and Cart Jacked fits both of those characteristics,” Arnold said. “Dr. Hawkins is extremely charismatic, and the connections he forms with these students come across on camera very easily.”

Each episode will be posted on all of the chancellor’s social media accounts at @chancelloroftroy.