Antonio Williams ’06 was appointed over summer as director of the David T. Kearns Center for Leadership and Student Success at the University of Rochester. Williams, whose appointment was effective July 1, had served in the same position in an interim role since April 2025.
Established in 2002, the Kearns Center has been dedicated to fostering academic excellence and expanding pathways to advanced degrees. “With a commitment to supporting students from a range of backgrounds, the center develops scalable educational models that equip learners with the tools needed to achieve their academic and professional aspirations,” according to the Center’s website.
Williams holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology, a master’s degree in sports management from American Public University (2013), and a doctoral in education from American College of Education (2023). Before being named interim director, Williams worked in the Kearns Center as Director for Graduate Diversity, leading initiatives that support the recruitment, retention, and success of historically underrepresented students, particularly in STEM disciplines.
“His dedication to the Center’s mission and the students it serves makes him the ideal person to lead the Kearns Center into the future,” stated a press release from the Kearns Center announcing Williams’ appointment.
“I’m excited to continue the great work at the Kearns Center with this amazing team. Over the past year I have gotten to work more closely with them, and learn how they work best, and they have knocked it out of the park!” Williams said in the release. “I’m so grateful and look forward to building on the Kearns Center’s legacy and supporting all students that enter the University of Rochester.”
Prior to working at the University of Rochester, Williams worked for four years as the assistant director of the HEOP (Higher Education Opportunity) program at Rochester Institute of Technology.
Williams, who earned a minor in coaching at Alfred University, participated in Alfred’s HEOP program and was a member of the Saxon football team. After graduation, he spent a year as an inside sales event coordinator for Sales Strategies Group, Inc. in Rochester, NY, before returning to Alfred University in May 2007 as a first-year counselor, providing effective counseling and advising to disadvantaged, multi-cultural students. In August 2014, he became assistant dean for Alfred University’s College of Professional Studies, serving in that role for four years before his appointment at RIT in 2018.