Williams guides students through recruitment and beyond

Terrific profile on Franklin staff member Marshall Williams, director of admissions for the Hugh Hodgson School of Music who not only recruits students, but also helps guide them through their time at the University of Georgia. Columns shares the story:

“I really value students’ mental health and well-being,” he said. “I want students to feel supported and know that they’re not alone in the experiences they’re dealing with in this environment and that there are resources to support them. I want students to know that there is a space here for them and that they belong.”

Williams is a musician himself. Music became part of his life at an early age, and he earned a master’s degree in choral conducting from UGA in 2019 after getting his bachelor’s degree in music education from East Carolina University in 2016. He’s currently pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy in college student affairs administration in the Mary Frances Early College of Education. The doctoral program has given him opportunities to improve his work with students and to integrate his interests of music into his research.

“I aspired to be at this institution and knew the level of quality in the School of Music and the university as a whole,” he said.

Before coming to UGA, Williams was a choral director and piano teacher in eastern North Carolina. His bachelor’s program gave him experience working with students, which fostered his love for both music and higher education. That extended to his master’s program, where he gained experience recruiting students for choirs and engaging with college students. A few months after getting that degree, he landed his current role.

“I thoroughly enjoyed the work that went into building the programs, organizing and developing initiatives and goals, and connecting with students and faculty,” he said. “It’s been a great fit.”

Read on! Salute to a terrific colleague and champion of UGA Franklin students.

Image: Marshall Williams. (Photo by Dorothy Kozlowski/UGA)