Tonjua Harris Williams is an American academic who became the President of St. Petersburg College in St. Petersburg, Florida in 2017.

Biography

Williams was one of three children of her single mother, who encouraged them to study.^[1]

Williams began her career at the St. Petersburg College in 1986 after earning her bachelor's degree in humanities from Clearwater Christian College. She earned another bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Clearwater Christian, then a master's degree in Counselor Education from the University of South Florida. She studied at the Adrian Dominican School of Education to gain her Ph.D. in Higher Education from Barry University.^[2]

Williams was the first woman and first African American to be a president of the college.^[2] Dr. Williams worked as a Coordinator for Student Support Services, Sr. Vice President for Student Services, Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs and Provost at the college's Tarpon Springs campus. During that time, she initiated and oversaw several successful programs, including The College Experience student success initiative, which expanded partnerships between faculty and advisors, created an early alert system for struggling students and increased student visits to campus learning support centers.

Professional organizations

Williams is an Aspen Presidential Fellow, a coach for the American Association of Community College's (AACC) Guided Pathways initiative, a faculty resident for the Community College Center for Student Engagement (CCCSE) institutes and is affiliated with several state and national organizations, often in leadership roles.

Her present affiliations include:

• Achieving the Dream (ATD) Advisory Network Committee, 2016–present
• American Association of Community College's President's Round Table, Member, 2011–present
• Admiral Farragut Academy, Executive Board Member, 2014–present
• Council for Student Affairs, Florida College System, Region 4, 2012 – present
• City of St. Petersburg 2020 Plan Education Sub-committee Chair, 2015–present
• Mt. Zion Human Services Board, board chair, 2012–present
• National Council of Negro Women, Member, 2012–present
• Some past affiliations include:
• PACE School for Girls, board member, 2014-2016
• State of Florida Student Activities Committee, Member-at-Large, 2013-2016
• Pinellas County Education Foundation, 2011-2012
• Pinellas Education Foundation, Executive Board Member, 2009-2010
• Tarpon Springs Chamber of Commerce, Executive Board, 2008-2009
• St. Petersburg Free Clinic, Executive Board Member, 2014-2015
• Mayor's Transition Team, Community Member, 2013
• Lakewood Jr. Spartans Youth Association, Inc., President, 2009-2012
• Boys & Girls Club of America, Executive Board Member, 2011-2012
• Pinellas Village, board member, 2006-2007
• Hospice Minority Advisory Board, Member, 2004-2005
• Southside Tabernacle Baptist Church, Youth Group leader, 1997-2000
• Pinellas County Schools, Youth Motivator/Mentor, 1999-2001

Awards and recognitions

• Employer Support of Guard and Reserve (affiliate of the Department of Defense) Patriot Award, 2016
• Academy Preparatory School, Five Fabulous Females, 2014
• Chamber of Commerce, Iconic Woman of the Year Finalist for Large Businesses, 2013
• Network of Executive Women, Exceptional Woman of the Year Finalist, 2013
• Junior Achievement, Educator of the Year, 2011
• Top 25 Women in Higher Education by Diverse: Issues In Higher Education magazine
• 2017 Businesswoman of the Year, Government/Nonprofit category, The Tampa Bay Business Journal
• Impact Award, The Weekly Challenger
• The Pinellas Opportunity Council, President’s Award for Community Leadership
• National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Passing the Torch Leadership Award for Education

References