Crystal Williams

Crystal Ann Williams
18th President of the Rhode Island School of Design
Assumed office
1 April 2022
Preceded byRosanne Somerson
Personal details
BornDetroit, Michigan, U.S.[1]
Alma materNew York University,
Cornell University
ProfessionUniversity president, administrator, educator, poet
Websitewww.crystalannwilliams.com

Crystal Ann Williams[2][1] is an American university president, educator, and poet. Williams is the current President of Rhode Island School of Design.[3][4][5] She was raised in both Detroit, and in Madrid, Spain.[3] She has earned degrees at New York University (BFA), and Cornell University (MFA).[6][7]

Career[edit]

Williams' poems have been widely anthologized, appearing in The American Poetry Review, Ploughshares, 5AM, The Crab Orchard Review, The Sun, Ms. Magazine, The Indiana Review, Callaloo, and many other publications. Additionally, Williams has performed her poems in venues throughout the country, including as a member of the 1995 Nuyorican Poets Café National Poetry Slam Team.[8]

Williams has received grants and fellowships from the Oregon Arts Commission, the Money for Women also known as the Barbara Deming Memorial Fund, and the MacDowell Arts Colony.[8]

Education[edit]

Williams began teaching at Reed College as a professor of English, becoming dean for institutional diversity from 2011 to 2013.[3] From 2013 to 2017, Williams worked at Bates College as the associate vice president for strategic initiatives and as a professor of English.[3] In 2017, Williams came to Boston University where she first worked as the inaugural associate provost for diversity and inclusion before transferring into a broader role as vice president and associate provost for community and inclusion.[9]

In 2021, it was announced that Williams was leaving her position as vice president and associate provost for community and inclusion at Boston University to become Rhode Island School of Design's 18th president.[3] Williams became its first Black president on April 1, 2022.[3]

Bibliography[edit]

  • Kin, Michigan State University Press, 2000.[10][11]
  • Lunatic, Michigan State University Press, 2002.[11][12]
  • Troubled Tongues, Lotus Press, 2009.[13]
  • Detroit as Barn, University of Washington Press, 2014.[14]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Williams, Crystal, 1970-". LC Name Authority File (LCNAF). The Library of Congress.
  2. ^ "About Crystal Williams". poets.org. Academy of American Poets. Retrieved 2022-01-05.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Borg, Linda (16 December 2021). "'Art, education, and equity and justice': RISD picks Boston University VP as next president". Dezeen.
  4. ^ "Poet and advocate Crystal Williams named next RISD president". WPRI.com. 2021-12-16. Retrieved 2021-12-16.
  5. ^ Gagosz, Alexa (December 16, 2021). "Rhode Island School of Design names 18th president". BostonGlobe.com. Retrieved 2021-12-16.
  6. ^ "Crystal Williams Named 18th President of Rhode Island School of Design". Black Enterprise. 2021-12-17. Archived from the original on 2021-12-17. Retrieved 2021-12-17.
  7. ^ "About Crystal Williams". poets.org. Academy of American Poets. Archived from the original on 2020-09-18. Retrieved 2021-12-21.
  8. ^ a b "The Days of Yore". The Days of Yore. 2011-05-23. Retrieved 2021-12-16.
  9. ^ Murphy, Matthew (16 December 2021). "Crystal Williams Leaving BU to Become President of Rhode Island School of Design". Boston University. Retrieved 2021-12-16.
  10. ^ Williams, Crystal (2000). Kin: poems. East Lansing: Michigan State University Press. ISBN 978-1-62896-195-9. OCLC 1194440263.
  11. ^ a b "Crystal Williams". Tin House. Retrieved 2021-12-16.
  12. ^ "Reed Magazine: News of the College". www.reed.edu. Retrieved 2021-12-16.
  13. ^ "Emerging Writers Win Oregon Book Awards". Poets & Writers. 2009-10-27. Retrieved 2021-12-16.
  14. ^ "Lost Horse Press - an Independent Literary Publisher". www.losthorsepress.org. Retrieved 2021-12-16.

External links[edit]


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