Gregory H. Williams facts for kids

Gregory Howard Williams is a well-known scholar, lawyer, and author. He has held important leadership roles at major universities. He was the 27th President of the University of Cincinnati from 2009 to 2012. Before that, he was the 11th President of the City College of New York from 2001 to 2009.

Early Life and Education

Gregory Howard Williams was born on November 12, 1943, in Muncie, Indiana. He lived in Gum Springs, Virginia, when he was very young. When he was 10, his parents separated. He and his brother moved back to Muncie with their father. It was then that he learned about his father's African American background. Even though this was a confusing time, Gregory loved learning, just like his father.

He went to Ball State University and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1966. To pay for college, he worked as a deputy sheriff in Muncie. After graduating, he taught history and government in Falls Church, Virginia. In 1969, he earned a master's degree from the University of Maryland.

Gregory Williams then studied law at George Washington University, getting his J.D. degree in 1971. He worked for a U.S. Senator in Washington, D.C. for two years. Later, he earned two more degrees from George Washington University: a master's in political science in 1977 and a doctorate in political science in 1982. He also earned an MBA from Mercy College (New York).

Career Highlights

In 1977, Williams joined the University of Iowa Law faculty. He taught classes about criminal law and how laws are made. He also helped manage the Law School as an associate dean. He was in charge of things like student admissions and helping students and teachers.

He also worked as a consultant for a program that trained foreign lawyers. From 1978 to 1988, he was part of a group that advised the United States Civil Rights Commission in Iowa. This group worked to protect people's rights.

Williams was also a visiting professor at universities in England. He taught at Durham University and was a visiting scholar at Selwyn College at Cambridge University.

From 1993 to 2001, Williams was the dean of the Michael E. Moritz College of Law at Ohio State University. As dean, he helped the law school grow a lot. The number of teachers increased, and he raised $25 million from alumni.

Leading Universities

In 2001, Gregory Williams became the 11th president of the City College of New York. This college is a very important part of the City University of New York system. Before this, he had been a law school dean at Ohio State. While there, he wrote a book called Life on the Color Line. This book won an award from the Los Angeles Times.

As president of the City College of New York, Williams made many positive changes.

• The number of students increased by 60 percent.
• Academic standards got much better.
• He led the first major fundraising effort for the college, raising over $230 million.
• The college's research funding more than doubled.

When he left in 2009, the college was a diverse place. Many students were from different racial groups, and half were born outside the United States of America. About 90 different languages were spoken on campus!

On November 1, 2009, Williams became the president of the University of Cincinnati. In his first year, he started a big plan called "UC2019." This plan was named after the university's 200th birthday, which was coming up. During his time as president, the university had a record number of students. He also helped create a new health system for the university. In 2012, he decided to step down from his role as president.

Awards and Recognition

Gregory Williams has received many awards for his work. These awards recognize his achievements in teaching, leading, and fundraising.

• In 1998, President Bill Clinton invited him to join a special group. This group worked to promote diversity and free legal help for those who needed it.
• In 1999, he was named "Dean of the Year" by a national organization.
• The National Bar Association gave him the A. Leon Higginbotham Jr. Award. This award was for his work in protecting human and civil rights.

He also received many other honors, including:

• An award from the Governor of New York for his leadership (2004).
• An award from Vienna, Austria, for his contributions to science and art (2006).
• Being named an Honorary Mayor-President in Baton Rouge, Louisiana (2006).
• Receiving the Key to the City from the mayor of Muncie, Indiana (2006).
• The Langston Hughes Award from The City College of New York for his contributions to arts and letters (2009).
• An award from George Washington University Law School (2015).

A special teaching position at the Moritz College of Law at Ohio State University is named after him. It is called the Gregory H. Williams Chair in Civil Rights & Civil Liberties.

Williams has also received honorary doctorate degrees from several universities. These are special degrees given to people who have achieved great things. Some of these universities include Ball State University (1999) and Columbia University (2016).

Personal Life

Gregory Williams married Sara Catherine Whitney on August 29, 1969. They have four children: Natalia Dora, Zachary Benjamin, Anthony Bîadîmir, and Carlos Gregory.