Dean
West Chester University of Pennsylvania
Dr. Desha L. Williams joined the University community on June 1, 2020, as the dean of the College of Education and Social Work. Williams has more than 25 years of progressive leadership and senior-level experience in the field of higher education, including expertise in increasing opportunities for enrollment growth and establishing strong partnerships within and outside of the university. Williams’ work as a professor of mathematics education focused on the preparation of teachers for ethnically diverse student populations in rural, urban, and suburban environments. As a result of this compelling work, she has contributed successfully to grants totaling more than $15 million dollars. Known to be a collaborative leader, Williams has worked to increase flexibility in student educational choice and to increase the number of traditionally underrepresented students, including males, in teacher education. She is also data-driven and committed to continuous improvement, as best exemplified through her role as a state reviewer for teacher preparation programs and as an NCTM/CAEP reviewer. Since beginning her tenure at West Chester University, Dr. Williams advocates for teacher education, nationally and at the state level, fiercely. She is also actively participating to impact the shortage of teachers, social workers, and school counselors in the Commonwealth.
Williams, who earned a Certificate of Institutional Effectiveness from SUNY Center for Professional Development and is a proud alumna of the HERS Leadership Institute, earned a Ph.D. in Teaching and Learning, and an M.Ed. in Mathematics Education from Georgia State University. She received a B.S. in Mathematics from Morris Brown College in Atlanta, Georgia, where she hails.
Rising Above Challenges for Our Future: Voices from TECSCU Leaders
Saturday, February 17, 2024
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM MST