After 33 years on campus, Director of Outreach and Education Beverly Jones Williams will retire from NC State on August 31, 2020.
Williams began working on campus in 1986 in Housing, moving to Human Resources in 1994 and joining the then-named Office for Equal Opportunity (now Equal Opportunity and Equity) in 2000 as program coordinator. She became director of outreach and education in the newly expanded Office for Institutional Equity and Diversity (OIED) in 2011, overseeing diversity, equity and inclusion training for the university.
In recent years, Williams has been well-known for her leadership of two major initiatives: NC State’s National Coalition Building Institute (NCBI) campus affiliate team and the Equal Opportunity Institute (EOI). Pre-pandemic, Williams also coordinated over 40 NC State diversity, equity and inclusion workshops each year, bringing in expert facilitators from local and regional organizations.
Building Diversity Programs from the Ground Up
NC State’s NCBI team owes its existence largely to Williams’ efforts, growing into a campus institution known for its ground-breaking prejudice-reduction workshops. For two decades, the team has forged a strong presence on campus and beyond, harnessing the efforts of dozens of highly-committed volunteer facilitators who are also faculty and staff members from various offices and departments across the university.
The other major program for which Williams is well-known on campus is the Equal Opportunity Institute (EOI), which celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2019, graduating over 500 participants since the program’s inception. Having served its purpose well as a foundational educational experience for the campus, the program will soon be relaunched under a new name with updated offerings in the continuous evolution of diversity education.
Parting Words
Williams will be missed for her stellar interpersonal skills, love of people and her ability to celebrate the good in everyone as she constantly worked to help make the world a better place. After retirement, she plans to continue working in the field of diversity, equity and inclusion in various ventures.
“Working with Beverly, it is easy to see her dedication to making NC State a welcoming place for all. Beverly’s cheerfulness and easy laugh are magnetic, and she has a particular talent for bringing others along in her commitment to enhancing diversity and inclusion in the community.”
– Amy Circosta, co-founder, Harassment Free NC
“Beverly is one of the most beautiful people that I know. Her wonderful spirit, dear heart and genuinely kind nature make her the beautiful person that she is. I have been blessed to call Beverly a friend.”
– Lisa Pierson, business officer, Chancellor’s Office
“Beverly Jones Williams is a dedicated and courageous thought leader in the area of diversity and inclusion education. I watched Beverly create and deliver course content that touched people in a profound way and led them through discussion frameworks that often helped them gain more insight about themselves when they thought they were only learning about others. I will miss her dearly.”
– Ursula B. Hairston, assistant vice chancellor for HR strategy
“Beverly Jones Williams has left a remarkable legacy at NC State. Her commitment and work have positively impacted countless students, faculty and staff. She advocated for and created change; she developed and built programs and courses. I will remember her for those accomplishments, and also for being a generous and brilliant leader, mentor and friend. She has changed my life, and I am incredibly grateful for her.”
– Joy Tongsri, senior associate director, Park Scholarships
“Beverly’s excellence in supporting people’s journeys while giving them just the right amount of challenge for growth is her true gift, and she has shared it freely and with joy to the NC State community.”
– Sheri Schwab, vice provost for institutional equity and diversity