Jeffrey R. Williams, literary scholar and university outreach director, joins McREL’s Board of Directors
December 15, 2008
Denver—Dr. Jeffrey R. Williams, director of access and urban outreach in the Office of Enrollment Management at the University of Missouri-Columbia, has joined the Board of Directors of Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL).
Williams, who oversees initiatives that target underrepresented students and broaden access to higher education, is also an American and African American literary scholar and previously taught at the University of Missouri, the University of Memphis, and Central Missouri State University. Williams is a prominent community affairs figure in Columbia and has served on a number of boards and committees, including his current position as co-chair of Imagine Columbia's Future, a citizens-driven group dedicated to developing a vision for the city's future.
"My interest in joining the McREL Board of Directors stems from an active engagement with the challenges of broadening access and educational opportunity to students from all walks of life," said Williams. "I believe that standards-based school reform is vital not only to school success but to placing students on the path to higher education. I look forward to serving on this board and to learning from its talented members."
Williams holds a doctorate in English from the University of Missouri-Columbia and received his B.A. and M.A., both in English, from the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
Tim Waters, President and CEO of McREL, said, "Dr. Williams brings to our Board not only an academic perspective on education but also practical knowledge of what it takes to prepare high school students for successful transitions to college."
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McREL is a nationally recognized, private, nonprofit organization located in Denver, Colo., dedicated to improving education for all students through applied research, product development and service. In 2007, McREL provided research-based guidance to educators and policymakers in 47 states across the U.S.
