PCC Celebrates Women’s History, Names Williamson ‘Woman of Substance’
WINTERVILLE—Pitt Community College celebrated Women’s History Month Wednesday and, as part of the festivities, recognized Dr. Kimberly Williamson as the recipient of this year’s Woman of Substance Award.
For more than 20 years, Williamson has been a quiet leader and inspiration to the enrollment and student support services personnel she’s supervised in various capacities with PCC. She currently serves as senior director of student advocacy, overseeing student code of conduct, accessibility services, Title IX compliance and counseling services.
Prior to her current role, Williamson supervised staff working with admissions counseling, placement testing, recruitment, new student orientation, transcripts and career coaching.
“I am honored to receive the PCC Woman of Substance Award; there are so many remarkable women at PCC, and I am so happy to be recognized in this way,” Williamson said. “It is a blessing to come to work each day and get to work in a career where I am able to make a difference in the lives of others.”
PCC Counseling Services Coordinator Olivia Sutton nominated Williamson for the Woman of Substance (WOS) Award, which is presented to a female employee each year in recognition of campus and community involvement, caring attitude, and willingness to go the extra mile. She called Williamson a “team-oriented” and “highly-respected” leader and said she challenges staff members she supervises to “make data-driven decisions” and build campus partnerships that lead to improved student services.
“(Dr. Williamson) is a servant leader and leads with heart and compassion,” Sutton says. “She is person-centered, an active listener, and encourages us to be creative and think outside the box when coordinating programs and projects in our department.”
Sutton said the leadership Williamson provides to Pitt’s Basic Needs and Behavior Intervention teams helps secure resources on and off campus that promote student wellness and assist students struggling with financial insecurities. She said her counseling experience and concern for students make her the ideal person to address student conduct issues at the college.
“She truly cares about people and seeks to help them in a variety of ways. I believe this makes her a Woman of Substance,” Sutton said.
A Colerain native now living in Winterville, Williamson began working at PCC in January 2000 as the college’s placement testing coordinator. She says her professional achievements and community service are a reflection of her parents, who emphasized the importance of a strong work ethic, building positive relationships with people, and serving others.
“I have taken what they modeled into my career,” Williamson says. “I have had many great role models throughout my career, some who have won this same (Woman of Substance) Award. I am grateful to work with dedicated people each day and people who have a heart for students.”
Outside of work, Williamson leads Bible study at a local agency for women recovering from substance abuse and is a parent volunteer for Boy Scouts Troop 200 in Winterville. She’s also an active member of Greenville’s Oakmont Baptist Church, where she is a youth leader, sings in the choir, oversees Homebound Ministry activities, and serves as a Missions Team member.
At home, Williamson says she enjoys cooking, gardening, traveling and being outdoors. She and her husband, Mac, have two sons: Phillip and Andrew.
In addition to Williamson, this year’s WOS Award nominees were Lee Bray, Lauren McGee, Gail Nichols, Jane Power, Sandra Saunders-Smith, Faith Underwood, Maurey Verzier and Natasha Worthington.
Prior to the WOS Award announcement, the women’s history program featured a presentation by PCC English Instructor Regina Garcia that focused on this year’s national Women’s History Month theme – “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories.” Garcia, who recently published a book of her poetry titled “The Firetalker’s Daughter,” shared her personal story and details of her writing experiences before answering questions from audience members.
03/27/2023