Jimmy Williams came to admissions work the same way some students choose a college – by chance. A graduate of Middlebury College, he joined the St. Lawrence community in 2007 and is associate director of admissions, as well as director of multicultural recruitment.  But some 32 years ago, when he took his first foray into admissions, he had no idea this would be his true calling in life.

“I was working for the New York City Board of Education,” he says, “And I got tired of having to look for work every summer.”  An old football coach suggested that he send a resume to Brown University.  A few days later, he got a call from BU to see if he was interested in an open position at the admissions office.

He took the job and hasn’t looked back.  “I love my job, but mostly the people in the admissions office here,” Williams says.  “In my 32 years in this business, at five schools, this group is the best.  It’s not a job – it’s fun!”

At St. Lawrence, Williams manages the admissions process covering New York City, Texas, Oklahoma and “all of the Southern states.”  He also notes, “As the director of multicultural recruitment, I manage our recruitment effort for students of color, and I’ve got nationwide responsibilities in this area.”

Williams came to St. Lawrence after Brown, Davidson and Antioch, and quickly found himself drawn to the area’s tranquility and natural beauty.  The welcoming atmosphere at St. Lawrence and a focused body of faculty and staff convinced him to settle in.

Aside from his enormous collection of 800,000 sports cards, Williams also collects books, toys and classical movies.  His favorite movies date back to the 1930s and ‘40s, and include Casablanca, Key Largo, Citizen Kane and The Maltese Falcon.