Meet Lawrence L. Williams

Lawrence L. Williams, M.A.
Educational Consultant
College Bound Center, LLC (CT)

What drew you to the world of college admission counseling?
I began at the University of Connecticut as a first-generation student to college. Upon graduation I found my way into college admissions at UConn. I served in the admissions office at the University of Connecticut as senior admissions officer. I have accumulated 47 years of experience in admissions, and I have served three years at the interim associate level. I have earned three degrees from the university—a business degree, a master’s in higher education, and a Sixth-Year Professional Diploma in Educational Administration. And including my student years, I have been at UConn for a total of 51 years. In addition to my many responsibilities, diversity recruitment and enrollment has been one of my major responsibilities. I have coordinated, initiated, and created several programs to encourage multicultural students to attend the university and played a major role in increasing diversity enrollments at UConn.

I have been blessed to have found my passion early in life, working in the collegiate area helping students to fulfill their dreams of attending college. This commitment was never like work to me. It has been an honor to have played a major role in the implementation and the success of the many programs I coordinated, created, and ran during my tenure. Amazingly, I have served the state of Connecticut’s students and some out-of-state students and their families for over four decades. My professional life has been in college admissions and planning. That has been my passion and I am continuing to assist students with the admissions and enrollment process.

Presently, I have started and developing my own consulting firm, College Bound Center, LLC, (DBA College Bound Educational Consulting). College Bound Educational Consulting offers professional guidance and college counseling and planning to families in the areas of secondary school, graduate school, and college admissions. My services are highly individualized and range from special circumstances to traditional admissions counseling and long-term planning. I am very excited about this as my encore profession because most of my professional life has been in college admissions and planning.

What is your favorite part of the job?
Every day in admissions, there is always a new challenge. The job responsibilities change with the seasons. My favorite part of the job has been working with students and their families—the recruiting and enrollment process. The college application process can be stressful for most students. I was always honored that students and their parents were comfortable for me to work with them through this process.

Highlights include: The many programs that I have coordinated, created, and implemented, and the outreach events to increase diversity enrollments at the university; the admit receptions, open house programs, counselor programs, college recruitment programs, application days and nights for first-year students and transfer students; the everyday interactions where I helped guide students to their career path; the many students that I have come to know and the impact I have made in their lives—and how they have become a part of my extended family.

I will always cherish my time at UConn. They have been the most rewarding days of my life.

–> Scroll to the bottom of this page to watch a video highlighting Williams’ extraordinary legacy at UConn.   

How has NACAC played a role in your career?
NACAC has provided me with a place where I could come yearly and recharge and reconnect with friends and colleagues from across the country and world. The many conferences that I have attended provided me with professional development opportunities and networking experiences. They also provided me with a space to learn from the best and brightest in our field and bring that information back to my university and increase my own knowledge base as well. I was able to put into practice the most up-to-date recruitment and enrollment models by attending the presentations and sharing strategies with colleagues in discussion groups for increased enrollments. The recruitment events assisted me with the opportunity to meet with many outstanding students and families and assist them with their college choices.

What do you think is the biggest challenge facing our profession today?
The most pressing issues facing the profession today are the rising cost of higher education and continuing to make colleges and universities affordable. Because of projected rising cost and tuition increases it could make it more difficult for some students to pursue higher education. Higher education institutions are facing significant financial difficulties. It will not be just tuition increases but also room and board as well. This could lead to enrollment declines as students begin to seek more affordable options, like community colleges and trade schools; and considering employment, as the labor market is expected to expand and could discourage people from starting or staying in school. Our first-generation and low-income students and families will feel this impact the most. While the federal government is increasing student loans, student debts are reaching record levels. Colleges and universities must find ways to reduce the cost of higher education.

In addition, the U.S. Supreme Court just ruled that affirmative action admissions programs that consider an applicant’s race in ways like Harvard and the University of North Carolina violate the U.S. Constitution’s promise of equal protection under the law. Colleges and universities must now reexamine their admission policies and search for new improved ways to ensure diversity in their student populations. President Joe Biden disagrees with this ruling and has urged colleges not to abandon their commitment to student diversity.

When you aren’t working, what do you like to do?
When I am not working, I am spending quality time with my family. I enjoy reading. I am also an audio enthusiast, so listening to music or watching a good movie on my surround theater system is how I relax. Traveling with family and close friends has been something that I enjoy most when not working. I am also completing my doctoral degree
(Ed.D.) in educational leadership at the University of Connecticut.

What five words would you use to describe yourself?
Attentive. Reliable. Committed. Creative. Hardworking.

Published July 17, 2023