Williamson will have primary responsibility for advising honors students and tracking their progress. She will counsel honors students not only on developing their specialized academic programs, but also help them find research opportunities, industry projects and community service engagements. She will also teach one of NJIT’s Freshman Seminar classes.

“I am very pleased to have Ms. Williamson with us because of her combination of experience in counseling, education, and business,” said David Reibstein, Ph.D., associate dean of the Albert Dorman Honors College. “She is a professional in the fields of advising, counseling and student services, and will bring that expertise to bear on academic and other issues that are unique to honors students.”

Before joining NJIT, Williamson, of Cedar Grove, had since 2001 been a counselor for new student experience at Montclair State University, Montclair. Previously she was director of the Multicultural Center at Bloomsburg University, Bloomsburg, Penn.  She has a bachelor’s degree in business administration, a master’s degree in counseling from Shippenburg University, and is now working toward a doctoral degree in education from Rutgers University. She grew up in Harrisburg, Penn., and graduated from Bishop McDevitt High School.

“At the most basic level, I’ll advise honors students on how to meet the basic requirements of the program,” Williamson said. “But at the highest level I’ll help them leave NJIT as fully rounded adults – socially, intellectually and humanely. I’ll help them learn to interact well with faculty, with each other, and to take advantage of research and intern opportunities as well as community service to NJIT, to the honors college, and to Newark. I’ve been here only a few weeks, but that’s long enough to see the intrinsic motivation these students have. It’s my job to guide and shape that motivation.”