Hilary Williams, inaugural dean for the School of Arts & Sciences at Colby-Sawyer, has been appointed interim academic vice president and dean of faculty of the college.  

She will oversee the faculty and academic departments and academic support services beginning May 15.  

Williams said she is deeply honored to be entrusted with the role and excited about working with incoming President Dean McCurdy and members of the Senior Leadership Team, as well as with faculty and staff, in new ways. 

“Much like Colby-Sawyer College promises transformative education and vocational exploration for students, it has provided me with transformative career opportunities and experiences — enabling me to develop my sense of purpose as well as close friendships and working relationships,” she said. “I am so glad to work with and support a great community in a beautiful place.” 

Interim President Laura A. Sykes ’98 said Williams has excelled as an educator and administrator at the college, which she joined in 2012 as an assistant professor of graphic design and digital media. 

“Hilary is a rockstar,” said Sykes, who mentored Williams during her yearlong participation in the Senior Leadership Academy that is sponsored by the Council of Independent Colleges and the American Academic Leadership Institute. 

“Hilary has largely defined and refined the role of dean. She is a careful listener and strategic thinker. She is intelligent, supportive, organized and approachable. And, she is an outstanding resource for colleagues and students.” 

Williams said she learned during the Senior Leadership Academy that it is paramount to lead with self-awareness, empathy and authenticity. This summer, she will continue to broaden her skills at the Higher Education Resource Services (HERS) Leadership Institute, which focuses on transformational development for higher education professionals. 

As interim academic vice president and dean of faculty, Williams will lead academic strategic planning; faculty recruitment, professional development and evaluation; budgeting, fundraising and grants; development of academic partnerships; curriculum assessment and planning; and blending academic and cocurricular offerings into a seamless educational experience for students. 

Williams already has considerable experience in those areas. She initiated the development of eight new academic programs, developed seven community college transfer pathways and co-developed teaching guidelines and best practices during the pandemic.  

Another important part of the job is serving as the institution's accreditation liaison officer. Sykes said that Williams is well-qualified for the role because she has served as a New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) evaluator and co-chaired Colby-Sawyer's 2025 self-study. 

Williams said her core values of growth, balance and joy inform her leadership style.  

“I have learned how important it is in administrative roles to balance listening with initiative, advocacy with understanding of constraints, intuition with data-based decision-making, systems thinking at the institutional level with a human-centered approach and empathy for individual experiences, change with continuity, and the operational with the visionary,” she said.  

During her 13 years at Colby-Sawyer, Williams has also served as an associate professor of graphic design and digital media and chaired the Department of Fine & Performing Arts. In 2016, she earned the college’s highest teaching honor — the Jack Jensen Award for Excellence in Teaching. 

Her writing about academic leadership has been published in The ACAD Leader and The Department Chair, and her graphic design work has been recognized in regional, national and international competitions. 

Williams earned an MFA in studio art: graphic design from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and a bachelor’s in studio art and environmental studies from Williams College. 

“My personal and professional mission is to cultivate and facilitate transformation, growth, learning and connection,” she said. “Coming into this role, I intend to focus on communication, systems and collaboration — an easy-to-remember CSC acronym.”