Collin D. Williams, Jr.

Collin Williams Jr. is an educator, author and researcher addressing race and other diverse issues through the lens of sports. As a director of leadership & education for the Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality (RISE), Collin develops, executes and expands RISE’s education and leadership programs, collaborating with internal and external partners to identify training needs and strategies. Previously, he worked in social responsibility and player programs for the NBA and as assistant director of player engagement for the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens.

As a doctoral student of higher education at the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education, Collin served as a research associate and campus climate consultant at the Center for the Study of Race & Equity in Education, as well as an instructor of a graduate-level interactive seminar course on issues of diversity in the United States.

Featured in more than 300 national and local media outlets, his research explores how undergraduates’ social experiences influence engagement, academic performance, campus climate and post-college outcomes, especially for students and athletes of color from low-income, first-generation college and other underrepresented backgrounds. Collin earned his bachelor’s degree in sociology and Africana studies and his doctorate in higher education from the University of Pennsylvania.