Gary Williams, director of student success at Carthage, has been named director of athletics and ...
All Stories

Longtime Carthage staff member Gary Williams has been appointed director of athletics and recreation at Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio.

Mr. Williams, who earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Carthage, has been a staff member since 1997. Most recently, he has worked as the College’s first director of student success.

He is scheduled to begin his new position June 1. At Wittenberg, Mr. Williams will oversee a department that offers 23 varsity sports competing in NCAA Division III.

“I want to thank President Woodward, Senior Vice President Andrews, and Associate Vice President Ramirez for all of their leadership, support, and guidance,” he said. “Even more importantly, I want to thank the countless other Carthaginians across the years who have shaped and molded me into the person and professional I am today. Over half of my life has been spent on campus, and I will forever be a proud graduate of Carthage.”

In 2013, he was tasked with the implementation of the virtual and physical Center for Student Success. In the center’s first year, Mr. Williams and his staff helped boost Carthage’s first- to second-year retention rate by six percentage points.

“Gary Williams has been an integral part of our Carthage team for a number of years, leading initiatives in student success and advising. His inaugural leadership of the Center for Student Success has been outstanding,” Carthage President Gregory Woodward said. “His energy for the task and his devotion to our students has been inspiring. We will all miss him, but we all wish him well as he fulfills a lifelong dream to serve a great university as an athletic director.”

He directed the Character Quest program and was instrumental in the development of a leadership certificate program at the College. Mr. Williams, who has a doctorate degree in leadership in higher education, also taught courses in exercise and sport science, education, and business.

In his time at Carthage, Mr. Williams also has been an assistant football coach (10 seasons), academic advisor, and associate athletic director.

“Because he is such a valued member of our staff, we are very excited for Gary and his new opportunity at Wittenberg University,” said Jason Ramirez, associate vice president for student life. “We know he will go on to do great things!”

Mr. Williams has served on the NCAA’s Student Athlete Affairs Advisory Team and is in his third and final year as national chair of the NCAA Division III Men’s Volleyball Committee. He has been commissioner of the Continental Volleyball Conference, in which the Red Men participate, since 2011.

In his new role at Wittenberg, he replaces Garnett Purnell, who retired after 14 years in the position.