Assistant provost named: Kimberley Buster-Williams joins UMW staff

BY ALESHA JAMES

The University of Mary Washington named Kimberley Buster-Williams as the new associate provost for enrollment management. Buster-Williams previously served as the associate vice president for enrollment management at Northern Illinois University and has almost 20 years of experience working higher education admissions.

Buster-Williams worked at Old Dominion University as the senior assistant director of Admissions and earned a seven-year tenure as the director of admissions at the University of Michigan at Flint. While at UMF, her marketing and recruitment strategies generated a 33 percent increase in enrollment.

“Kimberley has had broad experience, both addressing significant enrollment challenges associated with the changing landscape of higher education and utilizing new systems and technologies similar to and, in some cases, the same as those we have begun to utilize at Mary Washington,” said Provost Jonathan Levin in the release in regards to announcement

Starting on May 25, Buster-Williams will assume the position of managing enrollment and recruitment affairs for UMW. Some of her additional responsibilities will include overseeing the Office of Admissions, the Office of the University Registrar and the Office of Financial Aid. Buster-Williams will be replacing Carol Descak, who held the position of associate provost since 2012.

“I believe she will be able to benefit the school just as much or possibly more than our previous associate provost.  Her experience will definitely help her ease into the Admissions program,” said senior math major Julia Peery. “This is a complex school, and we need someone who can hike enrollment, especially with the new additions of the GIS Master’s program and the Nursing program.”

Buster-Williams attended Old Dominion University and currently holds a bachelor’s degree in English, a master’s in education administration and an educational specialist degree in educational leadership.

“Her experience as director of admissions in the past and her 20 years of service in admissions definitely shows how familiar she is within the department. This will help in assisting incoming freshman because she already has an extensive amount of experience,” said junior English major Tionge Johnson.

Many students are reassured to know that Buster-Williams has a long history of success behind her.

“It is always a good sign when someone is seasoned in their work, and I can see that from her experience as director of admissions,” said Johnson.