Mount St. Joseph University Extends Contract of President H. James Williams, Ph.D.
CINCINNATI – Mount St. Joseph University President H. James Williams, Ph.D., has agreed to a five-year contract extension that will keep him at the Mount until at least 2023, MSJ Board of Trustees Chair Jason Niehaus ’98 announced today. The extension also includes an option for an additional five-year term beyond 2023.
Dr. Williams assumed the duties as President of the Mount in March 2016, and he and his wife, Carole Campbell Williams, were immediately welcomed into the Mount Community. Since that time, the Mount has achieved annual enrollment growth and expects this fall to welcome its largest incoming class to campus since 2010. Under Dr. Williams’ leadership, the Mount successfully launched a new Physician Assistant program – the only such program in Greater Cincinnati – and graduation and retention rates have increased. Employee giving rates to the University have also increased to nearly 80 percent, meaning four out of every five faculty and staff members at the Mount give back a portion of their paycheck to support the University.
“In just over two years as President, Dr. Williams has made a significant impact on the Mount Community,” Mr. Niehaus said. “He is a strong leader and has consistently exceeded performance metrics and our expectations. From enrollment and student outcomes to fundraising and innovation, we have experienced year-over-year growth since James and Carole’s arrival, and we are excited about our bold vision for the future under his leadership.”
At his Inauguration in April 2017, when he was officially installed as the Mount’s President, Dr. Williams set forth his strategic vision for leading the University into a bold new future. This vision – Transformation 2025 – was created with the goal of invigorating the campus with state-of-the-art facilities and infrastructure that will play a critical role in the Mount’s achieving its overall objective: expand and enhance student experiences/outcomes. Transformation 2025 has renewed excitement in the Mount Community as the University moves toward its Centennial celebration in 2020, and beyond.
“All of us at Mount St. Joseph University are on a mission to give education greater purpose, by empowering our students to become competent, compassionate, and critical thinkers, who make a meaningful impact on the world,” Dr. Williams said. “For almost 100 years now, Mount St. Joseph University has been a beacon of light to Greater Cincinnati, and we have a responsibility to carry that forward. Carole and I consider ourselves very blessed to join in this mission, and we look forward to many more years as members of the Mount Community.”
Dr. Williams earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting at North Carolina Central University, his Master of Business Administration in Accounting at the University of Wisconsin, his Ph.D. in Accounting at the University of Georgia, and his Juris Doctor and LL.M. (Taxation) degrees at Georgetown University Law Center. He is also a Certified Public Accountant and a Certified Management Accountant, with a wealth of practical experiences, having worked in the public accounting profession and in the legal profession as a corporate and tax attorney.
Dr. Williams is a native of Winston-Salem, N.C. The Williamses now reside in Delhi Township and have two adult children.
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About the Mount
Mount St. Joseph University is a Catholic institution grounded in the spiritual values and vision of its founders, the Sisters of Charity. Located on the west side of Cincinnati in Delhi Township, the Mount is dedicated to student success and well-being, emphasizing values, integrity, and social responsibility. The Mount was founded in 1920 as one of the only women’s colleges in the eastern United States at the time. Today the University educates a diverse coeducational population of more than 2,000 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students. Nearly 99 percent of those who earn a degree from the Mount are employed, enrolled in graduate studies, or volunteering within six months of graduation.