Dr. Michael D. Williams became the sixth president of Harding University on June 1, 2022.
Previously, Williams served as the eighth president of Faulkner University from 2015-2022. He led the institution through a time of tremendous growth and progress. A significant achievement of his presidency was the creation of the College of Health Sciences and the launch of a state-of-the-art autism center.
Williams’ professional career includes a previous tenure at Harding spanning 28 years. From 1987 to 2003, Williams served in a number of leadership roles within enrollment management. Under his leadership, the University experienced a time of unparalleled enrollment growth. In 2003, Williams was appointed vice president for university advancement, and two fundraising campaigns exceeded their goals during his tenure.
Williams earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting and a Master of Business Administration from the Paul R. Carter College of Business Administration at Harding. In 2008, he completed a doctorate in higher education management from the University of Pennsylvania.
Williams has served in numerous leadership roles in professional organizations. He also has spoken at a variety of state, regional and national conferences. Deeply committed to community development, Williams also has been involved in numerous leadership roles in community organizations.
He and his wife of 35 years, Lisa (’89), have two sons, Quentin and Cade (’20), and a daughter-in-law, Cailin (’20).
