“Mother, writer, social commentator, advocate, columnist, educator, cultural conservationist, poet, artist, former diplomat, volunteer extraordinaire, certified homeland protection professional (CHPP), doctoral candidate in public policy administration,” Mutryce Williams, MA ’05, described herself. “Evidence that a UD education prepares one not for a given occupation but for life.”

A native of St. Kitts and Nevis in the Virgin Islands, Williams grew up in a culture where her “independent thinking” wasn’t much appreciated. She found a home at UD, where she received a master’s in politics.

“I must note that the UD environment was new to me,” said Williams. “Growing up in a culture where one is taught what to think, where regurgitating what was taught was viewed as superior intelligence, where not questioning the status quo was the order of the day, and most importantly where patriarchy ruled supreme, I viewed my time at UD as quite liberating.”

Her politics professors didn’t want her to simply regurgitate their words.

“They wanted to know that you had the capacity to dig deeper, to think, to analyze,” said Williams. “They wanted you to have a clearer understanding. They wanted you to be enlightened.”

In the decade since leaving UD armed with the confidence to “question everything,” Williams’ many experiences have included teaching Catholic school, representing her country’s interests on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) executive board in Paris, France, and training with the Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency.

She is a member of the International Association for Emergency Management (IAEM), Emergency Management Professional Organization for Women’s Enrichment (EMPOWER), ASIS International, National Domestic Preparedness Coalition (NDPCI) and the International Association of Counterterrorism and Security Professionals (IACSP). She was awarded the Coin of Excellence and Service for her support during Vice President Joe Biden’s 2011 visit to the Virgin Islands.

Currently pursuing her doctorate at Walden University with a double concentration in homeland security and in terrorism, mediation and peace, Williams holds 55 certificates in the homeland security and emergency management fields and was a 2015 recipient of Texas A&M University’s Women’s Progress Award.

“Education not used to enlighten, better or uplift others is useless,” said Williams. “This is one of the many lessons I learned at UD.”